These areas of shoreline are virtually inaccessible, with an additional 39 miles that are only marginally inaccessible, leaving about 63 miles of shoreline that can be reached from the land. There is significant coverage by reef corals on all sides of the island offshore to depths of 60 feet. However, carbonate reef structure is not actively accreting. Reefs along the Kauai coast are dominated by the corals Porites lobata and Pocillopora meandrina , with other common species that include Montipora patula , Montipora flabellata , Leptastrea purpurea and Montipora verrucosa . Most areas show higher fish abundance and diversity than Oahu, Maui and Hawaii.
Fishing pressure is relatively low due to a smaller human population.
Also, Kauai has excellent and diverse fish habitats. In addition, numerous drowned sea level terraces exist at 20-60m around island Meteorology. Due to its northerly location, Kauai falls under the influence of frequent low pressure systems and is the wettest island in the Hawaiian Archipelago. The prevailing NE Trade Winds divide on the east side of Kauai, with one part flowing along the N coast and one part the S coast. These unite again some distance W of the island.