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Overfishing in Hawaii
Overfishing is the depletion of fish within a population to the point where it is unsustainable. In the state of Hawaii this is an important topic given that one of the number one sources of food and business is commercial fishing. It is a practice that is extremely important to the states economy and food input. The expansion of fisheries in Hawaii began in the 1980s due to the rapid demand from the US for tuna and swordfish. Within the state of Hawaii there is an estimated 2.5 million pounds of fish harvested annually, including commercial and non-commercial fisheries. This number is not sustainable for the state and its resources resulting in damage to Hawaii's natural habitats and species. Overfishing in Hawaii affects many natural ecosystems within the island chain including coral reefs and the actual fish population. In fact, the number one cause of reef fish decline in Hawaii is overfishing. There are many fishing regulations put into place within the state, but fail to securely protect specific species and environments. Another result of faulty regulations and overfishing is bycatch, the accidental catching and killing of unintended species. While these numbers are good for the economy, it damages the island's natural ecosystems and habitats, specifically fish populations and Hawaii's coral reefs.

State Regulations
In the state of Hawaii, overfishing local ecosystems has been a common trend for the past 50 years. Fishing regulations are appointed locally by the Department of Land and Natural Resources and globally by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. These regulations include prohibiting fishing in specific areas or time frames either due to private property or nature reserves, and permit required fishing in freshwater. Most of the fish species within Hawaii have closed seasons, which are periods of time where it is illegal to catch that species while they spawn. This relieves pressure from the population and a chance to repopulate. There is also a regulation called minimum size limits, which only allows fishermen to catch a certain sized fish. When catching small fish within a species, it usually means that they have not met the age to spawn, taking away the opportunity for that population to reproduce. However, these rules have not stopped the steep decline of fish. One of the causes of this being that the Department of Land and Natural Resources does not require a license for recreational saltwater fishing, allowing non-commercial fisheries to go outside of regulations. Aside from regulations, there are many illegal fisheries and practices that take place statewide that contribute to exploiting Hawaii's fish populations.

Bycatch
A huge reasoning behind certain fishing regulations is the result of bycatch. Certain fishing practices require gear that often catches much more than the intended species. Practices like longline fishing, trawls, and cages catch any organisms that are within reach whether it be the intended species or an innocent dolphin in the area. The animals that are accidentally caught often die on board or are seriously injured leaving it impossible for them to reproduce in the future, badly affecting ocean ecosystems and economy. This is the reason why swordfish fisheries were shut down from 2001 to 2004, due to the unsustainable amount of sea turtles they caught as bycatch. In 2004, this ban was lifted with the exception of bycatch regulations, meaning that once a certain number of turtles were caught as bycatch by these fisheries, the swordfish season would be shut down until the following year. The limit was 17 loggerhead turtles which was met in both 2006 and 2011. Bycatch can also include coral reefs and sponges which are vital fish environments and ecosystems. The action of killing large amounts of these organisms when fishing badly affects the entire industry and ecosystem.

Economy
Hawaii's fishing economy is the largest fishing economy in the nation. Hawaii charter fishing industry produces almost 50 million dollars in sales annually. The Big Island of Hawaii is the major promoter of the charter fishing economy with a labor income of 7.4 million dollars, a total sales of 17.4 million, and employment of 387 jobs. The largest contributions to these numbers are the tuna and swordfish fisheries. These fisheries are also some of the biggest contributors to overfishing in the islands. The swordfish fisheries in particular were bringing up an enormous amount of bycatch animals, specifically sea turtles which are considered endangered in Hawaii. Because of this, a ban was placed on all swordfish fisheries in 2001 halting the entire industry. Due to the new regulations placed on these fisheries, Hawaiis' fishing economy decreased in 2006 by 7% and again in 2009 by 22%.

Affect on Coral Reefs
The most detrimental effect overfishing has is its effects on coral reefs.The major loss of coral reefs badly affects fisheries due to the fact that they are a huge habitat and house the ecosystems that support recreational and commercial fisheries. According to a study in Ecological Applications, Hawaii’s reefs lost 45% of their resource fish from recreational human activity and commercial fishing from the year 2008 to 2018. This is primarily because only 4% of reef habitats within Hawaii are protected by the state from fisheries. The majority of food fish in Hawaii are reef fish, for example, Parrot Fish, Trumpet Fish, Moray Eel, Octopus and much more. The loss of certain species within an ecosystem often leads to a ripple effect. The coral reefs that depend on the fish for food and protection are left hungry and vulnerable when there is a case of overfishing within that area. Fish also play a big part in consuming algae that grows on reef beds. With a less populated fish ecosystem, coral reefs are at risk of suffocating from algae overgrowth. Other than the loss of fish, fishing can also cause damage to coral reefs and other habitats with the different kinds of tools used such as nets, trawls and cages. These tactics often scratch scar or completely destroy coral beds on the ocean floor.