http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/hawaii/
Together with our members and conservation partners, The Nature Conservancy has protected more than 200,000 acres of critical natural lands in Hawai‘i.
Remember when "environmentalist" meant…recycling? It's not so simple anymore. Being an environmentalist today calls for a whole new level of greener thinking — from what you choose at the grocery store to how you commute to work every day. So check out these eco-friendly tips from Nature Conservancy staff and leading environment bloggers on how to make personal, science-based choices to help save the planet.
Showing posts with label family vacations. Show all posts
Showing posts with label family vacations. Show all posts
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Thursday, January 24, 2008
The Oceans
Scientists have long understood the key role that oceans play in regulating the Earth's climate. Oceans cover 70 percent of the globe and store a thousand times more heat than the atmosphere does. What's newer is the understanding of how this key component of our climate system responds to global warming.
"Even five years ago most scientists had no inkling of the extent to which global warming was affecting the oceans—but slowly over the years a consensus has been building," says Environmental Defense marine ecologist Rod Fujita. Today, the scientific community believes there's plenty to worry about: changes are afoot in global ocean dynamics that could have profound ecological impacts.
A brake on global warming—for now
One of the ocean's most important climate functions is absorbing heat and carbon dioxide (CO2), one of the gases that causes global warming. Acting as a heat sponge, the oceans have absorbed huge amounts of heat and CO2 in the last forty years.
Fujita explains that "the oceans are saving us from faster climate change—in essence, they are a big flywheel that delays rapid overheating of the earth, putting a brake on the climate system."
"That's the good news," he adds. "The bad news is that the oceans only slow the atmospheric warming. Once the oceans come to equilibrium with a greenhouse-gas warmed earth, the excess heat will remain in the atmosphere and things will get much hotter."
In effect, the oceans are taking up the slack for the atmosphere and delaying the full impacts of global warming. But where and how the oceans release this accumulated heat is uncertain. And as the ocean stores heat, fragile underwater ecosystems are struggling.
The most recent scientific report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) also notes with concern that the ocean is acidifying because of increased absorption of atmospheric CO2, and thus posing a threat for shell-forming species, which are an essential part of the marine food web. Projected increases in carbon dioxide levels will cause further acidification of the ocean. (IPCC, 2007)
Currents distributing heat
Another important role the oceans play is that of distributor. Oceans deliver heat and life-sustaining nutrients around the globe. Just as blood vessels and capillaries bring oxygen and nutrients to cells in the human body, the ocean's currents carry oxygen, nutrients and heat throughout the Earth. The ocean distributes 25 to 50 percent of the energy the planet receives from the sun.
For example, the Gulf Stream carries heat across the Atlantic. This warm current gives northwestern Europe a milder climate than it would normally have so far north. A change to the ocean's circulation patterns could plunge Europe into a colder era, even as the rest of world experiences warmer temperatures. (Find out more about the ocean's circulation system on oceansalive.org.)
Currents circulating food
Changing ocean circulation patterns would also affect the nutrient delivery system for marine life. Colder waters are more productive than warm waters. The warming of the oceans may be starting to break the ocean's food chain.
The system of currents replenishes deep waters with oxygen and carries nutrients to surface waters where microscopic plants known as phytoplankton can use them. When cold, nutrient-rich waters rise to the surface seasonally and mix with sunlit surface waters, the upwellings trigger the growth of phytoplankton. The areas where these upwellings occur are often rich fishing grounds, the sea's "gardens of Eden" where an abundance of marine life flourishes.
As oceans absorb more heat, upwellings of cold, nutrient-rich waters can become less frequent. Without this nourishment, blooms of plant plankton, a critical link in the marine food chain, are disrupted and so food for sea life up the food chain, like krill, larger fish and seabirds, is cut off.
To make things worse, phytoplankton use carbon dioxide for photosynthesis. With fewer plankton, the oceans could not remove as much carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
An example: Starving sea birds
Some signs already show that the marine food web is fraying. In 2005 on the U.S. West Coast and 2004 in Britain, hundreds of thousands of seabirds failed to breed. Dead seabirds like cormorants and Cassin's auklets have washed up on West Coast beaches.
Juvenile rockfish counts were the lowest they had been off California in more than 20years. Most alarming, small crustaceans like krill—the base of the ocean's food web—suffered steep declines.
The culprit for the collapse appears to be slackening upwellings, which decreased phytoplankton blooms in these coastal areas. Fewer phytoplankton mean fewer fish, leaving the birds to face mass starvation. Monitoring of the oceans off Hawaii over the last 20 years shows that upwellings are decreasing. Scientists suspect that this is an effect of global warming.
The debate over global warming has shifted from whether it is happening to how to avoid catastrophic damage. Significant changes loom for seabird and fish communities, ocean circulation patterns and basic processes of ocean chemistry.
"We're facing warming waters and major alterations in many oceanic processes and ocean chemistry, damage to coral reefs, and effects from sea level rise on marine ecosystems," says Environmental Defense scientist Doug Rader.
Without emissions cuts, the effects will be even worse.
"The ship is already in motion, and it will take immediate action to turn it away from the danger ahead," sums up Environmental Defense climate scientist Dr. James Wang.
KEYWORDS:
Advance Scuba training, Adventure Sports, airlines, Basic Open Water, Digital Underwater Photography, discount travel, Divemaster scuba, Enriched Air, Extreme Scuba and Jason Kilgore, family travel, family vacations, Hawaii reef divers, Hawaii Scuba Diving, Hawaiian Islands, Hawaiian Islands sight seeing, hotels, Jason Kilgore, Kona, Maui, scuba certification, other specialty certifications, NAUI, NOAA, scuba diving, scuba rental gear, sharks, SSI, TDI/SDI, Underwater Instructors, vacation, Scuba and Jason Kilgore, Naui and Jason Kilgore, How to scuba dive, skin diving, snorkel, mask, fins, Reef Relief, coral reef, reef fish, maui divers, dive shops, scuba dive shops, cave diving, ice diving, wreck diving
"Even five years ago most scientists had no inkling of the extent to which global warming was affecting the oceans—but slowly over the years a consensus has been building," says Environmental Defense marine ecologist Rod Fujita. Today, the scientific community believes there's plenty to worry about: changes are afoot in global ocean dynamics that could have profound ecological impacts.
A brake on global warming—for now
One of the ocean's most important climate functions is absorbing heat and carbon dioxide (CO2), one of the gases that causes global warming. Acting as a heat sponge, the oceans have absorbed huge amounts of heat and CO2 in the last forty years.
