Black Coral: History of a Sustainable Fishery in Hawai'i

The black coral fishery in Hawai'i has been sustainable for the past40 yr. The fishery began in 1958, shortly after its discovery off Lahaina, Maui,by Jack Ackerman and Larry Windley, who later formed the company MauiDivers of Hawaii. Since that time, the black coral jewelry industry has graduallyexpanded and is valued in Hawai'i today at about $15 million at the retail level.In the 1970s, studies of the population dynamics of the major species establishedgrowth, recruitment, and mortality rates and led to the development of managementguidelines including recommendations for a minimum size and maximumsustained yield. Results of a recent survey in 1998, reported in this paper,show that rates of recruitment and growth are near steady state and appear toaccount for the long-term stability of the fishery. However, recent technologicaladvances and potential increases in demand could lead to increased rates ofharvest. Should this happen, more stringent regulations may be required toavoid overexploitation of the resource.