image: This Hawaiian monk seal pup was the first to be born on the main island of Oahu in eight years, and the first-ever recorded female to be born there. As a result of this incident, Fair Catch Hawaii, a campaign that formed earlier this year is asking Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle to expedite the approval of lay gill net regulations to protect Hawaii's marine life. Lay Gill Nets Modern lay gill nets are constructed of monofilament nylon mesh, a relatively cheap material, and cost around $100. The nets, usually measuring 125x7 feet, can be sewn together to form long nets of hundreds and even thousands of feet. Traditional Hawaiian gill nets were woven of shredded fiber and were highly valued among fishermen, who were careful to deploy and retrieve them in a timely manner, reducing their impact on other organisms on and around the coral reef. Gill nets are so-called because the mesh allows a fish's head to pass through the net, but then traps it by the gills. The mesh can then bind a fish's gills, slowing the flow of oxygen and effectively drowning the fish before the fisher returns to check his or her net. Monk Seals Hawaiian monk seals, Monachus schauinslandi, are endangered, with a current population of about 1,250, and only about 75 remaining in the main Hawaiian Islands. Low juvenile survivorship puts them at risk of extinction. Monk seals have not evolved significantly in 15 million years, and are therefore considered "living fossils." Hawaiian monk seals are one of the most endangered marine species in the United States, and although their marine range is expansive, they come to shore mainly in the northwestern Hawaiian Islands. These seals weigh approximately 400 (up to 600) pounds as adults and grow to seven feet in length. All Marine Photobank images are available for media and non-commercial use. (See usage terms for details.) Registration is free. view more
Credit: Live image of pup with her mother in background: "John S. Johnson/Marine Photobank." Image of pup entangled. "D.B. Dalton/Marine Photobank."