Coral reefs provide habitat for our nearshore fisheries, protect coasts from waves and storms, and support tourism and fishing industries worth billions of dollars. Coral reefs are also fundamental to the fabric of local communities, providing a source of food, materials and traditional activities.

Coral reefs are well known for providing coastal protection from wave energy. They are natural breakwaters which reduce impacts of waves, including seismic sea waves (tsunamis) and those generated by hurricanes.

These challenges highlight why coral restoration is incredibly important as bleaching events, vessel groundings, coastal development, pollution, and climate change all pose serious threats to the coral reef community. Because coral reefs host many unique organisms, coral restoration demands a high level of knowledge about coral reef ecology and ...

State of Hawaii Coral Reef Program. Healthy coral reefs are some of the most biologically diverse and economically valuable ecosystems on earth, providing food, jobs, recreational opportunities, coastal protection and other important services to billions of people world-wide.

The Coral Reef Working Group, made up of key state and federal partners involved in coral reef management, provides guidance for the State of Hawaii’s coral program. Management Goals. Coral reefs undamaged by pollution, invasive species, marine construction and marine debris. Productive and sustainable coral reef fisheries and habitat

Hawaii Coral Reef Strategy Hawaii Coral Reef Strategy-Priorities for Management in the Main Hawaiian Islands 2020-2030 Hawaii Coral Reef Strategy-Priorities for Management in the Main Hawaiian Islands 2010-2020 Technical Reports Coral Restoration Implementation Guide Kahekili Herbivore Fishery Management Area—Results Brief Findings and Recommendations of Effectiveness of the West Hawai’i ...

Coral and Live Rock Rules of Hawaii. Recent rule changes include: Increased protection for coral and live rock including from land-based sources adopted in 2014; Updated bag and size limits for parrotfishes and goatfishes for Maui county intended to protect adopted in 2014; Managed Areas. Recent rule changes include:

Monitoring of coral reef habitats on Maui began as early as 1993. When compared with the results of current reef monitoring, these long-term data sets have allowed for the identification and quantification of trends at nearly all monitored reefs.

Managing Reefs. Mauka to Makai Restoration; Aquatic Invasive Species; Makai Watch; Holomua: Marine 30×30 Initiative; Monitoring; Coral Reef Restoration. Coral Restoration Nursery; Makai Restoration Action Plans; Urchin Hatchery; Public Resources. Reports; Regulations; USCRTF Meeting 2022. USCRTF Meeting 2022; Participants

Coral reefs are an important resource for Hawaii. Corals and coral reefs provide food and habitat for many fish and invertebrates. Most stony corals grow very slowly, so damaged reefs may take hundreds of years to recover.