Fujita explains that "the oceans are saving us from faster climate change—in essence, they are a big flywheel that delays rapid overheating of the earth, putting a brake on the climate system."
"That's the good news," he adds. "The bad news is that the oceans only slow the atmospheric warming. Once the oceans come to equilibrium with a greenhouse-gas warmed earth, the excess heat will remain in the atmosphere and things will get much hotter."
In effect, the oceans are taking up the slack for the atmosphere and delaying the full impacts of global warming. But where and how the oceans release this accumulated heat is uncertain. And as the ocean stores heat, fragile underwater ecosystems are struggling.
The most recent scientific report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) also notes with concern that the ocean is acidifying because of increased absorption of atmospheric CO2, and thus posing a threat for shell-forming species, which are an essential part of the marine food web. Projected increases in carbon dioxide levels will cause further acidification of the ocean. (IPCC, 2007)
Currents distributing heat
Another important role the oceans play is that of distributor. Oceans deliver heat and life-sustaining nutrients around the globe. Just as blood vessels and capillaries bring oxygen and nutrients to cells in the human body, the ocean's currents carry oxygen, nutrients and heat throughout the Earth. The ocean distributes 25 to 50 percent of the energy the planet receives from the sun.
For example, the Gulf Stream carries heat across the Atlantic. This warm current gives northwestern Europe a milder climate than it would normally have so far north. A change to the ocean's circulation patterns could plunge Europe into a colder era, even as the rest of world experiences warmer temperatures. (Find out more about the ocean's circulation system on oceansalive.org.)
Currents circulating food
Changing ocean circulation patterns would also affect the nutrient delivery system for marine life. Colder waters are more productive than warm waters. The warming of the oceans may be starting to break the ocean's food chain.
The system of currents replenishes deep waters with oxygen and carries nutrients to surface waters where microscopic plants known as phytoplankton can use them. When cold, nutrient-rich waters rise to the surface seasonally and mix with sunlit surface waters, the upwellings trigger the growth of phytoplankton. The areas where these upwellings occur are often rich fishing grounds, the sea's "gardens of Eden" where an abundance of marine life flourishes.
As oceans absorb more heat, upwellings of cold, nutrient-rich waters can become less frequent. Without this nourishment, blooms of plant plankton, a critical link in the marine food chain, are disrupted and so food for sea life up the food chain, like krill, larger fish and seabirds, is cut off.
To make things worse, phytoplankton use carbon dioxide for photosynthesis. With fewer plankton, the oceans could not remove as much carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
An example: Starving sea birds
Some signs already show that the marine food web is fraying. In 2005 on the U.S. West Coast and 2004 in Britain, hundreds of thousands of seabirds failed to breed. Dead seabirds like cormorants and Cassin's auklets have washed up on West Coast beaches.
Juvenile rockfish counts were the lowest they had been off California in more than 20years. Most alarming, small crustaceans like krill—the base of the ocean's food web—suffered steep declines.
The culprit for the collapse appears to be slackening upwellings, which decreased phytoplankton blooms in these coastal areas. Fewer phytoplankton mean fewer fish, leaving the birds to face mass starvation. Monitoring of the oceans off Hawaii over the last 20 years shows that upwellings are decreasing. Scientists suspect that this is an effect of global warming.
The debate over global warming has shifted from whether it is happening to how to avoid catastrophic damage. Significant changes loom for seabird and fish communities, ocean circulation patterns and basic processes of ocean chemistry.
"We're facing warming waters and major alterations in many oceanic processes and ocean chemistry, damage to coral reefs, and effects from sea level rise on marine ecosystems," says Environmental Defense scientist Doug Rader.
Without emissions cuts, the effects will be even worse.
"The ship is already in motion, and it will take immediate action to turn it away from the danger ahead," sums up Environmental Defense climate scientist Dr. James Wang.
KEYWORDS:
Advance Scuba training, Adventure Sports, airlines, Basic Open Water, Digital Underwater Photography, discount travel, Divemaster scuba, Enriched Air, Extreme Scuba and Jason Kilgore, family travel, family vacations, Hawaii reef divers, Hawaii Scuba Diving, Hawaiian Islands, Hawaiian Islands sight seeing, hotels, Jason Kilgore, Kona, Maui, scuba certification, other specialty certifications, NAUI, NOAA, scuba diving, scuba rental gear, sharks, SSI, TDI/SDI, Underwater Instructors, vacation, Scuba and Jason Kilgore, Naui and Jason Kilgore, How to scuba dive, skin diving, snorkel, mask, fins, Reef Relief, coral reef, reef fish, maui divers, dive shops, scuba dive shops, cave diving, ice diving, wreck diving
SHARKS OF HAWAII
Interesting Article i found while on the web
Take a look
http://www.aloha.com/~lifeguards/sharintr.html
Take a look
http://www.aloha.com/~lifeguards/sharintr.html
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
The Hawaiian Coral Reef:
The Hawaiian Coral Reef:
Important, but threatened
Stretching for more than 2000 kilometers in the Central Pacific, the Hawaiian coral reef accounts for about 85 percent of all coral reefs in the United States.
Because it is under water and not visible, the importance of the reef remains largely hidden – including its importance not only to the ocean environment and its inhabitants, but also to humans. The state of Hawaii consists of eight large, populated islands, also called the Main Hawaiian Islands, and 124 small, uninhabited islands, reefs and shoals, the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, where the majority of the Hawaiian coral reef, about 70 percent of it, is located.
Coral reef support marine and terrestrial life
Even though they may appear to be nothing but rock, reefs are alive. Corals give reefs their structure. The limestone skeletons of living coral, the hard skeletal remains of dead coral and a soft type of coral provide structure for a reef, offering habitat and food to the many fish and invertebrates, including lobsters, octopus and crabs that live around it. And algae – more than 500 species live in Hawaii’s coral reef alone – not only provide fish with food, but also provide life-sustaining oxygen for all marine life. In fact, the oceans’ algae provide more oxygen than all land plants worldwide combined. About one-fourth of the plants, fish, and invertebrates found in the Hawaiian coral reef are endemic to Hawaii, meaning that they can’t be found anywhere else on Earth. In the past, reef fish provided Hawaiians with the majority of their protein. And, of course, reef fish continue to be a dietary staple for many people inhabiting and visiting Hawaii.
In addition to providing humans with food, reefs protect shorelines from erosion and storm damage by dissipating wave energy and limiting the impact of strong waves. Also, the sandy beaches enjoyed by island residents and visitors alike only exist because of Hawaii’s coral reef. Beach sand’s main components are dead fragments of coral, shells and calcified algae. But the reef is also responsible for creating the big Hawaiian waves. The shape of the reef is one factor in determining how big a wave gets.In addition to all of this, the reef provides diverse recreational opportunities, such as snorkeling and diving, making Hawaii a top tourist destination for people around the world, generating about $800 million a year for Hawaii’s marine tourism industry.
