Image 7-22
Hawaiian Coral Reef

This coral reef image was taken by NOAA photographer Claire Fackler in a Marine National Monument off the coast of Hawaii. Stretching for more than 1200 miles (2000 kilometers) in the Central Pacific Ocean, Hawaiian coral reefs account for nearly 85 percent of all coral reefs in the United States. These reefs are home to thousands of species of coral, fish, and invertebrates. Many of these are only found here. The reefs also protect shorelines from erosion and storm damage by dissipating the energy of strong waves.