This invasive coral is wreaking havoc on Pearl Harbor, but a new method might just remove it.
Over 80 acres of water at Pearl Harbor, which is in Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi, are infested with an invasive species of coral. Unomia stolonifera is a soft coral; unlike hard coral, which has a strong, calcium skeleton, soft coral is jelly-like and usually spreads more quickly.
According to Hawaiʻi Public Radio, experts believe the coral was introduced when "aquariums were dumped into the water" in 2020.
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For years, the coral has been running rampant and growing over the hard coral, effectively suffocating it. By killing off the native species, the coral will "disrupt entire ecosystems and cause significant problems for reef fish populations," HPR said.
Christy Martin, a program manager for a group that deals with invasive species, told HPR that "the situation with the pulsing coral in Pearl Harbor is an absolute environmental emergency. There is no doubt about it. It can fragment easily and spread."
It's an ongoing battle. The U.S. Navy has been working on different ways to remove the coral before it's too late, but it's difficult to destroy the Unomia stolonifera without harming native species.
A new method involves "smothering the coral with heavy tarps. In test trials, [the Navy] placed tarps over the coral and weighed them down, keeping oxygenated water from reaching anything underneath," per HPR.
Invasive species are always a problem, whether they're carp in the Great Lakes, algae in New York City's reservoirs, or English Ivy in your own backyard.
Luckily, we're getting better at stopping invasive species before they can do severe damage. Researchers developed a new type of lampricide to kill off sea lampreys in the Great Lakes, enacted quarantines to stop the spread of devastating fruit flies in California, and held competitions to remove lionfish en masse from the Florida Keys. Every win counts, big or small.
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