A new survey reinforces what many people already know: The reef system in the main Hawaiian Islands, so vital to our economy and culture, is in serious trouble.

The 2008 report, part of a larger National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration survey of reef conditions in the U.S. and Pacific, describes in grim detail the poisonous effects of overfishing, pollution, intense recreational use and invasive algae.

The report's recommendations make for sobering reading; it's clear that the scale of the problem requires some fundamental changes in how we view and use Hawai'i's near-shore ocean resources.

It's time to make changes.

One of the critical problems highlighted in the report is overfishing, particularly by recreational anglers.

Three-quarters of 55 species of Hawaiian fishes are in depleted or critical condition, including herbivorous fish that control algae growth and help sustain the reef's complex ecosystems.

Clearly this fishery needs to be better managed, particularly regarding the non-commercial catch, which the report describes as "enormous."

That means creating more and larger conservation zones and tighter restrictions on excessively efficient harvesting methods, such as gillnetting and night scuba fishing.

The report rightly makes clear that the current practice of allowing mostly unrestricted fishing in nearly 90 percent of near-shore waters is not sustainable.

But the news is not all bad.

The report also found that larger protected zones can increase stocks of desired fishes — such as aquarium-grade yellow tang off West Hawai'i — not only within the zones, but next to them as well. More fish reach reproductive age, benefitting the fish population and those who harvest it.

As the report points out, bringing the reefs of the main Hawaiian Islands back to robust health will require the focused efforts of scientists, public and private policymakers and the general public.

It will require accommodating the needs of subsistence fishermen and native Hawaiian cultural practices.

It will require, above all, a commitment to understanding how to protect our reefs and to act accordingly. That's the hard, but necessary, part.