Hawaiian Islands Marine Ecosystem Case Study : 1 Ecosystem - and Community - Based 2 Management in Hawaii 3 BRIAN

The Hawaiian Islands comprise a large and isolated archipelago that includes the 10 largest reef area in the United States. Managing nearshore fisheries in this archipelago 11 is a major challenge compounded by the difficulty of coordinating multiple agencies 12 to provide governance across a broad series of islands with substantial social and 13 political differences. There has been interest in, and progress toward, key elements 14 of ecosystem-based management (EBM) in Hawaii, including networks of MPAs and 15 community-based co-management. However, progress has been slow and largely driven 16 by increased attention to the risks facing coral reef ecosystems, enabling both legislation 17 and emergence of local engagement in fishery issues. Key elements of EBM in Hawaii 18 include enhanced coordination among multiple agencies, establishment of place-based 19 and community-based (or Hawaiian ahupua‘a’-based) co-management, and acquisition 20 of data on both the ecology of the nearshore system and the role of human impacts for 21 use in management decisions. The development of community-based co-management 22 and an MPA network along the western Kohala-Kona coast of the island of Hawaii 23 (West Hawaii) illustrates a unique approach demonstrating an incremental approach 24 toward EBM. Nonetheless, there are major challenges to scaling up the West Hawaii 25 model to other islands within the state. These challenges include (1) the limited extent of 26 community involvement, as well as legislative and administrative support, of community27 based co-management and MPAs, (2) the complexity of conflicts that develop on more 28 populated islands with diverse stakeholders, (3) weak enforcement of fishing regulations, 29 and (4) whether synergy among federal, state, and local governments, nongovernmental 30 organizations, and the scientific community will be sustainable. 31