The Associated Press. The sandy cove and turquoise, reef-patched, shallow waters of Oahu's Hanauma Bay are rimmed by palm trees and volcanic cliffs. It is just the image that draws millions of vacationers to Hawaii each year, making tourism its No. 1 industry. But below the surface, precious corals which grow an average of an inch a year are being crunched by reef-hopping snorkelers who leave behind balding coral heads, a sign of coral death.
Tanning oils slicken the sea.
And radiant reef fish are outnumbered by larger, duller varieties fattened by years of feeding by humans. To the Sierra Club, Hanauma Bay is just one of many natural island treasures in danger of being enjoyed to death. The San Francisco-based conservation group wants the Aloha State to consider that danger before launching an aggressive marketing plan aimed at luring more visitors than the nearly 6.9 million that came last year. In a unique lawsuit before the Hawaii Supreme Court, the group wants the state to assess the environmental impact of taxpayer-funded tourism campaigns. Tourist groups united against suit A Sierra Club victory could deliver a staggering blow to Hawaii's economy and spawn similar lawsuits against the federal government, the other 49 states and countless municipalities, observers say.