Human activities put reef in peril
Despite the coral reef’s importance, it suffers from degradation that began about 100 years ago as Westerners began to arrive in ever-increasing numbers. Today, urbanization, overfishing, alien species, marine debris and recreational overuse plague the Main Hawaiian Islands, while marine debris and the impacts from fisheries are causing problems in the uninhabited Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, although their nearshore reefs are still in very good condition. Runoff the No. 1 problem for reef along the Main Islands
Unlike the more inaccessible Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, the Main Islands face a host of concerns related to population growth, urbanization and an increase in tourism. Urban development and agriculture are the most significant threats to Hawaiian coral reefs because of runoff containing sediments (soil and silt) and chemicals and nutrients from lawns, farms, golf courses, construction sites, storm drains, cesspools and septic tanks. Sediment runoff is bad because it reduces sunlight penetration and smothers corals. The reef then starves to death because it can’t manufacture food from sunlight any longer. Chemical herbicides and pesticides harm not only the coral, but also the animals that live within the reef, while fertilizers and sewage can lead to an overabundance of nutrients in the water and an excessive growth of algae which, in turn, crowds out corals or smothers them by cutting off their sunlight.
Overfishing depletes supplies, threatens reef ecosystem
Commercial, subsistence and recreational fishing during the past century have taken a toll on nearshore fish stocks, but the exact toll isn’t known. There is uncertainty of the actual number of catches because commercial fishers tend to under-report their catches, and there are many recreational and subsistence fishers without licensing or reporting requirements. The problem of recreational and subsistence fishing is difficult to resolve because these activities are important in Hawaii, where about 35 percent of Hawaiian residents fish. As a result of both under-reporting and unlicensing, little information exists on the status of most reef fish populations. Yet some studies done in Hawaii have shown that recreational fishers take a higher diversity of species with a wider variety of gear types than do commercial fishers and that recreational catches were equal to or greater than the commercial catches for some species.
Commercial fishing without a license, or poaching, is another problem for the Main Hawaiian Islands. If fishers take undersized fish and invertebrates, or fish out of season, it hurts the ocean environment because these juvenile animals haven’t had a chance to reproduce, yet. Moreover, long, inexpensive gill nets allow fishers to set nets deeper and harvest fish in areas once unreachable by fishers’ nets.
Overfishing and poaching mainly occur because Hawaii lacks marine enforcement and imposes minimal fines when enforcement does occur – meaning that there is no incentive for people to abide fisheries management regulations.
As for the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, their remote location largely protects them from the harms linked to commercial, subsistence and recreational fishing, as well as from the harms linked to aquarium fishing. However, underwater overfishing in these islands is leading to a decline in lobsters, and a decline in lobsters endangers the Hawaiian monk seal, for which lobsters are an important food source.
Just enjoying the water can pose a threat
Although Hawaii is a popular tourist destination and welcomes visitors, recreation – including snorkeling, scuba diving and swimming – can compound the reefs’ struggle to survive. Marine debris, such as discarded fishing gear, can damage the reef, as can waste dumping from cruise and other pleasure ships. And taking a dip in a reef simply to admire its beauty has its drawbacks as well, because so many of us like to do that. In fact, this type of recreational overuse threatens the reef. Whether by accident or by intention – stepping on reefs can damage or even kill them.
A notable example of solving the problem of recreational overuse can be found in Hanauma Bay, known as O‘ahu’s premier spot for snorkeling and diving. During the 1980s, as many as 10,000 visitors enjoyed the bay daily, or about 3 million annually. Then, in 1990, the City and County of Honolulu enacted a plan to stop the neglect, restore the bay to a healthy state and safeguard the fragile marine life for the future. The plan includes a fish feeding ban, a requirement that all visitors view an educational video before going down to the bay, a ban on fishing, as well as a ban on smoking and alcoholic beverages. Furthermore, the city bus service to the bay is limited now to one bus arrival every half-hour. Parking along Kalanianaole Highway, which leads to the bay from Honolulu and from O‘ahu’s northeast side, was also prohibited. As a result of these regulations, the number of visitors dropped from 10,000 in the 1980s to 3,000 visitors daily today, or from about 3 million annually during the 1980s to about 1 million annually today. This has led to the bay’s recovery, with the biomass now measuring three to four times larger than the estimated abundance for most reef sites on Oahu.
Underwater life not immune to deadly alien species
Because of Hawaii’s unique ecosystem, where many species are endemic and the reef is diverse, alien species pose another threat. Alien species are organisms that have been moved from their native habitat to a new one, where they cause harm, sometimes out-competing native species or bringing new parasites and diseases with them, while native species lack defense systems to ward off the effects of these threats.
Since 1950, 19 new species of macroalgae have been introduced to Oahu, and studies show that these alien algae have overgrown and killed some coral in Kaneohe Bay on Oahu’s southeast coast. Sometimes, the effects of an alien invasion can completely alter an ecosystem. According to one study, a combination of invading alien species and runoff has led to massive blooms of foreign algae, with the result that they have overtaken native algae and reduced the diversity and complexity of some coral reef beds (Eldredge, Reaser: Coral Reefs: Invaded Ecosystems).
Aquarium fishing in Hawai‘i’s coral reefs:
Love for marine creatures’ beauty puts them at risk
Beyond the need for fish as food, the human desire to possess fish and other marine life for their beauty also takes toll on Hawaii’s coral reef. The U.S. aquarium fish industry reports that it obtains most if its ornamental fish and invertebrates from Hawaii’s waters. The annual harvest of aquarium fish in Hawaii more than quadrupled in a little more than 20 years, going from 90,000 harvested in 1973 to 422,823 in 1995.
Aquarium harvesters often destroy reef habitat when they collect sessile benthic invertebrates, such as the feather-duster worm, which lives attached on the bottom of the sea floor.
In 1998, the Hawaii state legislature passed a law because of conflicts among aquarium fish harvesters, commercial and subsistence fishers and environmentalists. The law declared a minimum of 30 percent of the west Hawaii Island coastline as Fish Replenishment Areas (FRAs) where aquarium fish collecting is prohibited.
What can be done to protect Hawaii’s coral reefs?
