Heatwaves and the resulting increase in sea temperatures caused more than half of Hawaii's coral to bleach over a one-year period.
The data was just one in a series of unhappy facts presented to Hawaii lawmakers on Thursday by a group of scientists led by the Nature Conservancy.
In a one-year period spanning 2014-2015, scientists estimate that bleaching affected 56 percent of the coral around the Big Island, 44 percent of that along West Maui and 32 percent around Oahu.
Coral bleaching, the process where a coral releases the algae living within its tissue, causing the coral to turn completely white is usually attributed to a rise in sea temperatures. Other studies suggest that the oxybenzone found in sunscreen also contributes to coral bleaching.
Although bleaching itself does not kill a coral, it causes greater stress to the organism and puts it at a higher risk for mortality.
A coral reef can recover from a mass bleaching event, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), but only if sea temperatures quickly return to normal.
Unfortunately, in the case of Hawaii, the ocean faces more warm-weather events ahead.
"In the 2030s, 30 to 50 percent of the years will have major bleaching events in Hawaii," said Kuulei Rogers of the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology in an interview with the Associated Press.
That the mass bleaching occurred is hardly unexpected. Back in 2015, scientists reported a "mass bleaching event" in 2014 alongside the dire prediction that the coming year could bear witness to the worst bleaching event Hawaii has ever known. According to the 2015 report, Hawaii is home to 85 percent of all coral reefs in the United States.
Coral bleaching is a global problem, however, with many of the major reefs in the world, including the Great Barrier Reef being affected by the problem. In 2016, Thailand closed numerous diving sites, due to bleaching events.
Coral bleaching is not the only challenge facing Hawaii. The scientists also presented lawmakers with data on Hawaii's fish populations, which are in serious decline.
Reef damage and overfishing are causing local fish populations to decline. According to research from the University of Hawaii, there has been a 90 percent drop in overall fishing catches in the past 15 years, due to overfishing.
"What we found was pretty overwhelming," said Alan Friedlander in the same Associated Press piece. "About 40 percent of the species will be classified as overfished. The correlations are more people, less fish."
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
Topics From This Article to Explore
