Status of Coral Reefs of the World 2000

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Status of Coral Reefs of the World: 2000 still depleted at Palmyra, although more abundant than observed in 1998. Recent storm damage was also evident off the north coast of Jarvis and Palmyra. Midway Atoll Fish populations have been monitored during surveys of the NW Hawaiian Islands, and the ocean reefs are in excellent condition, but the lagoon reefs are not as flourishing, possibly due to restricted circulation. Reef fish are abundant and healthy, due to fishing restrictions as a NWR. Fish stocks are in excellent to pristine condition at most of the islands, apart from evidence of recent shark finning and some targeting of large reef fish on the remote reefs, despite being protected as a NWR. Military or USFWS presence at Johnston, Wake, Midway, and Palmyra is discouraging illegal poaching, and giant clam populations are healthy with spectacular densities on Kingman. The only anthropogenic stresses other than fishing impacts (shark finning and depletion of large fish), are vessel groundings, as these low coral islands or atolls are difficult to spot at a distance, and are frequently hit by ships (with associated fuel spills). Marine debris and abandoned fish nets are a major problem at Midway and the other NW Hawaiian Islands, where they become easily snagged, damaging reefs and corals and entangling seabirds, marine mammals, sea turtles and fish. Observations at Palmyra, Kingman, Baker, and Howland in 1998 to 2000 suggest a major bleaching event at these islands in 1997 or early 1998. A major bleaching event was observed at Rose Atoll in April 1994 and at Johnston Atoll in September 1996. Although Howland, Baker, Jarvis, and Rose are notake NWR, unauthorised fishing probably occurs because they are so remote. Johnston and Midway are limited take NWRs, with on-site management, therefore fish stocks are better managed and abundant. Kingman and Palmyra are proposed as MPAs, but a lack of easy enforcement and surveillance will always put them under threat from overfishing. Wake Atoll is well protected by the US military. From: Jim Maragos, U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Hawaii (jim_maragos@fws.gov), Rusty Brainard, National Marine Fisheries Service, Honolulu (Rusty.Brainard@noaa.gov) and Phillip Lobel Boston University and the Woods Hole Marine Biology Laboratory (pLobel@bu.edu). Crown-of-thorns Starfish Outbreaks The last major outbreak of the crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci) was off the island of Moloka’i in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Lack of Acropora, dominance of Porites and the island’s overall isolation may help to explain the lack of major outbreaks. STATUS OF CORAL REEF FISHERIES MHI There has been a steady decline in abundance of fishes over the past century, with overfishing listed as the major cause of this decline. Fishing pressure near the heavily populated areas now exceeds the renewal capacity of these resources and the abundance of reef fishes in unprotected areas is much lower than in protected areas. Fisheries catch statistics are unreliable owing to under-reporting by commercial fishers and the large resident 224
Status of Coral Reefs in the Hawaiian Archipelago recreational and subsistence fishing population. The recreational catch on nearshore reefs is likely equal to or greater than commercial fisheries catch, and these recreational fishers take more species using a wider range of fishing gear. Hawaii is one of the few coastal states that does not require a saltwater recreational fishing license. The Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources is currently expanding its creel program to sample the recreational catch and is also revising existing fishing regulations. Subsistence fishing is culturally and economically important to many rural communities. In previous times, Hawaiians developed a management system that provided for sustainable harvest of their natural resources. This management put limits on the times and places for fishing based on knowledge of natural cycles and habitats. The Hawaii State Legislature created a process in 1994 to designate community-based subsistence fishing areas and there are efforts currently underway to create such areas on Moloka’i, Kaua’i and Hawaii. Poaching is a recurring problem with the catching of undersized fish and invertebrates and fishing out-of-season contributing to the depletion of coastal resources. For example, in Hanalei Bay, Kaua’i, less than 30% of the omilu (a highly prized jack species) harvested were legal size and only 3% were sexually mature. Currently there are numerous long, cheap gill nets being set deeper and in locations not previously fished (e.g. officials seized 8km of illegal nets from inshore areas over a 6 month period in 1998). Enforcement is poor and fines are minimal, with the few prosecutions not acting as a deterrent to violators of fisheries regulations. Hawaii provides most of the ornamental fish and invertebrates taken in the USA, because quality is high and the rare endemic species are highly prized. The annual harvest of aquarium fishes rose from 90,000 in 1973 to 422,823 in 1995, with most coming from the island of Hawaiii. Commercial permits increased by 39% between 1995 and 1998 and the trade is now having a major impact on both dominant and rare aquarium species. There are no regulations limiting the size, number and collecting season for most species and the full impacts may not be felt yet. Conflicts are common between marine ornamental collectors and subsistence fishers, commercial fishers, environmentalists and the tourism industry. In response, the Hawaii State legislature established the West Hawaii Regional Fishery Management Area in 1998 to improve reef management and declared that 30% of the West Hawaii coastline would be Fish Replenishment Areas (FRAs), where aquarium fish collecting is prohibited. NWHI Only commercial fishers with vessels larger than 20m can regularly fish in these remote and exposed waters. Fisheries for bottom fish and lobsters to 100m depth are managed by the NMFS through an advisory body: the Western Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Council (WPRFMC). The abundance of lobsters has declined since the 1980s and the fishery is currently closed. One concern is the impact on the endangered Hawaiian monk seal that consumes lobster in their diet. Resource fish species tend to be larger and more abundant in the NWHI, compared to the MHI. The mean biomass of fish on shallow reefs at French Frigate Shoals and Midway Atoll is almost twice that found in the MHI, probably reflecting lower fishing pressure at these sites. There is minimal collection of corals and aquarium fishes in the NWHI, but there is concern about rare and highly valued species like the masked angelfish (Genicanthus personatus), dragon eel (Enchelycore pardalis) and the Hawaiian lionfish (Pterois sphex). 225
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FOREWORD Over the past few years, I
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CONTENTS COUNTRIES, STATES AND TERR
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COUNTRIES, STATES AND TERRITORIES A
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Countries, States and Territories T
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY CLIVE WILKINSON T
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Executive Summary CORAL BLEACHING I
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Executive Summary South Asia Most r
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Executive Summary parts of Fiji and
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Executive Summary management and mo
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Executive Summary tourism developme
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Executive Summary problem is loomin
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6. STATUS OF CORAL REEFS IN SOUTH A
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Status of Coral Reefs in South Asia
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8. STATUS OF CORAL REEFS OF EAST AN
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Status of Coral Reefs of East and N
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9. STATUS OF CORAL REEFS OF AUSTRAL
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Status of Coral Reefs of Australasi
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10. STATUS OF CORAL REEFS IN THE SO
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Status of Coral Reefs in the Northe
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17. STATUS OF CORAL REEFS IN THE EA
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Status of Coral Reefs in the Easter
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18. STATUS OF CORAL REEFS IN SOUTHE
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Status of Coral Reefs in Southern T
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19. SPONSORING ORGANISATIONS, CORAL
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Sponsoring Organisations, Coral Ree
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LIST OF ACRONYMS AGRRA AIMS ASEAN B
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