To help safeguard Hawaii’s fragile coral reef ecosystem, there are ways to get actively involved in reef protection programs. Volunteers are always needed for reef and beach clean-ups. Moreover, there are a few simple things each one of us can do. At home, residents can cut down on their use of fertilizers, pesticides and cleaning products that mostly contain chemical ingredients to limit water pollution. While fishing, it is best to limit the catch and to only take what is needed today. Don’t release non-native or aquarium fish into the ocean. It can also be harmful to throw waste in the water, or to discard old fishing nets. Even littering on the beaches can pose a threat because it can get washed into the ocean and harm the reef. Boat anchors shouldn’t be thrown on the reef, but only on a sandy bottom. And lastly, while swimming, snorkeling, and scuba diving, it is best to not touch the reef or step on it since that can harm or even kill it.
If each one of us followed these simple guidelines, the reef wouldn’t be as threatened as it currently is. This colorful underwater paradise will then be there for many generations to come.
Explanation of terms
Coral reef:
An erosion-resistant marine ridge or mound consisting chiefly of compacted coral together with algal material and biochemically deposited magnesium and calcium carbonates.
Shoal:
A sandy elevation of the bottom of a body of water, constituting a hazard to navigation; a sandbank or sandbar.
Degradation:
A decline to a lower condition, quality, or level.
Gill net:
A fishing net set vertically in the water so that fish swimming into it are entangled by the gills in its mesh.
Biomass:
The total mass of living matter within a given unit of environmental area. The total mass of all living things within a given area, biotic community, species population, or habitat; a measure of total biotic productivity.
Macroalgae:
Photosynthetic (chlorophyll-containing) organisms often referred to as seaweed. Multicellular algae (green, blue-green and red algae) having filamentous, sheet or mat-like morphology.
Herbicide:
A chemical substance used to destroy or inhibit the growth of plants, especially weeds.
Pesticide:
A chemical used to kill pests, especially insects.
Fertilizer:
Natural and synthetic materials spread on or worked into soil to increase its capacity to support plant growth.
Feather-duster worm:
Feather-duster worms are native to the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Similar species can also be found along the southern coast of the United States, and in the Bahamas and the West Indies. The Feather-duster worm normally grows to a length of about 4 or 5 inches (10 or 12 centimeters). It resides in a leathery tube, which is made of secretions from the Feather Duster itself.
Sessile:
Permanently attached or fixed; not free-moving.
Benthic:
The collection of organisms living on or in sea or lake bottoms.
Important, but threatened
Stretching for more than 2000 kilometers in the Central Pacific, the Hawaiian coral reef accounts for about 85 percent of all coral reefs in the United States.
Because it is under water and not visible, the importance of the reef remains largely hidden – including its importance not only to the ocean environment and its inhabitants, but also to humans. The state of Hawaii consists of eight large, populated islands, also called the Main Hawaiian Islands, and 124 small, uninhabited islands, reefs and shoals, the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, where the majority of the Hawaiian coral reef, about 70 percent of it, is located.
Coral reef support marine and terrestrial life
Even though they may appear to be nothing but rock, reefs are alive. Corals give reefs their structure. The limestone skeletons of living coral, the hard skeletal remains of dead coral and a soft type of coral provide structure for a reef, offering habitat and food to the many fish and invertebrates, including lobsters, octopus and crabs that live around it. And algae – more than 500 species live in Hawaii’s coral reef alone – not only provide fish with food, but also provide life-sustaining oxygen for all marine life. In fact, the oceans’ algae provide more oxygen than all land plants worldwide combined. About one-fourth of the plants, fish, and invertebrates found in the Hawaiian coral reef are endemic to Hawaii, meaning that they can’t be found anywhere else on Earth. In the past, reef fish provided Hawaiians with the majority of their protein. And, of course, reef fish continue to be a dietary staple for many people inhabiting and visiting Hawaii.
In addition to providing humans with food, reefs protect shorelines from erosion and storm damage by dissipating wave energy and limiting the impact of strong waves. Also, the sandy beaches enjoyed by island residents and visitors alike only exist because of Hawaii’s coral reef. Beach sand’s main components are dead fragments of coral, shells and calcified algae. But the reef is also responsible for creating the big Hawaiian waves. The shape of the reef is one factor in determining how big a wave gets.In addition to all of this, the reef provides diverse recreational opportunities, such as snorkeling and diving, making Hawaii a top tourist destination for people around the world, generating about $800 million a year for Hawaii’s marine tourism industry.
Human activities put reef in peril
Despite the coral reef’s importance, it suffers from degradation that began about 100 years ago as Westerners began to arrive in ever-increasing numbers. Today, urbanization, overfishing, alien species, marine debris and recreational overuse plague the Main Hawaiian Islands, while marine debris and the impacts from fisheries are causing problems in the uninhabited Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, although their nearshore reefs are still in very good condition. Runoff the No. 1 problem for reef along the Main Islands
Unlike the more inaccessible Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, the Main Islands face a host of concerns related to population growth, urbanization and an increase in tourism. Urban development and agriculture are the most significant threats to Hawaiian coral reefs because of runoff containing sediments (soil and silt) and chemicals and nutrients from lawns, farms, golf courses, construction sites, storm drains, cesspools and septic tanks. Sediment runoff is bad because it reduces sunlight penetration and smothers corals. The reef then starves to death because it can’t manufacture food from sunlight any longer. Chemical herbicides and pesticides harm not only the coral, but also the animals that live within the reef, while fertilizers and sewage can lead to an overabundance of nutrients in the water and an excessive growth of algae which, in turn, crowds out corals or smothers them by cutting off their sunlight.
Overfishing depletes supplies, threatens reef ecosystem
Commercial, subsistence and recreational fishing during the past century have taken a toll on nearshore fish stocks, but the exact toll isn’t known. There is uncertainty of the actual number of catches because commercial fishers tend to under-report their catches, and there are many recreational and subsistence fishers without licensing or reporting requirements. The problem of recreational and subsistence fishing is difficult to resolve because these activities are important in Hawaii, where about 35 percent of Hawaiian residents fish. As a result of both under-reporting and unlicensing, little information exists on the status of most reef fish populations. Yet some studies done in Hawaii have shown that recreational fishers take a higher diversity of species with a wider variety of gear types than do commercial fishers and that recreational catches were equal to or greater than the commercial catches for some species.
Commercial fishing without a license, or poaching, is another problem for the Main Hawaiian Islands. If fishers take undersized fish and invertebrates, or fish out of season, it hurts the ocean environment because these juvenile animals haven’t had a chance to reproduce, yet. Moreover, long, inexpensive gill nets allow fishers to set nets deeper and harvest fish in areas once unreachable by fishers’ nets.
