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ISRA FACTSHEETS

NEW ZEALAND & PACIFIC ISLANDS REGION

ISRA FACTSHEETS

NEW ZEALAND & PACIFIC ISLANDS REGION

Touch of Grey ISRA

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Touch of Grey ISRA

Touch of Grey

Summary

Touch of Grey is situated in Kona off the western coast of Hawaii Big Island, an island state of the United States of America in the Pacific Ocean. The area is characterised by a rocky reef with sparse coral growth. It is influenced by a typically strong current. The area includes a ravine characterised by complex underwater formations which create a ledge/arch and shelter from the strong current. Within this area there are: threatened species and reproductive areas (Grey Reef Shark Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos).

Touch of Grey

Touch of Grey

DESCRIPTION OF HABITAT

Touch of Grey is situated in Kona off the western coast of Hawaii Big Island, an island state of the United States of America in the Pacific Ocean. The area is characterised by a rocky reef with sparse coral growth (~10-15% coverage; J Glazner pers. obs. 2024). The majority of the coral grows around the shelf’s edge and includes the largest antler coral Pocillopora eydouxi in Kona (J Glazner pers. obs. 2024). The area is influenced by a typically strong current. Touch of Grey includes a ravine characterised by complex underwater formations (Lemorecn 2018) which create a ledge/arch and shelter from the strong current.

This Important Shark and Ray Area is benthopelagic and is delineated from inshore and surface waters (0 m) to 20 m based on the bathymetry of the area.

CRITERION A

VULNERABILITY

One Qualifying Species considered threatened with extinction according to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species regularly occurs in the area. This is the Endangered Grey Reef Shark (Simpfendorfer et al. 2020).

CRITERION C

SUB-CRITERION C1 – REPRODUCTIVE AREAS

Touch of Gray is an important reproductive area for one shark species.

Recreational divers frequently observe neonate/young-of-the-year (YOY) Grey Reef Sharks in this area, with observations being recorded since 2018 (R Bronzan pers. obs. 2024). Since then, 10 dives per year have been undertaken: neonate/YOY Grey Reef Sharks were observed on all occasions with smaller individuals seen in the boreal autumn (September and October). Grey Reef Sharks were observed in aggregations of 15–30 individuals (mean = 20 individuals). Animals were visually estimated to measure between 60–90 cm total length (TL; R Bronzan pers. obs. 2024), indicating that they are neonates or YOY according to their reported size-at-birth of 45–64 cm TL (Ebert et al. 2021). This is the only dive site on Hawaii Big Island where Grey Reef Sharks at any life stage are regularly observed; adults of this species have only been observed three times (solitary) around the island (outside of this area) since 2009, and never in the same location (R Bronzan pers. obs. 2024). Various local dive guides report, and share videos online, of the regular and predictable presence of these aggregations (of up to 20 individuals), all confirming that animals are neonate/YOY individuals (e.g., Lemorecn 2018; Kona Honu Divers 2023). These neonate/YOY Grey Reef Sharks may also be using this area for resting purposes as they are often found on the ledge/arch and likely sheltering from strong currents that influence this area (Lemorecn 2018; Kona Honu Divers 2023).

Touch of Grey

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