Maui Nui Marine Resource Council

Free Talk: Factors Contributing to Declining Humpback Sighting Rates
2020-02-04 17:30 - 19:00 UTC | The Sphere at Maui Ocean Center, 192 Maalaea Rd, Wailuku, HI, 96793, United States
What are the factors contributing to the decline in observed sighting rates of humpback whales in Hawaiʻi and Alaska? Three humpback whale researchers will be presenting information on a collaborative study that is examining this question on Tuesday, February 4, as part of Maui Nui Marine Resource Council’s “Know Your Ocean Speaker Series.”
This evening of presentations is free and open to the public. It will take place from 5:30 to 7 pm at The Sphere at Maui Ocean Center. Seating is limited so advance reservations are recommended. You can arrange for your free reservation at https://bit.ly/fewerwhales
The presenters will be Jens Currie, Chief Scientist at Pacific Whale Foundation; Dr. Adam Pack, a full professor at the University of Hawaii, Hilo; and Lars Bejder, Director of the Marine Mammal Research Program (MMRP) at the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawaii at Manoa.
The researchers are collaborating on a project to gain an understanding of changes in the body condition of humpback whales throughout their feeding and breeding seasons. The researchers are also looking at the variability in body condition of humpback whales from year to year and how it might impact the number of whales that migrate between Hawaiʻi and Alaska.
“Last year, Pacific Whale Foundation joined a collaborative research project to quantify the bioenergetic demands of humpback whales migrating between Alaskan foraging grounds and Hawaiian breeding grounds,” says Stephanie Stack, Chief Biologist at Pacific Whale Foundation. “Working with the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Marine Mammal Research Program, the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, and the Alaska Whale Foundation, the project aims to identify potential factors contributing to the decline in observed sighting rates of humpback whales in Hawaiʻi and Alaska.”
In 2016, the Hawaiʻi distinct population segment of humpback whales was taken off the Endangered Species List. However, since then, sighting rates of humpback whales in Hawaiʻi and southeast Alaska have dropped, notes Slack. There is currently a lack of understanding of why humpback whale sighting rates have reduced.
This project will contribute to efforts investigating the possible causes of this recent trend focusing on relationships to changes in body condition and animal health.
“Migrating has a cost to the animal’s body and health,” says Stack. “Understanding this cost may provide insight into a potential shift in the whales’ survival strategy and an increased understanding of the recent trends we’re seeing in Hawai’i and Alaska.
The “Know Your Ocean Speaker Series” is presented by Maui Nui Marine Resource Council to introduce the public to marine research and conservation efforts to protect Maui’s ocean resources. This series offers a free presentation every month, usually on the first Wednesday of the month (although our February presentation is on the first Tuesday of the month). Maui Ocean Center generously donates the use of The Sphere for these presentations. The series is supported by the County of Maui Mayor’s Office of Economic Development.
To learn more, visit www.mauireefs.org.
About Jens Currie:
Jens Currie is the Chief Scientist for Pacific Whale Foundation, a non-profit research, education, and conservation organization based in Maui, Hawaii. Jens has a wide and varied background including studying lobster fecundity in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean, modelling the impacts of aquaculture pens in Canada on the surrounding environment, and evaluating ecosystem goods and services in coastal South Africa. Jens currently serves as research chair (alternate) on the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale Marine Sanctuary advisory council, is an invited member of the Scientific Committee of the International Whaling Commission, a member of the Society for Marine Mammalogy, and a first responder for NOAA’s Marine Mammal Stranding and Large Whale Entanglement Response teams in Hawaii.
Jens’s research focus is on distance sampling, modelling cetacean population dynamics, and quantifying cetacean interactions with marine debris. He is currently studying the abundance and distribution of odontocetes in Maui Nui, the efficacy of legislation on marine debris accumulation, and the impacts of climate change on humpback whales.
All research activities are conducted in accordance with NOAA permits 20311-01, 19703, 14585 and 19655. All UAV activities are conducted in accordance with FAA Part 107 regulations.
About Dr. Adam A. Pack:
Dr. Adam A. Pack is a Full Professor at University of Hawaii at Hilo (UHH) with a joint appointment in the Departments of Psychology and Biology. His many professional “hats” include: current chair of the Psychology Department, cooperating faculty member of UHH’s Master of Science Degree Program in Tropical Conservation Biology and Environmental Science, co-creator of the UHH LOHE Bioacoustics Laboratory, Cooperative Faculty at UH Manoa’s Psychology and Biology Departments and Marine Science Graduate Program, former chair of the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council, associate editor of the journal Marine Mammal Science, and co-founder and current president and director of The Dolphin Institute, a not-for-profit Hawaii-based organization dedicated to dolphins and whales through education, research and conservation.
Dr. Pack is the co-recipient of the American Psychological Association’s 1999 F.A. Beach Comparative Psychology Award and the recipient of the 2017 UH Hilo University of Hawaii Board of Regents Award for Excellence in Teaching. In 2008, Dr. Pack developed the UHH Marine Mammal Research Laboratory. His research program focuses on scientific studies of marine mammal behavioral ecology and cognition. For more than 30 years, he has been conducting research on dolphin sensory perception, cognition and communication abilities as well as humpback whale social organization and habitat use, migratory and residency patterns, social behavior and communication systems in the Hawaiian breeding grounds and Alaska feeding grounds. Over the course of his research career, he has published over 60 papers, book chapters and reports and given over 80 presentations and invited addresses. Dr. Pack’s research has been featured widely in print media such as the New York Times, the Economist and National Wildlife and in television documentaries such as National Geographic’s Humpbacks: Inside the Pod and PBS’s Mystery of the Humpback Whale Song.
