HI HCR78

Hawaii Legislature urges the U.S. Navy to take responsibility for eradicating invasive octocoral species (Unomia stolonifera and Capnella spicata) and other invasive species from Pearl Harbor waters, including West Loch, Middle Loch, and East Loch.

Invasive octocorals are "soft corals" that spread rapidly without forming calcium exoskeletons, smothering native Hawaiian coral reef ecosystems and reducing fish density and diversity.

The U.S. Navy first reported octocoral presence near Pearl Harbor in late 2020, though surveys indicate the species were likely present before 2019 and have since spread to a much larger area.

The resolution calls on the Navy to allocate resources for invasive species eradication and for cleaning, maintaining, and securing Pearl Harbor's shoreline.

A certified copy of the resolution is to be transmitted to the U.S. Secretary of the Navy.