Impacts of Pollution, Fishing Pressure, and Reef Rugosity on Resource Fish Biomass in West Hawai‘i

Abstract

Human activities and land-use drivers combine in complex ways to affect coral reefs, and, in turn, the abundance of reef fauna. We examined the impacts of various human and habitat drivers on resource fish (fish targeted for consumption) along the west coast of Hawai‘i Island (USA). We observed large decreases in fish biomass over a decade of fish monitoring. The most negative impact was from nitrogen input from land-based sewage disposal, where fish biomass is also impacted by various management strategies. Our observations suggest that regional management of multiple factors, including pollution and fisheries, will benefit resource fish biomass in Hawai‘i. These photographs illustrate the article “Impacts of pollution, fishing pressure, and reef rugosity on resource fish biomass in West Hawai‘i” by Shawna A. Foo, William J. Walsh, Joey Lecky, Stacia Marcoux, and Gregory P. Asner published in Ecological Applications. https://doi.org/10.1002/eap.2213 These photographs illustrate the article “Impacts of pollution, fishing pressure, and reef rugosity on resource fish biomass in West Hawai‘i” by Shawna A. Foo, William J. Walsh, Joey Lecky, Stacia Marcoux, and Gregory P. Asner published in Ecological Applications. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.2213.