About Dr. Lars Bejder:
Dr Bejder is the Director of the Marine Mammal Research Program (MMRP) at the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawaii at Manoa where he supervises higher degree research students (PhDs and MScs) and is responsible for the academic and strategic development of the MMRP. He has studied various aspects of cetacean biology, ecology and conservation in New Zealand, Australia, Mexico and US (Hawaii, Florida and California). He has published >120 research journal articles and book chapters on cetaceans focusing on behavioral ecology, analyzing and developing quantitative methods to evaluate complex animal social structures; evaluating impacts of human activity (coastal development, tourism, habitat degradation) and health assessments. He works closely with wildlife management agencies to optimize the conservation- and management outcomes of his research. He advises on anthropogenic impacts on cetaceans to: IUCN Cetacean Specialist Group, US Marine Mammal Commission; US National Marine Fisheries Service; International Whaling Commission; Australian Federal Government; Western Australian Department of Parks and Wildlife; New Zealand Department of Conservation. He currently serves on the Pacific Scientific Review Group (NOAA), and on the Scientific Committee of the International Whaling Commission (IWC). Dr Bejder is an adjunct Professor at Murdoch University, Perth, Western Australia and at Aarhus University, Denmark.
The focus of his research includes both empirical and applied research themes, many of which support conservation and management objectives. Studies addressing anthropogenic impacts focus on the quantification of the specific effects and overall biological significance of human activities on cetaceans, and the development of appropriate mitigation approaches and management strategies. Research on cetacean population dynamics and behavior involves efforts to assess population connectivity and identify appropriate units for management, to estimate abundance at local and regional scales and assess spatial and temporal patterns in abundance, and to measure and quantify individual behavior in order to examine social structures. His research includes the use of innovative technology (non-invasive suction cup tagging and unoccupied aerial systems; UAS, drones) to quantify fine‐scale habitat use, movements, communication, calf suckling rates and body condition of marine mammals.
About Maui Nui Marine Resource Council:
Maui Nui Marine Resource Council is a community-based nonprofit organization celebrating 11 years of working for healthy coral reefs, clean ocean water and abundant native fish throughout Maui County. Our work includes co-managing the Hui O Ka Wai Ola Ocean Water Quality Monitoring Program at 41 sites in South and West Maui, efforts to reduce pollution in Ma‘alaea Bay (through erosion-control efforts in the Pohakea watershed and using oysters to filter sediment and pollutants from ocean water), coral reef research, visitor education programs and more. Learn more at www.mauireefs.org.
About Maui Ocean Center:
Since 1998, Maui Ocean Center has fostered understanding, wonder and respect for Hawaiʻi’s marine life, drawing thousands of visitors from across the globe. The three-acre marine park, located in Wailuku, Maui, faithfully replicates the natural ocean ecosystem featuring only animals who are native to Hawai’i. The center features the largest collection of live Pacific corals in the world, over 60 exhibits, 20 daily presentations by marine naturalists, outdoor tide pools and a 750,000-gallon Open Ocean exhibit with a 240-degree view acrylic tunnel. Maui Ocean Center operates in compliance with a County of Maui ordinance prohibiting the exhibit of cetaceans (whales and dolphins) and offers exploration of these creatures through interpretive displays, including its cutting-edge “Humpbacks of Hawai‘i” Exhibit & Sphere. Under the guidance of Kahu Dane Maxwell, the aquarium integrates Hawaiian culture in presentations, exhibits, special events, and also in the marine park’s standards of operations and service. For more information, please visit https://mauioceancenter.com.

Public Invited to Free Presentation by Mark Deakos, PhD on "Living Buildings and Communities" that Support Health, Restoration and Thriving Coral Reef Ecosystems
2020-03-04 17:30 - 19:00 | The Sphere at Maui Ocean Center, 192 Maalaea Rd, Wailuku, HI, 96793, United States
More development — including more structures, homes, neighborhoods, and communities — is planned for Maui’s future. Is it possible to create buildings and communities that restore and support thriving ecosystems, including our coral reefs?
Marine biologist Mark Deakos, PhD, believes it’s possible, and will be sharing his findings at a free talk on Weds, March 4 on “Living Buildings and Living Communities; a philosophy, a framework and a certification program focused on regenerative growth.”
“Imagine nurturing and generous places that promote healthy lifestyles for everyone and contribute a positive impact on the human and natural systems that interact with them, including our precious coral reefs,” says Deakos. “I’ll introduce our audience to Living Communities that generate their own energy and capture and treat all the water they need.”
Deakos will share information about the Living Building Challenge and the Living Community Challenge, performance standards that are net positive for good. Born out of the International Living Future Institute (ILFI), they offer global strategies for lasting sustainability by partnering with local communities to inspire and incentivize green building and infrastructure solutions on scales ranging from single room renovations to neighborhoods or whole cities.
The presentation is part of Maui Nui Marine Resource Council’s “Know Your Ocean Speaker Series” and will take place at 5:30 pm at The Sphere at Maui Ocean Center. Free and open to all, but seating is limited. Advance reservations are recommended. Reserve at ADD URL.
The “Know Your Ocean Speaker Series” is presented by Maui Nui Marine Resource Council to introduce the public to marine research and conservation efforts to protect Maui’s ocean resources. This series offers a free presentation every month, usually on the first Wednesday of the month (although our February presentation is on the first Tuesday of the month). Maui Ocean Center generously donates the use of The Sphere for these presentations. The series is supported by the County of Maui Mayor’s Office of Economic Development.
