A tour company in Maui, Hawaii will be forced to pay the state $400 000 in fines after damaging 1200 different colonies of coral. The damage took place after one of its boats sank on top of a pristine reef.

Coral is more commonly damaged from boats dropping anchors on top of it. Another tour operator in Maui faces fines for doing just that. In a new push towards protecting coral and asserting protection laws, Hawaii is also planning to sue the US Navy over coral that was ruined when a missile cruiser ran aground near Pearl Harbor.

Severe began being enacted two years ago in order to punish those who damage the critical resource that is vital to Hawaii’s environment and tourism. Hawaii is home to 84% of the coral reefs that exist in the United States. They support habitats for fish and support a thriving industry for snorkeling and scuba.

The state imposed its first fine for breaking coral in June of 2007. It happened when a tour operator, Crystal Seahorse entered a natural reserve and broke 11 coral specimens there. They were fined $7300.