Large-scale mapping of live corals to guide reef conservation

Coral reefs are changing at unprecedented rates, and the majority of reefs are undergoing widespread losses in live coral cover. Management and policy development efforts focused on conserving and restoring coral reefs are hampered by a lack of geographically consistent and actionable high-resolution information on the specific location and extent of live coral. Based on an operational airborne technique, we developed and applied a live coral mapping capability across the main Hawaiian islands to identify potential coral refugia as well as reefs for potential coral restoration. Our findings inform current management actions across the archipelago and demonstrate the tactical role that live coral mapping can play to support decision-making at large ecological scales.