HONOLULU –
As boats and other debris from continue to wash up on Hawaii’s shores after the 2011 Tsunami in Japan, it’s bringing some unexpected visitors. According to a study in “Science Magazine,” nearly 70 different species made its way to the islands.
“We found that over 90-percent of the organisms we’ve identified were non-native species,” said Bruce Anderson, Administrator of the Division of Aquatic Resources at DLNR.
DLNR officials say many of these organisms latch onto debris made from non-biodegradable material before landing in the islands.
“Anytime you have a new species introduced, you worry that it may proliferate and create problems,” said Anderson.
Experts say, some of the organisms could harm coral reefs and the native species living in Hawaii.
“Many of them are benign, but some of them can be very invasive, things like mud weed that have caused serious problems in our near shore environment,” said Anderson.
DLNR officials say local non-profits and environmental groups have been a big help with beach clean-ups, but there’s still lots of work left to be done to protect Hawaii from the aftermath of the tsunami.
“It’s not just the aesthetics problem, it can be a serious environmental problem,” said Anderson.
Source: http://bit.ly/2yaRLKk
