Photo: Glaser // REEF Footwear
The MEGA Lab, a team of scientists based in Hawaii who have been researching coral reef health at famous waves like Pipeline and Teahupo’o, have submitted research for peer review advising against the construction of a controversial judging tower planned for the 2024 Olympic surfing competition.
“The dredging for the barge path and tower construction can potentially impact 2,500 square meters of the reef and it is still unknown how fringe damages may affect the surrounding reef ecosystem. If this were to occur, it could cause a direct financial impact of at least $1,300,000 USD by damaging the live reef habitat,” they warned in a statement on Monday. “We hope the International Olympic Committee, appropriate government officials and the greater international community can see how devastating this impact will be to not only the valuable coral reef habitat, but also the local community who depend on this reef for their livelihood and well being.”
The group of scientists conducted its research long before the controversy over Teahupo’o’s Olympic judging tower became international news. On Monday, Olympic officials announced they would resume construction of the controversial tower after a brief pause when a construction barge slated to install the judging tower became stuck on the reef during a test. Organizers say they’ve transitioned to using a smaller barge in order to avoid damaging the coral, but that attempt at reassurance did little to calm the protestors who insist any new judging tower should be taken out of Olympic plans altogether. Shortly after that news, the MEGA Lab passed on its own statement.
Located in Hilo at the Mokupāpapa Marine Discovery Center, the MEGA Lab is led by Drs. Haunani Kane, Cliff Kapono and John Burns from the University of Hawaii and Arizona State University. As part of their work, Dr. Kapono has been traveling with surfers, photographers, and other researchers to places like Tahiti, Fiji, and other locales to 3D map the reefs and their ecosystems. They used 3D photogrammetry to create high-resolution maps of the reef at Teahupo’o, specifically the area surrounding the current WSL judging tower, as well as the nearby lagoon where the reef is set to be dredged to transport construction materials for an entirely new tower. They say that analysis of the maps helped identify everything from coral colonies to the organisms living in the reef itself. They identified 1,003 corals from 20 different specifies, the statement read Monday.
“We don’t know anything about the ocean floor on Planet Earth,” Kapono told me earlier in 2023 with regards to the 3D mapping he and his team were working on. “We know more about the surface of Mars than we do the bottom of our ocean. Over 80 percent of the world’s ocean’s have not been seen, explored, or mapped. (These maps are) just a way to contribute to that imbalance and we’re starting with the surf breaks that are most impactful in the world.”
Kapono explained that the 3D mapping was analogous to getting a checkup at the doctor.
“Why do you have a folder with your height, weight, and blood type?” he asked. “You need to have a reference for when there’s a problem, so you can go in and reflect back,” explaining that the scientific community hadn’t established a baseline for the health and conditions of our reefs before this work, giving us no way to accurately quantify how impactful future potential changes might become. The controversy surrounding Teahupo’o’s Olympic judging tower, of course, makes that research incredibly relevant now.
“These are low-end estimates as the dredging and construction of pilings will alter turbidity and water quality and studies have shown this type of disturbance can affect coral reef organisms up to 0.5km from the activity,” Dr. Burns explained to The Inertia Associate Editor, Cooper Gegan. “Thus, the impacts from this development may be much larger than we estimate and could also impact reef ecology in the larger lagoon habitat.”
When asked if the group had a recommendation for construction that could minimize damage to the reef, Dr. Burns offered an opinion that there’s no way to continue new construction without causing “substantial damage,” explaining that “the existing pilings are currently supporting thriving corals and have created a living habitat of their own. Removing them is irresponsible and the only reasonable decision, in my opinion, is to simply use the existing tower. I can’t see any rationale for causing such immense damage to a sensitive coral reef habitat simply to facilitate a single Olympic event, especially when a functional tower already exists. There are a multitude of solutions (judge from a boat, use drones and live video feed, use existing tower, etc.) that would all be more cost-effective and not cause such harm to the local environment.”
Photo: Glaser // REEF Footwear