About Mark Deakos:
Mark Deakos came to Hawaii in 1996 to complete his master’s at UH Manoa, studying humpback whales and his PhD studying manta rays. He later founded the Hawaii Association for Marine Education and Research in 2004, a 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to protecting Hawaii’s marine resources. After two decades of marine science and scientifically describing the degradation of our natural resources caused by the increasing threats from unsustainable growth, he switched his focus on solutions. In his new role as Chief Sustainability Officer for 3-P Consulting, his ambition is to connect business owners, developers, planners and decision makers with sustainable, regenerative solutions that not only eliminate the threats but allow us to restore the damage we have caused.

About Maui Nui Marine Resource Council:
Maui Nui Marine Resource Council is a community-based nonprofit organization celebrating 11 years of working for healthy coral reefs, clean ocean water and abundant native fish throughout Maui County. Our work includes co-managing the Hui O Ka Wai Ola Ocean Water Quality Monitoring Program at 41 sites in South and West Maui, efforts to reduce pollution in Ma‘alaea Bay (through erosion-control efforts in the Pohakea watershed and using oysters to filter sediment and pollutants from ocean water), coral reef research, visitor education programs and more. Learn more at www.mauireefs.org.
About Maui Ocean Center:
Since 1998, Maui Ocean Center has fostered understanding, wonder and respect for Hawaiʻi’s marine life, drawing thousands of visitors from across the globe. The three-acre marine park, located in Wailuku, Maui, faithfully replicates the natural ocean ecosystem featuring only animals who are native to Hawai’i. The center features the largest collection of live Pacific corals in the world, over 60 exhibits, 20 daily presentations by marine naturalists, outdoor tide pools and a 750,000-gallon Open Ocean exhibit with a 240-degree view acrylic tunnel. Maui Ocean Center operates in compliance with a County of Maui ordinance prohibiting the exhibit of cetaceans (whales and dolphins) and offers exploration of these creatures through interpretive displays, including its cutting-edge “Humpbacks of Hawai‘i” Exhibit & Sphere. Under the guidance of Kahu Dane Maxwell, the aquarium integrates Hawaiian culture in presentations, exhibits, special events, and also in the marine park’s standards of operations and service. For more information, please visit https://mauioceancenter.com.

Free Presentation: “Sewage Impacts on Hawaiʻi’s Coastlines: Past, Present and Future”
2020-06-03 17:30 - 19:00 | The Sphere at Maui Ocean Center, 192 Maalaea Rd, Wailuku, HI, 96793, United States
PLEASE NOTE: EVENT POSTPONED TO WEDS. JUNE 3
What will determine the future impacts of sewage on Hawai’i’s nearshore ecosystems and public health? Learn more at a free talk titled “Sewage Impacts on Hawaiʻi’s Coastlines: Past, Present and Future” by Daniel Amato, Ph.D., which will include information on Hawaiʻi’s wastewater saga, including recent research and legal battles.
The presentation will take place on Wednesday, June 3 at 5:30 pm at The Sphere at Maui Ocean Center. Doors open at 5 pm. The event is free and open to the public. It is presented by Maui Nui Marine Resource Council as part of their monthly “Know Your Ocean Speaker Series.” Advance reservations are recommended due to limited seating and can be made at https://mauisewageimpacts.eventbrite.com
“My talk will share reports on how injection wells and cesspools continue to pollute Hawaiʻi’s waters, with an emphasis on recent Maui studies,” says Dr. Amato. ”I will also present recent decisions from the Hawaiʻi State Legislature and the current status of their effort to phase out cesspools.”
Dr. Amato will also discuss current legal cases regarding sewage pollution, and will present community efforts and new technological developments in sewage detection that show promise for the future.
A water quality specialist, Dr. Amato’s professional work focuses on the detection and impacts of land-based pollution in the Pacific Ocean and the development of new technology to assist in detecting the DNA of fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) in the water.
Dr. Amato is a Marine Research Specialist at the University of Hawaiʻi at Manoa, an Environmental Scientist at Element Environmental LLC, and serves as the coordinator for Surfrider-Oahu’s Blue Water Task Force.
“We are bringing Dr. Amato to Maui to present on the important topics of sewage and its impact on Maui’s coastlines, including ocean water quality and our nearshore coral reefs,” says Amy Hodges, Programs and Operations Manager at Maui Nui Marine Resource Council. “It’s a critically important topic, at a time when our coral reefs need the benefit of clean ocean water, to survive the impacts of climate change and warming water.”
“We thank Maui Ocean Center for generously donating the use of The Sphere for this event, and the County of Maui Mayorʻs Office of Economic Development for supporting our Know Your Ocean Speaker Series,” says Hodges.
To make a free reservation for this talk, please visit https://mauisewageimpacts.eventbrite.com
About Maui Nui Marine Resource Council:
Maui Nui Marine Resource Council is a community-based nonprofit organization celebrating 12 years of working for healthy coral reefs, clean ocean water and abundant native fish throughout Maui County. Our work includes co-managing the Hui O Ka Wai Ola Ocean Water Quality Monitoring Program at 41 sites in South and West Maui, efforts to reduce pollution in Mā‘alaea Bay (through erosion-control efforts in the Pohakea watershed and using oysters to filter sediment and pollutants from ocean water), coral reef research, visitor education programs and more. Learn more at www.mauireefs.org.
