Molokini Is Valuable!

We have realized that the Molokini Crater is valuable because you will swim and snorkel in the calm, protected waters. Inside the crescent shaped Marine Life Conservation District, you will experience why Molokini Crater is truly one of Hawaii's natural wonders. This breath-taking snorkel site is considered to be one of the top 10 dive sites in the world. Here you will be amazed as you swim in crystal clear waters with over 250 species of exotic fish including Black Trigger Fish, Yellow Tang, Moorish Idol, Parrotfish, Raccoon butterflyfish and Bluefin Trevally. Over 25% of all Hawaii's reef fish are endemic.

Would you want to visit Molokini Crater?

Humans Impacting Our Biome

When we got to Molokini we relized that there were two main ways in which humans have impacted of the Molokini coral reefs, indirectly and directly.  Coral reefs can live only in very clear water. The large population centers near coasts has led to silting of reefs, pollution by nutrients that lead to algal growth that smothers the coral, and over fishing that has led to increase in number of predators that eat corals. Warming of the ocean causes corals to sicken and die. Even the rising of one degree in the average water temperature can hurt the coral. The warmer water and more nutrients also encourages the growth of harmful algae on top of the coral, which kills it, because it blocks out the sun. This algae is usually eaten by fish, but because of over fishing, there aren't enough fish left to eat all the algae. And the pollution we dump in the ocean is just what the algae needs to grow and be healthy, which means covering and eventually killing the coral reefs. When humans go fishing near a reef the net will get the fish but also the coral they are near at the time of being caught. Another way humans fish is with Cyanide which is a poison.  The divers pour this poison on the reef, which stuns the fish and kills the coral. Then they rip open the reef with crowbars and catch the fish while they are too sick from the poison to swim away. This poison kills 90% of the fish that live in the reef and the reef is completely destroyed both by the poison and then by being ripped apart.

What do you think we can do to help Molokini with human impacts?