Hawai`i has the 4th longest coastline in the United States and with it, 410,000 acres of coral reefs. Have you thought about how important the fringing reef is to you, the State and our economy?

Our coral reefs are not only homes to fish and other marine animals, they act as shorebreaks diminishing the powerful waves which are constantly eroding our beaches. Erosion of the shoreline cannot be stopped, but coral reefs help to slow down the process. Without our reefs, huge tracts of land could be washed away by the sea every year.

Our reefs also support Hawai`i's multimillion-dollar ocean recreation industry and the aquarium-fish industry. SCUBA dive operators, snorkel tours, and aquarium enthusiasts all benefit from the health of our reefs.

Countless people fish our waters to feed their families or as commercial fishermen to feed the rest of the population. The coral reef provides habitat to maintain and propagate our fish populations. 

To begin to appreciate the importance of our coral reefs, think about how poor our life would be without all of its benefits. We owe all of this, and more, to tiny sea creatures called coral polyps, the building blocks of our magnificent coral reef.

Coral polyps cannot survive if the water is too warm, or if the water quality is poor. Polyps are very sensitive and they depend on you and me to survive.

Click on the magnifying glass image above to find out what you can do to promote the health of our coral reef.

More about Hawai`i's aquatic resources
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