Nonindigenous freshwater and estuarine species introductions and their potential to affect sportfishing in the lower stream and estuarine regions of the south and west shores of Oahu, Hawaii: data from 1998 - 1999 (NCEI Accession 0001116)

This dataset includes surveys of native and non-indigenous species along the south and west shores of Oahu (excluding Pearl Harbor). This project was performed in two sections. The first section of this project involved investigations of marine organisms in harbors of the south and west shores of Oahu, with an emphasis on the detection of nonindigenous marine organisms. This dataset has been separately contributed to the NOAA archive. The current study investigated the estuarine and freshwater areas at the mouths of streams and coastal wetlands along the south and west shore of Oahu to investigate the known or potential impacts of introduced species on sportfish. The study area extended from Kaena Point to Makapuu Point. The first comprehensive biological surveys of south and west shore Oahu coastal wetlands, lower stream reaches, and estuarine areas revealed an ecologically degraded fauna dominated by introduced species in freshwater, but ecosystems that are more intact as waters becomes more marine. During this study the first collection of the introduced jaguar cichlid (Cichlasoma managuense) from an Oahu stream (Manoa/Palolo) was made, and this species appears to have spread from the nearby quarry pond at the University of Hawaii. In strictly freshwater areas of the south and west shore of Oahu most taxa identifiable to the species level were introductions. The majority of introduced species appear to be the primarily the result of aquarium releases, intentional biocontrol releases, and intentional food source releases. Although some introduced species may have originated from marine water releases or hull fouling organisms these points of origin probably contributed only a small fraction of overall nonindigenous species introductions in south and west shore Oahu streams, wetlands, and estuaries.