Kahekili, West Maui, Hawaii Fish and Benthic Data from Surveys in January and 2008-08 (NCEI Accession 0065597)

Fish and benthos baseline surveys were made at 155 sites of the near shore region off Kahekili Beach Park, West Maui in January and August, 2008. Survey sites were grouped into six broad habitat categories, and herbivore biomass in a range of functional groups was calculated per habitat category.

Hawaii Division of Aquatic Resource (HDAR) is currently working to establish a Herbivore Fisheries Management Area (HFMA) [n.b. previously titled as Kahekili Ecosystem Recovery Area] encompassing reef areas adjacent to Kahekili Beach park in West Maui. The goal of the proposed HFMA is to increase the reef's capacity to resist a phase shift from coral to macroalgal domination by prohibiting the take of herbivorous fish and sea-urchins.

Fish surveys were performed by scientists of HDAR and the Hawaii Cooperative Fishery Research Unit, Department of Zoology, University of Hawaii (UH). Benthic surveys were conducted by scientists of the Department of Botany, UH.