Hawai'i's Coral Reefs are Important

More than 84% of the coral reefs in the United States exist in Hawai'i, and therefore play a very important role in Hawai'i. One of the most important characteristics of Hawaii's coral reefs is that they create an inviting habitat. They house some marine creatures that cannot be found anywhere else in the world. Over 25% of Hawaii's reef animals is endemic (found only in Hawai'i). Since most of Hawaii's sand comes from the coral reef, without reefs the Hawaiian Islands would not have their beautiful beaches. The coral reefs break big waves that would crush and erode our island. They also act as a barrier to keep away dangerous animals from the shorelines. Hawai'i's coral reefs supply many people with jobs such as the marine biologists and the fishermen. Most importantly, the coral reefs in Hawai'i contribute millions of dollars to our economy. They provide recreational activities such as snorkeling, scuba diving, and underwater photography. The reefs also supply a great deal of food around the world, such as fish, shellfish, seaweed, octopi, and squids. In addition, like the rainforest the coral reefs give us medicine to make cures for threatening diseases.

In addition, they give us a wondrous world to study and research. Currently on Oahu., there are a few places to research coral reefs. For example, Coconut Island is a research center where researchers from many parts of the world come to study Hawai'i's reefs.