Overfishing and poaching mainly occur because Hawaii lacks marine enforcement and imposes minimal fines when enforcement does occur – meaning that there is no incentive for people to abide fisheries management regulations.
As for the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, their remote location largely protects them from the harms linked to commercial, subsistence and recreational fishing, as well as from the harms linked to aquarium fishing. However, underwater overfishing in these islands is leading to a decline in lobsters, and a decline in lobsters endangers the Hawaiian monk seal, for which lobsters are an important food source.
Just enjoying the water can pose a threat
Although Hawaii is a popular tourist destination and welcomes visitors, recreation – including snorkeling, scuba diving and swimming – can compound the reefs’ struggle to survive. Marine debris, such as discarded fishing gear, can damage the reef, as can waste dumping from cruise and other pleasure ships. And taking a dip in a reef simply to admire its beauty has its drawbacks as well, because so many of us like to do that. In fact, this type of recreational overuse threatens the reef. Whether by accident or by intention – stepping on reefs can damage or even kill them.
A notable example of solving the problem of recreational overuse can be found in Hanauma Bay, known as O‘ahu’s premier spot for snorkeling and diving. During the 1980s, as many as 10,000 visitors enjoyed the bay daily, or about 3 million annually. Then, in 1990, the City and County of Honolulu enacted a plan to stop the neglect, restore the bay to a healthy state and safeguard the fragile marine life for the future. The plan includes a fish feeding ban, a requirement that all visitors view an educational video before going down to the bay, a ban on fishing, as well as a ban on smoking and alcoholic beverages. Furthermore, the city bus service to the bay is limited now to one bus arrival every half-hour. Parking along Kalanianaole Highway, which leads to the bay from Honolulu and from O‘ahu’s northeast side, was also prohibited. As a result of these regulations, the number of visitors dropped from 10,000 in the 1980s to 3,000 visitors daily today, or from about 3 million annually during the 1980s to about 1 million annually today. This has led to the bay’s recovery, with the biomass now measuring three to four times larger than the estimated abundance for most reef sites on Oahu.
Underwater life not immune to deadly alien species
Because of Hawaii’s unique ecosystem, where many species are endemic and the reef is diverse, alien species pose another threat. Alien species are organisms that have been moved from their native habitat to a new one, where they cause harm, sometimes out-competing native species or bringing new parasites and diseases with them, while native species lack defense systems to ward off the effects of these threats.
Since 1950, 19 new species of macroalgae have been introduced to Oahu, and studies show that these alien algae have overgrown and killed some coral in Kaneohe Bay on Oahu’s southeast coast. Sometimes, the effects of an alien invasion can completely alter an ecosystem. According to one study, a combination of invading alien species and runoff has led to massive blooms of foreign algae, with the result that they have overtaken native algae and reduced the diversity and complexity of some coral reef beds (Eldredge, Reaser: Coral Reefs: Invaded Ecosystems).
Aquarium fishing in Hawai‘i’s coral reefs:
Love for marine creatures’ beauty puts them at risk
Beyond the need for fish as food, the human desire to possess fish and other marine life for their beauty also takes toll on Hawaii’s coral reef. The U.S. aquarium fish industry reports that it obtains most if its ornamental fish and invertebrates from Hawaii’s waters. The annual harvest of aquarium fish in Hawaii more than quadrupled in a little more than 20 years, going from 90,000 harvested in 1973 to 422,823 in 1995.
Aquarium harvesters often destroy reef habitat when they collect sessile benthic invertebrates, such as the feather-duster worm, which lives attached on the bottom of the sea floor.
In 1998, the Hawaii state legislature passed a law because of conflicts among aquarium fish harvesters, commercial and subsistence fishers and environmentalists. The law declared a minimum of 30 percent of the west Hawaii Island coastline as Fish Replenishment Areas (FRAs) where aquarium fish collecting is prohibited.
What can be done to protect Hawaii’s coral reefs?
To help safeguard Hawaii’s fragile coral reef ecosystem, there are ways to get actively involved in reef protection programs. Volunteers are always needed for reef and beach clean-ups. Moreover, there are a few simple things each one of us can do. At home, residents can cut down on their use of fertilizers, pesticides and cleaning products that mostly contain chemical ingredients to limit water pollution. While fishing, it is best to limit the catch and to only take what is needed today. Don’t release non-native or aquarium fish into the ocean. It can also be harmful to throw waste in the water, or to discard old fishing nets. Even littering on the beaches can pose a threat because it can get washed into the ocean and harm the reef. Boat anchors shouldn’t be thrown on the reef, but only on a sandy bottom. And lastly, while swimming, snorkeling, and scuba diving, it is best to not touch the reef or step on it since that can harm or even kill it.
If each one of us followed these simple guidelines, the reef wouldn’t be as threatened as it currently is. This colorful underwater paradise will then be there for many generations to come.
Explanation of terms
Coral reef:
An erosion-resistant marine ridge or mound consisting chiefly of compacted coral together with algal material and biochemically deposited magnesium and calcium carbonates.
Shoal:
A sandy elevation of the bottom of a body of water, constituting a hazard to navigation; a sandbank or sandbar.
Degradation:
A decline to a lower condition, quality, or level.
Gill net:
A fishing net set vertically in the water so that fish swimming into it are entangled by the gills in its mesh.
Biomass:
The total mass of living matter within a given unit of environmental area. The total mass of all living things within a given area, biotic community, species population, or habitat; a measure of total biotic productivity.
Macroalgae:
Photosynthetic (chlorophyll-containing) organisms often referred to as seaweed. Multicellular algae (green, blue-green and red algae) having filamentous, sheet or mat-like morphology.
Herbicide:
A chemical substance used to destroy or inhibit the growth of plants, especially weeds.
Pesticide:
A chemical used to kill pests, especially insects.
Fertilizer:
Natural and synthetic materials spread on or worked into soil to increase its capacity to support plant growth.
Feather-duster worm:
Feather-duster worms are native to the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Similar species can also be found along the southern coast of the United States, and in the Bahamas and the West Indies. The Feather-duster worm normally grows to a length of about 4 or 5 inches (10 or 12 centimeters). It resides in a leathery tube, which is made of secretions from the Feather Duster itself.
Sessile:
Permanently attached or fixed; not free-moving.
Benthic:
The collection of organisms living on or in sea or lake bottoms.
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Traditional scientific papers
NOTE: Traditional scientific papers are only published after extensive peer-evaluation. The web, although a fantastic media for distributing information, can by-pass this process. Therefore, all material should be interpreted cautiously and critically. To aid in this process I offer my comments below. If you have additional comments on this material please send them to Brian Tissot.
