Local Marine Conservation Issues

Acute threats to the marine environment in the state of Hawai’i include overfishing, aquatic trade takes, fisheries by-catch, recreational overuse/damage, invasive species, urbanization and coastal development, sedimentation and eutrophication due to storm runoff, marine debris, interaction of species with vessels, including feeding and strikes, interaction of species with people. And finally, pollution- including all types- acoustic pollution, light pollution, agricultural pollution, waste pollution, and chemical pollution. We go on to include lack of funding and regulations, not to mention minimal enforcement of any regulations that do exist.  The recreational fishery requires no permit or license, is sparsely regulated, enforced, or stock assessed.  Less than  one percent of the coastline of Oahu is protected! We only have three Marine Life Conservation Districts (MLCD) on the island and five fishery management areas. Many of these threats can be reduced and controlled if people would think about their actions and the effect their life has on the ecosystem in which they reside.