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Hawai'i and Pacific Islands

Protecting Fish to Save Coral Reefs

Reefs serve fish and people

Just beyond the sandy beaches, swaying palm trees, and inviting resorts on the west coast of Maui, the island’s tropical coral reefs provide habitat for an array of fish and marine species. In addition to providing shelter, food, and spawning and nursery grounds that fish need to survive, West Maui’s coral reefs provide visitors with a spectacular setting for swimming, snorkeling, and other ocean recreation. Additionally, among the island’s residents, recreational and subsistence fishers depend on the fish they take from the reef. 

West Coast Ocean Data Portal

The West Coast Ocean Data Portal is a project of the West Coast Governors Alliance on Ocean Health. Its goal is to increase discovery and connectivity of ocean and coastal data and people to better inform regional resource management, policy development, and ocean planning. The portal informs priority West Coast ocean issues, such as tracking sources and patterns of marine debris, adaptation to sea level rise, understanding impacts of ocean acidification on coasts, and marine planning.

Reef Resilience Toolkit

The Reef Resilience Toolkit connects coral reef and marine protected area managers and practitioners with information, experts, and resources to innovate, accelerate, and leverage solutions for improved global coral reef health, restoration of reef fisheries, and community-based climate adaptation efforts. Created and updated by global experts in coral reefs, fisheries, and climate change, the Toolkit features:

Adaptation Workbook

The Adaptation Workbook, created by the Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science, is a structured process that helps land management professionals and land owners consider the potential effects of climate change on forests, urban forests, and agricultural lands. This approach enables users to design management, stewardship, and conservation actions to prepare for changing conditions while also meeting their goals and objectives. The flexible process accommodates a wide variety of geographic locations, ownership types, ecosystems and land uses, management goals, and project sizes.

Web Soil Survey

Web Soil Survey (WSS) offers soil maps and data for more than 95 percent of counties in the United States, including Alaska and Hawaii. The site serves as an authoritative online source of soil survey information for the nation.

There are four basic steps to using Web Soil Survey:

Sea Level Rise Viewer

Being able to visualize potential impacts from sea level rise is a powerful teaching and planning tool. The Sea Level Rise Viewer, developed by the NOAA Office for Coastal Management, offers access to data and information about the risks of sea level rise, storm surge, and flooding along the coastal United States. The web-based map allows community planners, city officials, and coastal residents the opportunity to identify flood-prone locations in their area.

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