The Hawaiian Archipelago Hosts A Multitude Of Endemic Marine Life

In Hawaii fishing is an integral part of daily life, and has been since the first Polynesians landed their canoes. Today the islands are world renowned as a fishermen's paradise. The Hawaiian island chain is the most remote location in the world, as it is the farthest place away from any other land mass. Due to Hawaii's isolation approximately 62% of local marine species are endemic, or native to the islands.

In ancient times Hawaii's coast were home to numerous fishponds, villages and reservoirs for the collecting salt. The ancient Hawaiians had an intimate connection with nature, as they believed that humanity is intricately tied to both the aina (land) and the moana (ocean). The Kumulipo is the Hawaiian chant of creation, which says that all life began in the sea, beginning with a coral polyp. The Kumulipo describes Hawaii not as islands in the sea, but rather as a sea of islands.

The entire archipelago is comprised of hundreds of islands and atolls, spread oput over 1,500 miles. The eight main islands are Hawaii, Maui, Lanai, Molokai, Oahu, Kauai, Kaho'olawe and Ni'ihau. The topographical layout of the Hawaiian coasts offers fishermen and divers an underwater playground that is teaming with endemic fish. Approximately 30% of fish, 20% of mollusks, 20% of the corals, and 18% of the algae found in Hawaiian waters are native to the islands.

The majority of Hawaii's endemic fish are small, shallow water reef fish. Of the 80 known species of angelfish, five are native to the Hawaiian Islands, including the bandit, flame and masked angelfish. There are about 115 butterfly fish species worldwide, and at least 24 of these are native to the Hawaii, including the commonly found kikapu or Bluestripe Butterflyfish. The Bluestripe Butterflyfish is a common fish to see around the shallow. near shore reafs, but are also seen in deeper waters.

The Hawaii state fish is a native Triggerfish called the humuhumunukunukuapua'.... (which also happens to be the world's longest fish name). The Hawaiian name of this fish means "humuhumu with a snout like a pig". It is small colorful fish with black and yellow stripes, fins that shade from white to purple/blue, and a long snout nose shaped similar to a pigs.

Uhu is the Hawaiian name for the Parrot fish, which is a territorial species that feeds primarily on algae. Uhu is a very common fish to see when diving. They are considered quite large for reef fish, and are very colorful, with shadings of every color in the rainbow.

Another common fish one sees diving in Hawaii is the Manini, a type of sturgeonfish. Large schools of Manini can be seen grazing on algae from the reefs. Ancient Hawaiian's coveted the Kala, or Bluespine Unicornfish, which was used to make drum heads for the the Piniu (coconut knee drum). The skin of the Kala was also used for sanding, due to it's tiny scales.

Where ever you find reef, you will find fish, and currently 20% of the Hawaii's reefs are endemic species of coral. Corals are a lot more than mere rock. They are actually colonies of very small animals, that take hundreds of years to form the structures that are visible to the eye. The ecosystem of coral reefs supports a variety of animal and human needs. It is estimated that 500 million people rely on coral reefs for food, coastal protection, and livelihood. Coral reefs cover less than 1% of the Earth's surface, yet they are home to 25% of all fish species. Hawaiian reefs accounts for about 85% of all coral reefs in the United States, and are what create Hawaii's famous white sand beaches and underwater gardens. Coral reefs have even been used in the treatment of HIV, cardiovascular disease, ulcers, cancer, and other ailments.

Marine-related tourism is a mainstay to Hawaii's economy. About 5 million people travel to Hawaii each year to relax on the beach and explore the ocean. What many people do not know is that their actions, even simple ones, can dramatically effect the health of the reef, algae and fish. Simply touching coral can cause the death of an entire colony, as oils from the skin disturb their delicate mucous membranes. Carcinogenic chemicals also create disease in coral, algae and fish. Using fewer household chemicals, especially on your lawn or garden, can help prevent marine pollution. Sunscreen is another substance that contains many of the carcinogenic chemicals, that cause disease in both humans and marine life. It is also important to not feed the reef fish, as it disrupts their natural feeding habits. Remember fish have plenty of food on a healthy living reef!