About Maui Ocean Center:
Since 1998, Maui Ocean Center has fostered understanding, wonder and respect for Hawaii’s marine life, drawing thousands of visitors from across the globe. The three-acre marine park, located in Wailuku, Maui, faithfully replicates the natural ocean ecosystem featuring only animals who are native to Hawai’i. The center features the largest collection of live Pacific corals in the world, over 60 exhibits, 20 daily presentations by marine naturalists, outdoor tide pools and a 750,000-gallon Open Ocean exhibit with a 240-degree view acrylic tunnel. Maui Ocean Center operates in compliance with a County of Maui ordinance prohibiting the exhibit of cetaceans (whales and dolphins) and offers exploration of these creatures through interpretive displays, including its cutting-edge “Humpbacks of Hawai‘i” Exhibit & Sphere. Under the guidance of Kahu Dane Maxwell, the aquarium integrates Hawaiian culture in presentations, exhibits, special events, and also in the marine park’s standards of operations and service. For more information, please visit https://mauioceancenter.com

Free Webinar: Invasive Roi in Hawaiʻi. What Should Be Done?
2020-07-01 17:30 - 19:00
Presented as part of Maui Nui Marine Resource Council’s Know Your Ocean Speaker Series
Photo by Keoki Stender
Perhaps you’ve heard of “roi roundups” – efforts by the community to spearfish and kill roi, commonly known as the peacock grouper, to remove these invasive fish from our local reefs.
Roi were introduced to Hawaii in the 1950s from French Polynesia with the idea that it could provide a food source for people. An aggressive predator that eats smaller reef fish, roi flourished – especially when Hawaii residents found that the fish carried ciguatera, a type of food poisoning, and avoided eating them.
Alarmed by roi’s voracious appetite for smaller native fish, and concerned that the ciguatoxin carried in roi can move up the food chain and spread to other species, communities throughout the main Hawaiian islands have organized roi roundups.
How much of a problem are roi? What are recent scientific studies finding about the impact of roi on native reef fish? Should we try to rid our reefs of roi? Get answers to these and other questions about this invasive fish at a free webinar on Wednesday, July 1 at 5:30 pm presented by Maui Nui Marine Resource Council as part of its monthly “Know Your Ocean” Speaker Series.
The webinar presenters will be Alan Friedlander, Chief Scientist, Pristine Seas, National Geographic Society, and director of the Fisheries Ecology Research Lab at the University of Hawaiʻi, and Russell Sparks, Aquatic Biologist, Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Aquatic Resources on Maui.
Our guest emcee is Darla Palmer-Ellingson, local radio show host of the public affairs program, Island Environment 360, made possible by H-Hawaii Media.
“We’ve heard concerns about a recent increase in roi sightings in the reefs of ‘Ahihi Kinau Natural Area Reserve, and thought this would be a good time to bring in these scientists to meet with the community to talk about roi,” said Robin Newbold, co-founder and chair of Maui Nui Marine Resource Council. “It’s always good to start with the latest scientific facts as we work towards answers and solutions.”
This free Zoom webinar is part of Maui Nui Marine Resource Council’s monthly “Know Your Ocean” Speaker Series now being held via Zoom due to COVID-19.
To make a free reservation, please go to https://bit.ly/RoiMaui.
Special thanks to the County of Maui Mayor’s Office of Economic Development for their support of the “Know Your Ocean” Speaker Series.
About Maui Nui Marine Resource Council
Maui Nui Marine Resource Council is a community-based nonprofit organization celebrating 12 years of working for healthy coral reefs, clean ocean water and abundant native fish throughout Maui County. Our work includes co-managing the Hui O Ka Wai Ola Ocean Water Quality Monitoring Program at 41 sites in South and West Maui, efforts to reduce pollution in Ma‘alaea Bay (through erosion-control efforts in the Pohakea watershed and using oysters to filter sediment and pollutants from ocean water), coral reef research, visitor education programs and more. Learn more at www.mauireefs.org.
About Darla Palmer-Ellingson:
With a strong passion for volunteerism on environmental issues, Darla produces and hosts Island Environment 360, Maui’s only commercially broadcast public affairs show on environmental and related Hawaiian cultural topics. Darla is a member of the County of Maui Citizens Advisory Committee on the Climate Crisis and a member of Vice President Al Gore’s Reality Project, Hawaii chapter. Her company, 360 Social Business, LLC provides website design, content, social media management, general business and marketing consulting.

Free webinar to focus on the social-psychological side of why some people care about Maui's reefs -- and others don't
2020-08-05 17:30 - 19:00
KIHEI, HI — Have you ever wondered why some people care — and others seemingly don’t — about protecting Maui’s coral reefs? Imagine if you could climb into their minds to understand what causes visitors and residents of Maui to be motivated (or not) to care for our reefs through their behaviors and actions. How would that help your community be more effective in protecting its reefs?
Maui Nui Marine Resource Council invites you to an important free Zoom webinar on Weds., Aug. 5 at 5:30 pm to find out more about the social and psychological factors that influence human behavior in our nearshore environments, based on a recent joint study conducted in West Maui by Polanui Hiu, The Nature Conservancy, and Stanford University.
You’ll meet Francisca (Kika) Santana, the leader of the study and a fourth year PhD candidate at Stanford’s Emmett Interdisciplinary Program in Environment and Resources. Her team surveyed 300 reef users and learned about their reef-based activities, perceptions of reef health, their social-psychological indicators (such as place attachment and self-efficacy), and pro-environmental behavioral intentions. Alana Yurkanin, Maui Marine Project Manager at The Nature Conservancy, will also share her insights on the survey results.
During the webinar, you’ll also be transported to Polanui, a small, popular beach in Lāhaina, protected by an offshore reef named Nā Papalimu O Pi‘ilani. For generations, this reef sustained Hawaiian families with its abundance of fish and edible limu (algae). Sadly, that abundance has vanished and Polanui now has the lowest fish biomass in Hawai’i, meaning its fish are smaller and fewer than all other sites surveyed across the state.
