Box jellyfish stings: On the island of Oahu, about 800 people are stung yearly. The sting is very painful but there have been no deaths in Hawai'i from box jellyfish stings. To treat, rinse with vinegar, pick off tentacles; and apply ice.

Bristleworm stings: Bristleworm stings occur only occasionally. The stings cause a painful rash. Remove the bristles with tape; soak in vinegar.

Surgeon Fish Cuts: Surgeon fish cuts occur in Hawai'i when people don't know about the sharp razor hidden in its tail. The razor will shoot out when the surgeon fish feels threatened. For first aid, apply pressure on the cut until it stops bleeding.Clean the cut, and possibly seek medical attention.

Crown-of-thorns sea star stings: Sea star stings are occasional. They cause painful punctures. Pull out the spines very carefully.

Anemone stings: Anemone stings can occur in all Hawaiian waters from tidepools to deep offshore waters, however, they are very rare. They cause burning and itching sensations, and redness and swelling where contact was made.To treat, rinse with water and use ice for pain relief. Severe reaction may include shortness of breath and loss of consciousness and require medical attention.

Portuguese man-of-war (Pa'imalau) stings: 6,500 Portuguese man-of-war stings occur yearly on the windward side of Oahu. They are painful, but have caused no deaths in Hawai'i. To treat, pick off stinger, wash with water and then apply ice.

Sea urchin (wana) punctures: Wana punctures are common in Hawai'i. They cause an intense burning sensation and the muscle tissue of the infected area soon begins to ache and the skin around the punctured area swells. The brittle spines usually break off in the deep flesh. For first aid, pull out the large spines and let small spines dissolve.

Sponge stings: Sponge stings are occasional. They can cause stiffness in the joints and a painful rash. To apply first aid, remove bristles with tape, use ice cold water for pain relief and rinse with Hawaiian salt and vinegar. Read about sponge stings in students' testimony