General Articles:
Community-based management of coral reefs in Hawai'i by Brian Tissot via ReefNet
This is a synopsis of a talk I gave at the Clean Oceans Conference at Hanalei, Kauai in June 1997. This is a general, non-technical paper based largely on personal experiences. Key references are cited at the bottom of the paper.
Climate change, coral bleaching and the future of the world's coral reefs by Ove Hoegh-Guldberg
A peer-reviewed scientific paper published in the journal of Marine and Freshwater Research. Presents an excellent overview of coral bleaching and predictions of worldwide reef destruction for the future
Coral Laws of Hawai'i: by University of Hawai'i Sea Grant
Most of the information at this site is derived from the official Hawai'i State bulletin published by the Division of Aquatic Resources. Other information is provided by the Pacific Science Association
Diver Impacts on Coral Reefs of Kealakekua Bay, Hawai'i by Brian Tissot and Leon Hallacher
A scientific study of the potential impacts of swimmers, snorkelers and divers on coral reefs at a popular tourist destination on the Big Island.
Guidelines, Handbooks and Tools for Coral Reef Management by Sue Wells
Overview of Ecology of Coral Reefs in Hawai'i by Brian Tissot
A very general overview of Hawaiian coral reef ecology. Includes images illustrating common zonation patterns with cross-referenced species names.
The Hawaiian Reef Ecosystem by Brian Tissot
A technical overview of Hawaiian coral reef ecology, including reef formation, growth, ecology, and human impacts.
Volcanoes in the Sea: the Birth of Islands and Reefs in Hawai'i by Brian Tissot
Summary of a talk I gave at the 1996 Marine Affairs Symposium: a forum for Pacific-wide High School students to share their scientific research. A very general talk largely based on experience with some references to scientific work in progress.
Technical Reports:
20 years of change at Pelekane Bay by Brian Tissot
A technical report which focuses on a resurvey of an area subjected to considerable human disturbance due to watershed destruction and harbor construction. This article has not been peer-reviewed.
A new species of red algae from the Hawaiian Islands Laurencia molokiniensis et. nov. (Ceramiales, Rhodophta) By Jennifer Smtih
Coral Reef Ecosystems of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands
A very nice, easy to read report which summarizes the results of the year 2000 multi-group surveys. Includes many beautiful color photos, maps and interesting data!!!!
Coral Reef Fish Ecology by Odyssey Expeditions
A lucid and well-written overview of current hypotheses on factors structure coral reef fish communities. Includes citations from most major papers on the subject.
Coral Reef Status Around the World: Where Are We and Where Do We Go From Here? 1996. By, C.M. Eakin, J.W. McManus, M.D. Spalding, and S.C Jameson. Presented at the 8th International Coral Reef Symposium held in Panama.
Determination of baseline conditions for introduced marine species in nearshore waters of the island of Kaho'olawe, Hawaii by S. L. Coles, R. C. DeFelice, J. E. Smith, D. Muir and L.G. Eldredge
Global Marine Aquarium Database By UNEP-WCMC
An online database of trade information on the marine aquarium trade. The goals of this project are to to centralize, standardize and provide fast and easy access to information on the aquarium trade.
Effects of aquarium collectors on reef fishes in Kona, Hawai'i by Brian Tissot & Leon Hallacher
A report commissioned by the Division of Aquatic Resources to estimate the effects of aquarium fish collectors in Kona. Part of the West Hawai'i Aquarium Project. Peer-reviewed and published in the journal Conservation Biology.
Managing the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park by Dr. Ian McPhail
NOAA's State of the Coastal Environment: The Extent and Condition of U.S. Coral Reefs. 1998. By, S.L. Miller and M.Crosby.
Northwestern Hawaiian Islands/Kure Atoll Assessment and Monitoring Program, Final Report. 2002. By William j. Walsh, Ryan Okano, Robert Nishimoto, and Brent Carman
Quantitative Underwater Ecological Survey techniques: A coral reef monitoring workshop. By Hallacher, L. E. and B. N. Tissot.
Reef Monitoring and Assessment Protocols by Brian Tissot
A list of links to the major sampling protocols used by various research programs throughout the world.
Implications for Coral Reef Management and Policy: Relevant Findings from the 9th International Coral Reef Symposium by Barbara Best, Robert Pomeroy and Cristina Balboa (USAID)
Review on Coral Reef Bleaching by Martin Pecheux
A large, comprehensive review of the literature on coral bleaching: its patterns, potential causes, and descriptions of detailed experiments. Misspelled words and grammatical errors cast doubt on the integrity of this review.
Status of Coral Reefs in the Pacific, Compiled by the Scientific Commission on Coral Reefs of the Pacific Science Association
State of the Reefs: Regional and Global Perspectives. An International Coral Reef Initiative Executive Secretariat Background Paper. 1995. By, S.C. Jameson, J.W. McManus, and M.D. Spalding
On-line Scientific Journals:
Bulletin of Marine Science
Canada Journal of Fisheries & Aquatic Sciences
Coral Reefs
Ecology, Ecological Applications, Ecological Monographs
Marine Ecology Progress Series
Marine & Freshwater Research
Micronesica
Pacific Science
Newsletters
South Pacific Commission Fishery Newsletters
Fisheries Newsletter
Beche-de-Mer Information Bulletin
Fish Aggregation Device Information Bulletin
Fisheries Education & Training Information Bulletin
Live Reef Fish Information Bulletin
Pearl Oyster Information Bulletin
Traditional Marine Resource Management and Knowledge Information Bulletin
Trochus Information Bulletin
Women in Fisheries Information Bulletin
REEF RESEARCH
(a quarterly newsletter published by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority)
Keywords:
Advance Scuba training, Adventure Sports, Basic Open Water, Digital Underwater Photography, Extreme Scuba and Jason Kilgore, family travel, Hawaii reef divers, NAUI, scuba rental gear, sharks, Digital Underwater Photography, discount travel, Enriched Air, Hawaii Scuba Diving, Hawaiian Islands sight seeing, ITAN, Kona, NAUI, NOAA, other specialty certifications, sharks, SSI, TDI/SDI, airlines, family travel, family vacations, Hawaii reef divers, Hawaiian Islands, hotels, Jason Kilgore, Maui, scuba certification, scuba diving, scuba rental gear, snorkel/fins, vacation, Basic Open Water, Digital Underwater Photography, Extreme Scuba and Jason Kilgore, Hawaiian Islands, PADI Divemaster SCUBA Certification, Snorkel Bob, Snorkling/Fin, TDI/SDI, Underwater Instructors
General Articles:
Community-based management of coral reefs in Hawai'i by Brian Tissot via ReefNet
This is a synopsis of a talk I gave at the Clean Oceans Conference at Hanalei, Kauai in June 1997. This is a general, non-technical paper based largely on personal experiences. Key references are cited at the bottom of the paper.