You’ll meet Ekolu Lindsey and the Polanui Hiu, a local community group that he co-founded which works to restore the resources and Hawaiian traditions once practiced along this shore. Find out about their work and their results of recent human use and creel surveys conducted at Polanui (surveys of beachgoer and angler activity in the nearshore waters of this area).
Our guest emcee is Darla Palmer-Ellingson, local radio show host of the public affairs program, Island Environment 360, made possible by H-Hawaii Media.
“Let’s learn together to find ways to be more effective in bringing about positive change for our reefs, both now while tourism is largely absent, and later, when visitors begin to visit Maui again,” says Amy Hodges, Programs and Operations Manager at Maui Nui Marine Resource Council. “This free webinar is offered as part of our Know Your Ocean Speaker Series, offered online due to Covid-19.”
Special thanks to the County of Maui Mayor’s Office of Economic Development for helping to make this presentation possible.
To register for the webinar, please visit https://bit.ly/reefcare or https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_1RIULfUXRhy-6_zrwRGpnQ. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining this webinar.
Our presenters include:
Francisca (Kika) Santana is a fourth year PhD candidate in the Emmett Interdisciplinary Program in Environment and Resources (E-IPER). She studies how individuals and groups respond to environmental change and climate risk. Specifically, her research investigates how individuals make protective health decisions in response to wildfire smoke, what motivates coastal users to take pro-environmental action in a declining coral reef environment on Maui, Hawaiʻi and how communities respond to land loss and restoration efforts in coastal Louisiana. She draws from theories and methods in sociology, environmental and social psychology, and decision science. Before pursuing her degree at Stanford, Francisca worked on energy and marine policy issues in the nonprofit and government sectors. She received a master’s degree in environmental science and management from UC Santa Barbara and a BA in history from Yale University.
Edwin “Ekolu” Lindsey
Raised on Maui (where he loved visiting his grandparents’ home in Lahaina to surf, swim and fish in the waters of Polanui), Ekolu graduated from Kamehameha Schools on O‘ahu, and earned a B.B.A. at University of Hawaiʻi at Mänoa. Ekolu’s parents — Ed Lindsey, a Native Hawaiian and lifelong schoolteacher, and Puanani Lindsey — co-founded Maui Cultural Lands in 2002. Ed Lindsey also co-founded Maui Nui Marine Resource Council in 2007 with marine biologist Robin Newbold. After his father passed away in 2009, Ekolu assumed the role of president of Maui Cultural Lands. He carries forward his familyʻs legacy of service and their vision of protecting and restoring Hawaiian cultural resources and the marine environment. In July of 2015, he completed a ten-day, 500-mile journey aboard the voyaging canoe Hikianalia to the Papahänaumokuäkea Marine National Monument in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands to conduct reef surveys and fish monitoring to help better manage Hawai‘i’s marine resources. Ekolu also cofounded Polanui Hiu, the first Community Managed Makai Area (CMMA) on Maui. Ekolu is a member of Maui Nui Marine Resource Council’s Board of Directors.
Alana Yurkanin
Alana is the Maui Marine Project Manager at The Nature Conservancy and serves on the Steering Committee of Hui O Ka Wai Ola, a unique community-based ocean water quality monitoring program on Maui. Alana grew up in Hawai’i with a fisherman as a father. From all of her time spent in and around the ocean, she wanted to protect and continue to understand the environment along and beyond the coast – as well as the people and culture so intrinsically connected to our surroundings. In 2014, she completed a Master’s degree in Environmental Science and Management with a specialization in Coastal Marine Resource Management and a focus in Strategic Communications at the Bren School, UC Santa Barbara. During her program at Bren, she focused her studies on topics relevant to natural resource management, fisheries management strategies, storytelling, communication and media, coastal ecology, project management, and marine science. Additionally, she has a background in environmental education, marine science education, outdoor education, ecotourism, seamanship, team building, international aid work, performing arts, homesteading, and farming.
About Darla Palmer-Ellingson:
With a strong passion for volunteerism on environmental issues, Darla produces and hosts the public affairs program, Island Environment 360, Maui’s only commercially broadcast public affairs show on environmental and related Hawaiian cultural topics. The program is made possible by H-Hawaii Media. Darla is a member of the County of Maui Citizens Advisory Committee on the Climate Crisis and a member of Vice President Al Gore’s Reality Project, Hawaii chapter. Her company, 360 Social Business, LLC provides website design, content, social media management, general business and marketing consulting.

“A Closer Look at Hawaiʻi’s Sea Turtles”: Free Webinar
2020-09-09 17:30 - 19:00
If you’re one of the many people who love sea turtles, join us at a free webinar on Weds. Sept. 9 to take a closer look at these amazing marine reptiles. With wildlife endocrinologist Dr. Camryn Allen youʻll learn about the ratio of male vs. female turtles at foraging grounds — and what that means for the potential impacts of climate change on our sea turtle populations. The evening will also include a presentation by Shandell Brunson, NOAA’s sea turtle stranding coordinator for Hawaiʻi and the Pacific Islands region, who will share findings from sea turtle strandings in Hawai’i, including what’s being learned about threats from strandings, rehabilitations and deaths.
Dr. Allen is the Supervisory Marine Biological Researcher (JIMAR) at the Joint Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Research at NOAA Fisheries Pacific Island Fisheries Science Center in the Protected Species Division and created a sea turtle endocrinology laboratory to examine sex ratios of sea turtles in the wild.
Shandell Brunson is a biological sciences technician with the Marine Turtle Biology and Assessment Program and is NOAA’s sea turtle stranding coordinator for Hawaiʻi and the Pacific Islands region.
