// BEGIN editorial data
 var i = 0;
var HawaiiReserve = new Array();
HawaiiReserve.ID = "HawaiiReserve";
HawaiiReserve.ID_WB = 13324867;
HawaiiReserve.sPubDate = "6/14/2006 9:06:51 PM GMT";
HawaiiReserve.navsectionID = "3032492"
HawaiiReserve.appFmt = 0;
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HawaiiReserve.appWidth = 624;
HawaiiReserve.appHeader = "factfile|Northwestern Hawaiian Islands";
HawaiiReserve.appFooter = "Source: Ocean Conservancy";
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HawaiiReserve[i++] = new Array("","Significance of the islands","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
HawaiiReserve[i-1].body = "Estimated to be home to at least 10 percent of all coral reefs in U.S. waters.<p>Support more than 7,000 marine species, a quarter of which are found nowhere else on Earth.<p>Home to several threatened and endangered species, including Hawaiian monk seals, and hawksbill, leatherback, and green sea turtles.<p>Contain the last remaining major nesting site for green sea turtles in the region.<p>Key nesting and feeding area for over 14 million Pacific seabirds. <p>Several Pacific currents pass by or through, forming a complex system that isolates islands from other parts of the Pacific, creating a unique ecosystem.<p>Unlike most other ocean ecosystems, it is still dominated by sizable fish, including large reef fish and top predators like sharks.";

HawaiiReserve[i++] = new Array("","History of human impact","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
HawaiiReserve[i-1].body = "Western ships plied the waters in the early 1900s for seals, whales, sharks, pearl oysters, and sea cucumbers. Seabirds were also aggressively hunted for their feathers.<p>Today, around a dozen small scale commercial fishing operations target spiny and slipper lobster, bottomfish, and other pelagic and reef fish. Fishing is much less than around the main Hawaiian Islands, where overfishing has virtually eliminated large predators and greatly reduced fish stocks. <p>Some of the brilliant corals of the deeper-water reefs have been targeted for the jewelry trade. However, precious corals, such as gold and black coral, have not been removed commercially since the 1970s, when foreign fishing vessels were excluded from these waters.";

HawaiiReserve[i++] = new Array("","Threats","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
HawaiiReserve[i-1].body = "Spills: Several fishing vessels have grounded in recent years, causing oil and fuel spills, releasing fishing gear and marine debris, and damaging the coral reef itself.<p>Debris: As ocean currents pass by the islands, they deposit debris picked up thousands of miles away, smothering coral, entangling marine life, and littering beaches with an assortment of fishing nets, gear, and plastic pieces carried from populated fishing areas. Since 1982, marine reef debris has caused at least 155 monk seal entanglements, posing a serious threat to this already shrinking population.<p>Tourism: An increase in popularity with tourists - especially divers - can create problems. More people bring additional noise and water pollution, including large vessel effluent discharges, particularly those from cruise ships, and marine debris, such as plastics, cigarette butts, and fishing line. The introduction of invasive species, damage to coral from boat anchors, and the potential for overfishing also threaten the stability.";

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