The Kahekili Herbivore Fisheries Management

The Kahekili Herbivore
Fisheries Management Area
Herbivore Management in an
Effort to Improve Coral Reef
Resilience
Russell Sparks
State of Hawaii
Department of Land and Natural Resources
Division of Aquatic Resources
Where is the Kahekili HFMA?
West Maui, Hawaiian Islands
Trends in Coral Cover
Stressed
Fully
F
ully
lly Degrade
D
Degraded
g d d
Healthy
Health
hy
Kahekili Beach Park 3m Site
1999 – 2012
Changes in Reef Complexity
Reduced Herbivores
Comparisons of Fish Biomass
How Does Kahekili Compare to Similar Reefs?
The Herbivore Enhancement Project
For
or the First Time in Hawaii,
Hawaii Fisheries Management was used
used
as a tool to Control Invasive Algae, and
Improve Overall Reef Resilience.
The Kahekili Herbivore Fisheries
Management Area (HFMA)
Went into Effect in July 2009
Honokowai
Beach Park
The Kahekili
Herbivore Fisheries
Management Area
Prohibited Activities Include:
•Removing or killing any surgeon fish,
parrotfish, or chub
•Removing or killing any sea urchins
•Fish feeding
Allowed Activities Include:
•Fishing for or Removing all other legally
harvested marine life.
•Using bait and/or other fish attractants while
legally fishing.
Keka‘a Point
(Black Rock)
N
Is It Working?
There are Some Early Signs of Success
Early Signs of Success
Parrotfish Size Distribution (Bullethead Parrotfish Chlorurus spilurus)
12.0%
Relationships Between Parrotfish Biomass &
CCA Cover
10.0%
CCA Cover (%)
8.0%
6.0%
4.0%
2.0%
0.0%
-
2.0
4.0
6.0
8.0
Parrotfish Biomass (gm-2)
10.0
Early Signs of Success
Strong Community Support with Active Involvement
Citizen Science and Makai Watch Programs
Happy 1st Birthday KHFMA
July 25th, 2010
Volunteer grazing data combined with bite size data
(Ong, 2008) to estimate grazing pressure of parrotfish.
Early Signs of Success
Fisheries Management → Watershed Management
“Mauka to Makai”
From the Mountains to the Sea
1. In ?2010?, The Ka‘anapali Area was Designated one of Two
Priority Coral Reef Management Site by the Hawaii Coral Reef
Management Program.
2. In ?2012?, The State of Hawaii and the Army Corps of
Engineers Agreed to Work Together on a Watershed Planning
Effort for West Maui (The Ridge 2 Reef Initiative).
3. In ?2012? The US Coral Reef Task Force Designated the West
Maui Watershed the Priority Watershed in the Pacific.
Early Signs of Success
If You Designate It They Will Come!
Alan
Friedlenader,
PhD.
Jennifer Smith, PhD.
Scripps
Chip Hunt, PhD. USGS
Meghan Dailer, MSc., UH Botany
Mark Vermiej, PhD.
UH Botany
Ivor Williams & Kevin Lino, NOAA CRED
Paul Jokiel, PhD.
HIMB
Emily Kelly PhD.
Candidate, Scripps
Melissa Garren PhD. Candidate,
Scripps
Greta Aeby, PhD.
HIMB
Athline Clark & Cindy Barger
USACE
Wendy Wiltse, EPA
Megan Ross, PhD. Candidate, UH
Iuri Herzfeld, PhD. Candidate, UH
Craig Glenn, PhD.
UH Geography
Celia Smith, PhD.
UH Botany
Working Together with the Community
The Kahekili Project Hopes to Reverse
The Slippery Slope to Slime!!
Russell Sparks & Darla White
Hawaii State Department of Land and Natural Resources
Division of Aquatic Resources
[email protected] / [email protected]
(808)243-5294