This fall, the Navy will begin the first large scale removal of invasive octocorals in Pearl Harbor that pose a threat to the local marine ecosystem. The two species of octocorals that were first discovered near Bishop Point are not native to Hawaii but are known to be popular with aquarium enthusiasts. They are also illegal to own in Hawaii.
In January 2024, the Navy cleared more than 33,850 square feet – nearly three-fourths of the area of a football field – of the harmful octocorals from Pearl Harbor, but unfortunately the fast-growing octocoral has come back so there is a need for a larger scale effort. The upcoming removal effort is expected to take years to accomplish, according to Nicole Olmsted, conservation manager for Commander, Navy Region Hawaii (CNRH). “We have tested methods and have determined they are effective and the best scientific tools available at this time,” she said. “We will be using a combination of tarp smothering and manual removal.”
In the meantime, the Navy is supporting efforts by the Hawaii Department Agriculture (HDOA) Plant Quarantine Branch, the department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR), the University of Hawaii-Waikiki Aquarium, and the Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species to prevent the release of illegal and harmful marine aquarium invasive species into the ocean. They are teaming up to lead the “Don’t Let it Loose” campaign, which kicks off on Oct. 28, 2024.
The week-long campaign includes talks, webinars, and a new exhibit at Waikiki Aquarium featuring illegal marine aquarium species.
Waikiki Aquarium has been a long-time HDOA Amnesty Partner and anyone who wishes to surrender unwanted or illegal aquaria species can do so at the aquarium without penalty.
The invasive octocorals in Pearl Harbor pose a significant threat to reef-building corals.
“We have an octocoral known as Pulse coral (Unomia stolonifera) which is highly invasive. We also have Kenya tree coral (Capnella spicata), Hammer coral, goldspotted angelfish and a corallimorph species. The pulse coral has the ability to fragment and spread easily and attaches to other corals. We want to maintain reef biodiversity and this coral can easily take over so we need to get rid of it,” Olmsted explained.
She thanked the Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam community for the steps it has taken to control the spread of invasive species, despite the difficulty of the endeavor.
“We want to thank the community for observing the fishing restrictions and kayak closures on base so that we can reduce the fragmentation and pathways for additional spread,” she said. “Eradication is not easy and it takes everyone working together to keep this octocoral from overtaking the reefs.”
The Navy is a member of the Hawaii Invasive Octocorals Working Group (HIOWG), which is comprised of subject matter experts who provide aquatic invasive species (AIS) identification and work to develop effective removal and response plans.
Working group participants include the U.S. Navy, Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species (CGAPS); Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources -Division of Aquatic Resources; United States Fish and Wildlife Service – Pacific Islands Fish and Wildlife Office, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service – Pacific Islands Regional Office; National Marine Fisheries Service – Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center; US Geological Survey – National Wildlife Health Center; University of Hawaii – Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology (HIMB); Bishop Museum; and Williams College. All are working together to resolve this shared problem.
Christy Martin, the program manager for CGAPS, posits that the invasive octocorals in Pearl Harbor were released at Bishop Point and Ford Island by aquarium hobbyists. Both locations are accessible to the public and have a significant invasive species presence.
Martin explained that the popularity of marine aquariums is increasing globally, and the U.S. is the largest importer of marine species across the world, highlighting the urgent need to educate the public about the threat of invasive species and the need for containment.
“The vast majority of marine aquarium species are not allowed in Hawaii because of this risk, but we see more and more things coming in and we see more and more things on our reef,” she noted. “This one species that we have on Joint Base, the pulse coral, it is so invasive that it was dumped once and now it covers a footprint of 80 acres and it is carpeting the bottom and killing coral.”
Martin described what happened in Venezuela as a cautionary tale of what happens when advisories about invasive species are not taken seriously.
“In Venezuela, the same species was outplanted in the early 2000s to be able for that one person to go, collect, and sell on the black market and it is now spread across more than 60 miles of their coastline,” she said.
Martin offered advice to anyone with illegal or unwanted aquarium species.
“We are seeing more and more species in the ocean and things that can change our reef environment forever,” said Martin. “We want to take every opportunity that we can to tell people, please don’t do that. If it’s an illegal species, there are options for that, and if it’s not there’s options for that as well. Please just don’t dump it.”
