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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted on: Saturday, December 7, 2002

Grounded boat badly damaged reef off Diamond Head

By James Gonser
Advertiser Urban Honolulu Writer

A fishing boat that ran aground off Diamond Head early Thanksgiving morning caused "major damage" to a 48-by-60-foot section of coral reef.

The boat sat for three days, scraping the bottom and breaking off chunks of the reef, said Francis Oishi, state recreational fisheries manager.

"It has taken away some of the physical structure of the reef which helps dissipate wave energy," Oishi said. "When the reef is damaged, waves come in, accelerating shoreline erosion."

Oishi and two divers from the National Marine Fisheries Service did an underwater survey of the site Thursday to assess the damage and cleanup effort where the 50-ton fishing vessel Kolea ran aground, spilling diesel fuel and much of its catch of 100- to 200-pound fish.

All five people on board swam safely to shore.

Oishi said the cleanup by salvage company PENCO Pacific Environmental Corp. removed the boat at about 5:30 p.m. Sunday and cleared away hundreds of 3-inch long-line fishing hooks and other fishing gear scattered in the water. The divers found one hook remaining in the 5-foot section of water about 800 yards offshore.

The cost is expected to exceed $100,000 and was paid by a National oil spill trust fund, said U.S. Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Todd Offutt. A final cost will be calculated next week.

The cause of the accident is under investigation, Offutt said, and the Coast Guard may try to recoup some of the costs from responsible parties.

An 87-foot commercial fishing boat from Newport, Ore., got stuck on a reef in January, and a tugboat ran aground in the same area about a decade ago, the Coast Guard said.

Reach James Gonser at jgonser@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2431.