Climate change, coral bleaching and the future of the world's coral reefs by Ove Hoegh-Guldberg
A peer-reviewed scientific paper published in the journal of Marine and Freshwater Research. Presents an excellent overview of coral bleaching and predictions of worldwide reef destruction for the future
Coral Laws of Hawai'i: by University of Hawai'i Sea Grant
Most of the information at this site is derived from the official Hawai'i State bulletin published by the Division of Aquatic Resources. Other information is provided by the Pacific Science Association
Diver Impacts on Coral Reefs of Kealakekua Bay, Hawai'i by Brian Tissot and Leon Hallacher
A scientific study of the potential impacts of swimmers, snorkelers and divers on coral reefs at a popular tourist destination on the Big Island.
Guidelines, Handbooks and Tools for Coral Reef Management by Sue Wells
Overview of Ecology of Coral Reefs in Hawai'i by Brian Tissot
A very general overview of Hawaiian coral reef ecology. Includes images illustrating common zonation patterns with cross-referenced species names.
The Hawaiian Reef Ecosystem by Brian Tissot
A technical overview of Hawaiian coral reef ecology, including reef formation, growth, ecology, and human impacts.
Volcanoes in the Sea: the Birth of Islands and Reefs in Hawai'i by Brian Tissot
Summary of a talk I gave at the 1996 Marine Affairs Symposium: a forum for Pacific-wide High School students to share their scientific research. A very general talk largely based on experience with some references to scientific work in progress.
Technical Reports:
20 years of change at Pelekane Bay by Brian Tissot
A technical report which focuses on a resurvey of an area subjected to considerable human disturbance due to watershed destruction and harbor construction. This article has not been peer-reviewed.
A new species of red algae from the Hawaiian Islands Laurencia molokiniensis et. nov. (Ceramiales, Rhodophta) By Jennifer Smtih
Coral Reef Ecosystems of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands
A very nice, easy to read report which summarizes the results of the year 2000 multi-group surveys. Includes many beautiful color photos, maps and interesting data!!!!
Coral Reef Fish Ecology by Odyssey Expeditions
A lucid and well-written overview of current hypotheses on factors structure coral reef fish communities. Includes citations from most major papers on the subject.
Coral Reef Status Around the World: Where Are We and Where Do We Go From Here? 1996. By, C.M. Eakin, J.W. McManus, M.D. Spalding, and S.C Jameson. Presented at the 8th International Coral Reef Symposium held in Panama.
Determination of baseline conditions for introduced marine species in nearshore waters of the island of Kaho'olawe, Hawaii by S. L. Coles, R. C. DeFelice, J. E. Smith, D. Muir and L.G. Eldredge
Global Marine Aquarium Database By UNEP-WCMC
An online database of trade information on the marine aquarium trade. The goals of this project are to to centralize, standardize and provide fast and easy access to information on the aquarium trade.
Effects of aquarium collectors on reef fishes in Kona, Hawai'i by Brian Tissot & Leon Hallacher
A report commissioned by the Division of Aquatic Resources to estimate the effects of aquarium fish collectors in Kona. Part of the West Hawai'i Aquarium Project. Peer-reviewed and published in the journal Conservation Biology.
Managing the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park by Dr. Ian McPhail
NOAA's State of the Coastal Environment: The Extent and Condition of U.S. Coral Reefs. 1998. By, S.L. Miller and M.Crosby.
Northwestern Hawaiian Islands/Kure Atoll Assessment and Monitoring Program, Final Report. 2002. By William j. Walsh, Ryan Okano, Robert Nishimoto, and Brent Carman
Quantitative Underwater Ecological Survey techniques: A coral reef monitoring workshop. By Hallacher, L. E. and B. N. Tissot.
Reef Monitoring and Assessment Protocols by Brian Tissot
A list of links to the major sampling protocols used by various research programs throughout the world.
Implications for Coral Reef Management and Policy: Relevant Findings from the 9th International Coral Reef Symposium by Barbara Best, Robert Pomeroy and Cristina Balboa (USAID)
Review on Coral Reef Bleaching by Martin Pecheux
A large, comprehensive review of the literature on coral bleaching: its patterns, potential causes, and descriptions of detailed experiments. Misspelled words and grammatical errors cast doubt on the integrity of this review.
Status of Coral Reefs in the Pacific, Compiled by the Scientific Commission on Coral Reefs of the Pacific Science Association
State of the Reefs: Regional and Global Perspectives. An International Coral Reef Initiative Executive Secretariat Background Paper. 1995. By, S.C. Jameson, J.W. McManus, and M.D. Spalding
On-line Scientific Journals:
Bulletin of Marine Science
Canada Journal of Fisheries & Aquatic Sciences
Coral Reefs
Ecology, Ecological Applications, Ecological Monographs
Marine Ecology Progress Series
Marine & Freshwater Research
Micronesica
Pacific Science
Newsletters
South Pacific Commission Fishery Newsletters
Fisheries Newsletter
Beche-de-Mer Information Bulletin
Fish Aggregation Device Information Bulletin
Fisheries Education & Training Information Bulletin
Live Reef Fish Information Bulletin
Pearl Oyster Information Bulletin
Traditional Marine Resource Management and Knowledge Information Bulletin
Trochus Information Bulletin
Women in Fisheries Information Bulletin
REEF RESEARCH
(a quarterly newsletter published by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority)
Keywords:
Advance Scuba training, Adventure Sports, Basic Open Water, Digital Underwater Photography, Extreme Scuba and Jason Kilgore, family travel, Hawaii reef divers, NAUI, scuba rental gear, sharks, Digital Underwater Photography, discount travel, Enriched Air, Hawaii Scuba Diving, Hawaiian Islands sight seeing, ITAN, Kona, NAUI, NOAA, other specialty certifications, sharks, SSI, TDI/SDI, airlines, family travel, family vacations, Hawaii reef divers, Hawaiian Islands, hotels, Jason Kilgore, Maui, scuba certification, scuba diving, scuba rental gear, snorkel/fins, vacation, Basic Open Water, Digital Underwater Photography, Extreme Scuba and Jason Kilgore, Hawaiian Islands, PADI Divemaster SCUBA Certification, Snorkel Bob, Snorkling/Fin, TDI/SDI, Underwater Instructors
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Coral reef ecosystems
The coral reef ecosystems of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands suffer from contamination by considerable amounts of derelict fishing gear, trash, pollution from North Pacific Ocean fisheries washed in by ocean currents.
