Marine biologists calling for updated laws regarding fish important to reefs, beaches
An uhu, or parrotfish, swims in Hanauma Bay, O‘ahu. Image courtesy of Randy Chiu/Flickr.
The uhu is a peculiar looking fish with prominent teeth that resemble a beak, hence the nickname “parrot fish.” Uhu scrub seaweed and algae from dead coral reefs, and a single fish can poop out 800 pounds of sand a year. Reefs depend on uhu to scrape away seaweed and invasive algae so new coral colonies can grow. Healthy reefs insulate beaches from waves and storms, so uhu fight beach erosion in two ways. And shoreline protection is increasing in urgency because climate change is tied to more frequent and intense storms in the Pacific.
“The vast majority of that very fine sand that we know and love in Hawai‘i comes from the uhu,” said marine biologist Eric Dilley, graduate student in the Department of Biology and the Marine Biology Graduate Program (MBGP), and co-founder of the Uhu Conservancy,
But populations of uhu have declined in recent years, particularly around the South shore of O‘ahu and the Big Island. “Parrot fish are very heavily overfished on this island,” says Dilley. “Bombing the reef” refers to spearfishing parrot fish (uhu) with scuba gear while they sleep at night. Dilley says he’s seen people spearfish enough uhu to fill up an entire driveway.
While Dilley would like to see a temporary ban on spearfishing uhu, and the Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) is considering a ban on night diving, Ryan Okano, who works on ecosystem protection for the Division of Aquatic Resources, said the department is nowhere close to a final ruling. However, Okana does say they are exploring ways to alleviate the concerns regarding overfishing of uhu.
Read more about it in the Honolulu Civil Beat and at KITV.