A new public awareness campaign titled "Fish Pono — Save Our Reefs" aims to protect Hawaiʻi's herbivorous fish populations.
Organizers say these fish help ensure coral reef health by eating algae and seaweed that potentially suffocate and kill coral.
Randy Kosaki, chief marine biologist at Papahānaumokuākea, is one of several ambassadors for the campaign. He said herbivorous fish are like the "lawn mowers" of the ocean.
"We need to protect the organisms that create coral reefs for the sake and for the health of all of the inhabitants of the coral reefs," Kosaki told The Conversation.
The organization urges people to only fish for what they need, avoid taking herbivorous fish, and pass on their knowledge.
This interview aired on The Conversation on July 5, 2023. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. on HPR-1.