Our guest emcee is Darla Palmer-Ellingson, local radio show host of the public affairs program, Island Environment 360 Maui’s only commercially broadcast public affairs show on environmental and related Hawaiian cultural topics. The program is made possible by H-Hawaii Media.
This free online event is part of Maui Nui Marine Resource Councilʻs “Know Your Ocean Speaker Series” and is made possible with support from the County of Maui Mayorʻs Office of Economic Development.
Advance reservations are for the Zoom webinar. To make your free reservation, please visit https://bit.ly/HawaiiSeaTurtles.
The talk will also be presented on Maui Nui Marine Resource Councilʻs Facebook Live page at https://www.facebook.com/MNMRC.
Questions will be accepted from the audience on both Zoom and Facebook.

Free Oct. 7 Webinar by Daniel Amato, Ph.D. on “Sewage Impacts on Hawaiʻi’s Coastlines: Past, Present and Future”
2020-10-07 17:30 - 18:30
Part of Maui Nui Marine Resource Councilʻs Online “Know Your Ocean Speaker Series”
What will determine the future impacts of sewage on Hawai’i’s nearshore ecosystems and public health? Learn more at a free Zoom webinar titled “Sewage Impacts on Hawaiʻi’s Coastlines: Past, Present and Future” by Daniel Amato, Ph.D., which will include recent research and latest information on Hawaiʻi’s wastewater saga. The webinar will take place on Wednesday October 7 at 5:30 pm and is free and open to the public. It is presented by Maui Nui Marine Resource Council as part of their monthly “Know Your Ocean Speaker Series.” Advance reservations are recommended as the Zoom webinar is limited to 100 attendees.
“My talk will share reports on how injection wells and cesspools continue to pollute Hawaiʻi’s waters, with an emphasis on recent Maui studies,” says Dr. Amato. ”I will also present recent decisions from the Hawaiʻi State Legislature and the current status of their effort to phase out cesspools.”
Dr. Amato will also discuss the current situation with sewage pollution in Hawai’i, and will present community efforts and new technological developments in sewage detection that show promise for the future.
A water quality specialist, Dr. Amato’s professional work focuses on the detection and impacts of land-based pollution in the Pacific Ocean and the development of new technology to assist in detecting the DNA of fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) in the water.Dr. Amato is a Marine Research Specialist at the University of Hawaiʻi at Manoa, an Environmental Scientist at Element Environmental LLC, and serves as the coordinator for Surfrider-Oahu’s Blue Water Task Force.
“We are offering this webinar by Dr. Amato to share important information about sewage and its impact on Maui’s coastlines, including ocean water quality and our nearshore coral reefs,” says Amy Hodges, Programs and Operations Manager at Maui Nui Marine Resource Council. “It’s a critically important topic, at a time when our coral reefs need the benefit of clean ocean water, to survive the impacts of climate change and warming water.”
“We thank the County of Maui Mayorʻs Office of Economic Development for supporting our Know Your Ocean Speaker Series,” says Hodges.

Free Webinar: "Exploring the Octopus: How to Learn from Animal Behavior"
2020-11-18 15:00 - 16:30
Octopuses explore the world around them with their flexible arms, which can touch — and actually taste — to help them quickly identify prey. Maui Nui Marine Resource Council invites the public to learn more about the specialized octopus cells that make this unique ability possible at a free Zoom webinar titled “Exploring the Octopus: How to Learn from Animal Behavior” on Wednesday, November 18 at 3 pm. This presentation is part of MNMRC’s monthly “Know Your Ocean Speaker Series.”
The guest speaker will be Peter Kilian, Research Assistant and Aquatic Animal Technician at the Bellono Lab at the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology at Harvard University. The lab studies how diverse organisms sense and respond to changes in their environment.
Peter will be sharing his work on a paper which he co-authored that was recently published in Cell titled, “Molecular Basis of Chemotactile Sensation in Octopus.” Stories about this report, which describes how octopus can both touch and taste with their arms, have appeared in numerous newspapers, magazines, tv news shows and online journals, including The New York Times, CNN, Smithsonian Magazine and others.
As a research assistant and aquatic animal technician at Bellono Lab, Peter spends most of his time working with fish, sharks, cephalopods, and various other marine invertebrates to try and learn how and why they behave the way they do.
“So many of us on Maui are fascinated with octopuses, especially after ‘My Octopus Teacher’ launched on Netflix,” says Meredith Beeson, Project and Research Coordinator at Maui Nui Marine Resource Council. “We are excited to host this presentation by Peter Kilian, which will describe how Harvard researchers looked at the octopus at the molecular level to learn how the nervous system in the octopus’ arms — which operate largely independently from its centralized brain — allows these animals to both touch and taste their prey.”
Maui Nui Marine Resource Council offers its monthly “Know Your Ocean Speaker Series” via Zoom, usually on the first Wednesday of the month. This month’s presentation was delayed due to Election Day and Veteran’s Day. Please note that this event will start at 3 pm, earlier than other “Know Your Ocean Speaker Series” talks, because the speaker is located in Massachusetts. If you wish to view the presentation, but cannot attend at 3 pm, please email info@mauireefs.org to receive emailed information about where and how to view the presentation later in the day.
To make a reservation for the live Zoom presentation, please visit https://bit.ly/OctopusTalk
The “Know Your Ocean Speaker Series” is made possible with support from the County of Maui Mayorʻs Office of Economic Development.
About our speaker:
Peter Kilian, Research Assistant and Aquatic Animal Technician at the Bellono Lab at the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology at Harvard, has been interested in the mystery of animal behavior since a young age. His drive to work with animals originates from countless trips to the local zoo and aquarium when he was growing up. This curiosity continued to evolve in college, where Peter dove into his passion for animal work. While in college he spent time working as a beekeeper, a penguin aquarist at the New England Aquarium, and a pygmy octopus husbandry specialist in the mariculture lab at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, MA. He has since graduated from college, and now works full time in the Bellono Lab at Harvard as a research assistant and aquatic animal technician. He spends most of his time working with fish, sharks, cephalopods, and various other marine invertebrates to try and learn how and why they behave the way they do.