Greenpeace released a report last week examining the "vast vortex of plastic trash in the middle of the Pacific Ocean," so described by Reuters. The report finds that the coral reef sytems of the NWHI, the endangered Hawaiian monk seal, and, worldwide, "at least 267 species -- including seabirds, turtles, seals, sea lions, whales and fish" are vulnerable to the contamination caused by tourism, sewage, fishing and waste from ships and boats. Derelict fishing gear includes, "fishing lines and nets, fishing pots and strapping bands from bait boxes that are lost accidentally by commercial fishing boats or are deliberately dumped into the ocean."
The research predicted that most debris is moved towards the mid-latitudes. This is in agreement with observations from other studies which showed higher concentrations of debris in such areas compared to nearer the poles. It also identified areas where ocean movements results in particularly high concentrations of debris such as north of Hawaii.
Living there part time, i have noticed in the last twenty years, the price of a nice piece of land is not what it once was.. While swimming in Maui, we came to a place called "BLACK ROCK" off Maui, the beach side was littered with trash, junk in the water and the water was nasty.. It wasnt like that ten years ago, but many people come to the islands and dirty them, destroy the beauty and leave. My daughter and i started doing cleanup work in the area with 30-50 other people and still seems we have along way to go.
Key words:
Advance Scuba training, Adventure Sports, Basic Open Water, Digital Underwater Photography, Extreme Scuba and Jason Kilgore, family travel, Hawaii reef divers, NAUI, scuba rental gear, sharks, Digital Underwater Photography, discount travel, Enriched Air, Hawaii Scuba Diving, Hawaiian Islands sight seeing, ITAN, Kona, NAUI, NOAA, other specialty certifications, sharks, SSI, TDI/SDI, airlines, family travel, family vacations, Hawaii reef divers, Hawaiian Islands, hotels, Jason Kilgore, Maui, scuba certification, scuba diving, scuba rental gear, snorkel/fins, vacation, Basic Open Water, Digital Underwater Photography, Extreme Scuba and Jason Kilgore, Hawaiian Islands, PADI Divemaster SCUBA Certification, Snorkel Bob, Snorkling/Fin, TDI/SDI, Underwater Instructors
Greenpeace released a report last week examining the "vast vortex of plastic trash in the middle of the Pacific Ocean," so described by Reuters. The report finds that the coral reef sytems of the NWHI, the endangered Hawaiian monk seal, and, worldwide, "at least 267 species -- including seabirds, turtles, seals, sea lions, whales and fish" are vulnerable to the contamination caused by tourism, sewage, fishing and waste from ships and boats. Derelict fishing gear includes, "fishing lines and nets, fishing pots and strapping bands from bait boxes that are lost accidentally by commercial fishing boats or are deliberately dumped into the ocean."
The research predicted that most debris is moved towards the mid-latitudes. This is in agreement with observations from other studies which showed higher concentrations of debris in such areas compared to nearer the poles. It also identified areas where ocean movements results in particularly high concentrations of debris such as north of Hawaii.
Living there part time, i have noticed in the last twenty years, the price of a nice piece of land is not what it once was.. While swimming in Maui, we came to a place called "BLACK ROCK" off Maui, the beach side was littered with trash, junk in the water and the water was nasty.. It wasnt like that ten years ago, but many people come to the islands and dirty them, destroy the beauty and leave. My daughter and i started doing cleanup work in the area with 30-50 other people and still seems we have along way to go.
Key words:
Advance Scuba training, Adventure Sports, Basic Open Water, Digital Underwater Photography, Extreme Scuba and Jason Kilgore, family travel, Hawaii reef divers, NAUI, scuba rental gear, sharks, Digital Underwater Photography, discount travel, Enriched Air, Hawaii Scuba Diving, Hawaiian Islands sight seeing, ITAN, Kona, NAUI, NOAA, other specialty certifications, sharks, SSI, TDI/SDI, airlines, family travel, family vacations, Hawaii reef divers, Hawaiian Islands, hotels, Jason Kilgore, Maui, scuba certification, scuba diving, scuba rental gear, snorkel/fins, vacation, Basic Open Water, Digital Underwater Photography, Extreme Scuba and Jason Kilgore, Hawaiian Islands, PADI Divemaster SCUBA Certification, Snorkel Bob, Snorkling/Fin, TDI/SDI, Underwater Instructors
Monday, December 17, 2007
WELCOME FROM HAWAII
Hawaii Reef Divers is locally owned and operated. From the moment you step into the shop or prepare to board our quest of offering the best programs , you become part of our "ohana" or family. The "HRD vision", is a (QOD®)quality of diving™ mission statement, custom built and relates to our mode of thinking and training. Our teachers and instructors are extremely seaworthy, reliable, and have a wealth of knowledge and experience. Hawaii Reef Divers being divers themselves, they saw the need for a more personalized diving experience in the rare treasures of the world. Instead of focusing on quantity, they chose to focus on quality of training, skill of the diver, establishing life-long friendships and for members and students we visit one of over 71 pristine dive sites that make the Hawaii coast such a great place to dive.
Our equipment and gear are state of the art offering tools and resources such as: GPS, life jackets, 2 life rafts, fire extinguishers, USCG approved medical kits, DAN oxygen unit, cell phones, medical supplies and unlike many of the competitors our fleet is coast guard inspected and approved. On a typical charter, you are one of 10 to 12 divers sharing our training. We do not pack our classes, we offer one on one training and small groups to meet the special needs of each individual.
There is lots of room for divers to "stretch out" and grow through one of many programs such as: navigation, underwater photo, snorkel and fins, skin diving, picking your nose, wreck diving, rescue classes, CPR/FIRST AID and lots of different classes such as beginning to expert level training.
Our equipment and gear are state of the art offering tools and resources such as: GPS, life jackets, 2 life rafts, fire extinguishers, USCG approved medical kits, DAN oxygen unit, cell phones, medical supplies and unlike many of the competitors our fleet is coast guard inspected and approved. On a typical charter, you are one of 10 to 12 divers sharing our training. We do not pack our classes, we offer one on one training and small groups to meet the special needs of each individual.
There is lots of room for divers to "stretch out" and grow through one of many programs such as: navigation, underwater photo, snorkel and fins, skin diving, picking your nose, wreck diving, rescue classes, CPR/FIRST AID and lots of different classes such as beginning to expert level training.
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