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Hi Everyone,
I live in Hawaii and I have a problem with this letter.
This is indeed a rare opportunity - to spam after reading a misleading post.
NWHI has 70% of the coral reef under the US Control? No it doesn't. The old
70% figure is an inaccurate extrapolation - recent NOAA surveys, as
presented at the NWHI Scientific Symposium, Honolulu, November 2004, give a
figure of less than 10% live coral reef habitat in the NWHI. The greatest
amount of coral under US control is in FACT in Florida.
As for damage inflicted to date - 3 separate surveys over the last 30 years
have shown the NWHI to be pristine, what isn't stated below is that it is
pristine under the current management regime. The reference to damage
already inflicted should indicate that the cause of much of that damage has
been ascribed to marine debris - mitigation actions are in progress for what
is not a purely domestic issue - impacts from marine debris are an
international problem.
A comparison between other Sanctuaries and this oceanic system are
inappropriate - tourism and over-fishing are not issues here. The history of
these islands is one of declining human habitation, with the closure of
military bases, coastguard stations and ecotourism operations. The last
tourist operation closed 3 years ago and was largely confined to Midway. The
only fishery that operates in the NWHI is a highly regulated specialist
fishery for snappers on the deep reef slope which catches about 1% of the
total coastal fish catch from the entire Hawaiian archipelago.
Whilst I agree that it is important to protect marine resources - I am
opposed to the posting of misleading information which is likely to lead to
spamming by those who have been misinformed.
Thank you for caring enough to determine the facts.
Tony Beeching
ReefDispatch! wrote:
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*****************************
* March 4, 2005 *
* R E E F D I S P A T C H *
* _________________________ *
* How Much Protection *
* for the Coral Reefs of *
* the NW Hawaiian Islands? *
* *
* -- learn more at -- *
*http://www.reefguardian.org*
*****************************
Dear Friend of Coral Reefs,
You have a rare opportunity to help protect the Northwestern Hawaiian
Islands -- one of the last large, intact coral reef ecosystems in the world
-- by going to http://www.reefguardian.org/#speak and clicking on the
Northwestern Hawaiian Islands public comment letter link.
The Northwestern Hawaiian Islands stretch across more than 1,200 nautical
miles northwest of the main Hawaiian Islands, and encompass almost 70
percent of the coral reefs under United States control. They may be
America's last opportunity to protect a nearly intact coral reef ecosystem,
and to repair the damage inflicted to date.
Right now, plans are being drafted to establish the Northwestern Hawaiian
Islands as a National Marine Sanctuary. Sadly, however, many of the
existing U.S. national marine sanctuaries have so far proven insufficient to
protect the species and habitats within from the adverse effects of
overfishing, pollution, poorly managed tourism, and other activities. If the
same approach is taken in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, damage to this
nearly pristine coral ecosystem is virtually inevitable.
To let the U.S. National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) know
how much and what type of protection you would like to see given to the
Northwestern Hawaiian Islands coral reef ecosystem, please go to
http://www.reefguardian.org/#speak and click on the Northwestern Hawaiian
Islands public comment letter link.
Thanks for caring,
ALEXANDER STONE
ReefGuardian International
***************************
http://www.reefguardian.org <http://www.reefguardian.org/>
***************************
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