Free Online “Talk Story” Presentation by Maui Nui Marine Resource Council to Offer Latest on Projects to Protect Coral Reefs
2020-12-02 17:30 - 19:00
MĀ‘ALAEA, HI – Want to learn the latest about the oyster project that’s taking place in Māʻalaea Bay? The ocean water quality monitoring at 39 sites in South and West Maui? The fire suppression project in Pohakea watershed in Māʻalaea? How about educational programs about reducing pesticide use to protect Maui’s reefs and marine wildlife?
Maui Nui Marine Resource Council (MNMRC) is inviting the public to an online “Talk Story” meeting on Weds, Dec. 2 from 5:30 pm to 7 pm during which MNMRC staff will present updates about the organizationʻs ongoing conservation programs.
New ocean water quality monitoring data about sites in South and West Maui will also be presented by Hui O Ka Wai Ola (Association of Living Waters) staff and volunteers. Hui O Ka Wai Ola was co-founded and is co-managed by Maui Nui Marine Resource Council, The Nature Conservancy and West Maui Ridge to Reef Initiative, working closely with the State of Hawaii Department of Health Clean Water Branch.
This online event will include time for participants to offer their ideas and suggestions on steps to improve coral reef health and ocean water quality along the shorelines of Maui County.
Door prizes will be awarded. Admission is free. Advance registration is required. Please visit https://bit.ly/talkstorymnmrc
“Despite Covid-19, the year 2020 has been a very busy one for Maui Nui Marine Resource Council with many projects and programs moving forward,” said Amy Hodges, Programs and Operations Manager at Maui Nui Marine Resource Council. “We would like to share our progress and new developments with the community, and also hear back from everyone with their suggestions for ways we can tackle some of the most pressing problems impacting our reefs and nearshore areas in Maui County.”
About Maui Nui Marine Resource Council:
Maui Nui Marine Resource Council is a community-based nonprofit organization celebrating 13 years of working for healthy coral reefs, clean ocean water and abundant native fish throughout Maui County. Our work includes co-managing the Hui O Ka Wai Ola Ocean Water Quality Monitoring Program in South and West Maui, efforts to reduce pollution in Mā‘alaea Bay (through erosion-control efforts in the Pohakea watershed and using oysters to filter sediment and pollutants from ocean water), coral reef research, visitor education programs and more. Learn more at www.mauireefs.org.

Please Volunteer to Assist with Pre-Rainy Season Mā’alaea Ditch Clean Up on Sunday, December 27
2020-12-27 08:00 - 11:00 | Meet at Parking Lot between Maui Ocean Center and Carl’s Jr. by EV Charging Stations (along Honoapiilani Highway in Ma’alaea), 300 Ma'alaea Road, Wailuku, HI, 96793, United States
MĀ’ALAEA, HI — Looking for ways to give back this holiday season? Maui Nui Marine Resource Council invites the public to help protect marine life and water quality in Mā’alaea Bay by participating in a clean-up of trash that has been accumulating in the Mā’alaea ditch by the Honoapi‘ilani Highway. The clean-up will take place on Sunday, December 27, from 8 am – 11 am. Now is the time to remove trash from the ditch before heavy rains arrive and cause the debris to wash into the ocean.
“Unless we act now, the trash will flow into the ocean when winter storms arrive, putting marine life and water quality in Mā’alaea Bay at risk,” says Tiara Stark, clean-up coordinator. “We’ll meet at the EV charging stations at the parking lot along the highway between Maui Ocean Center and Carl’s Jr.”
Trash bags, gloves, and facemasks will be provided.
“To ensure a fun and safe event, safety precautions such as mask wearing, social distancing, and limitations on the number of volunteers will be enforced,” notes Stark. “Please wear closed toed shoes and long pants; don’t forget your hat, sunscreen and water bottle.”
“It feels good to make a difference,” says Stark.
To volunteer for one or more one-hour time slots, please sign up through this link:
https://bit.ly/MaalaeaCleanUp
Maui Nui Marine Resource Council is a nonprofit organization working for healthy coral reefs, clean ocean water and abundant native fish. The organization is working to improve ocean water quality in Mā’alaea Bay through an oyster bioremediation project and a program to reduce sediment runoff from the adjoining Pohakea watershed. To learn more and to Adopt an Oyster to support this work, please visit www.mauireefs.org.

Free presentation about unique collaboration of 7 environmental projects on Maui and Molokaʻi
2021-01-27 17:30 - 19:00
During the Great Depression, the government-sponsored Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) provided paychecks for 3 million unemployed young men and provided valuable labor for conservation projects across the country.
With unemployment at record levels due to COVID-19, a new program followed this historical CCC model and put more than 70 Maui and Molokai residents to work in November, providing seven local conservation nonprofits with needed labor to benefit coral reefs, cultural resources and the environment.
The public is invited to a free presentation on Weds. January 27 at 5:30 pm on Zoom to learn about this unique collaborative employment and workforce training program and the impact it had on our local environment. The presentation will include videos, photos and firsthand accounts of the projects and accomplishments, with information on how the projects incorporated traditional Hawaiian cultural practices and modern technology to prevent sediment pollution in the ocean and protect valuable cultural resources.
It’s free, but registration is required. To sign up, visit https://bit.ly/mauiCARES
This unique collaborative employment and workforce training program was made possible through the County of Maui Office of Economic Development’s Maui CARES program, which was funded by the Federal CARES Act. As the fiscal sponsor, Maui Nui Marine Resource Council oversaw the administration of the Maui CARES funding for the projects and managed the rapid employment of more than 70 new hires with the help of simplicityHR by ALTRES.
The workers participated in conservation and restoration projects in Olowalu, Waihe’e, Keanae, Kipahulu, Hana and Moloka’i. All of the projects were rooted in Hawaiian cultural practices and values which serve as the foundation of our community. Their work was filmed by Inflatable Film of Kula. The evening will include video premieres exclusively for webinar attendees.
“Through this presentation, attendees will be immersed in a virtual experience to feel the importance of Kuleana, ʻOhana, Kōkua, Aloha ʻAina, Mālama ʻAina, and Hānai ʻAina, said Ekolu Lindsey, President of Maui Cultural Lands and a principal organizer of this program. “Be inspired to follow in the footsteps of those who have come before us, as we share our legacies with you.”
The participating nonprofits include:
Ka Honua Momona on Molokai worked to restore two ancient fishponds, which will help trap sediment before it reaches the open ocean – with the benefit of also producing fish for local people.
Kipahulu ‘Ohana in East Maui improved a lo’i, or wetland taro farm. The taro plants will slow the flow of stormwater, allowing time for sediment in the water to settle, rather than flow out to sea.
Hawaiian Islands Land Trust in Waihe’e worked to remove invasive species along approximately 3,000 linear feet of Kalepa Stream to lower sediment loads in the nearshore waters off Waihe’e and protect offshore corals.
Ke Ao Hali‘i (KAH) in Hana worked on 27 acres of publicly owned land at Mokae/Kaholaiki and another ~2 acres of contiguous land, directly above Hamoa Beach. Their project included invasive plant removal and native habitat restoration for seabirds and insects, and a biological survey of ‘opihi as a baseline for a possible ‘opihi rest area in the future.
Kipuka Olowalu in West Maui reestablished washed out and damaged lo’i (taro fields), rebuilt vanished lo’i and prepared lo’i for planting in the Olowalu Cultural Reserve. Workers removed overgrowth, fire hazards and invasive plants; planted native plants and crops and repaired infrasturcture.
Na Moku ‘Aupuni O Ko‘olau Hui in East Maui worked on watershed management and stream maintenance, as well as stream and ditch monitoring in the East Maui Irrigation system to establish accurate data for stream and ditch flow and loss as a basis for making sound future management decisions related to this resource and delivery infrastructure.   Each of the nonprofits will be presenting their work and accomplishments through photos, video and stories from the field.
Na Mamo o Mu‘olea in East Maui focused on land and shoreline management on a county parcel (which Nā Mamo O Mū’olea has a 50 year lease). It included removal of invasive plants around a rock wall that is on the historic registry, and preparation for wall restorations, maintenance of two heiau on the property, installation of new fencing around an area designated for native trees and medicinal plants, and maintenance and repair of feral animal controls.
“This presentation is a celebration of all that was accomplished and learned,” said Lindsey. “We encourage the public to attend to connect with these organizations and the workers who put heart and soul into these challenging and impactful projects.“
The emcees for this event are Ekolu Lindsey and Darla Palmer-Ellingson, local radio show host of the public affairs program, Island Environment 360 Maui’s only commercially broadcast public affairs show on environmental and related Hawaiian cultural topics, aired on the stations of H-Hawaii Media.
About Maui Nui Marine Resource Council
Maui Nui Marine Resource Council is a community-based nonprofit organization celebrating 13 years of working for healthy coral reefs, clean ocean water and abundant native fish throughout Maui County. Our work includes co-managing the Hui O Ka Wai Ola Ocean Water Quality Monitoring Program in South and West Maui, efforts to reduce pollution in Mā‘alaea Bay (through erosion-control efforts in the Pohakea watershed and using oysters to filter sediment and pollutants from ocean water), coral reef research, visitor education programs and more. Learn more at www.mauireefs.org.

Free Feb. 10 talk on “Using the distant past as a guide for future decision-making about restoring and managing coastal lands in Waiheʻe and other parts of Hawaiʻi” by Scott Fisher, PhD
2021-02-10 17:30 - 18:30 | Zoom webinar
Reserve your free spot at https://bit.ly/HILTpast
How can the distant past be used as a guide for future decision-making about restoring and managing coastal lands and helping these ecosystems survive future challenges from rising sea levels and climate change? Learn more at a free Zoom presentation that focuses on the science of paleoecology, which is the study of interactions between organisms and their environments across geologic timescales, by Scott Fisher, PhD, Chief Conservation Officer at Hawaiian Islands Land Trust (HILT). The talk will take place on Wednesday, February 10, and will be hosted by Maui Nui Marine Resource Council as part of its “Know Your Ocean Speaker Series.”
Dr. Fisher’s presentation will be shared via Zoom and is free of charge and open to all who wish to attend. Advance reservations are required and are free. To reserve, visit https://bit.ly/HILTpast
Fisher and the Hawaiian Islands Land Trust staff are using sediment coring at locations such as Nu`u Pond to extract and examine micro-fossils embedded in the sediment. They are working to understand past ecosystems on HILT lands, particularly the function and composition of vegetation across landscapes. For example, what plants and organisms were most dominant approximately 2,000 years ago, long before the first humans arrived on Maui? How were they capable of withstanding substantial ecological disturbances, such as floods and tsunami? What can be learned from this natural history to better manage coastal lands in Waiheʻe and other parts of Hawaiʻi to make them more resilient to a changing global climate?
“As climate change brings about substantive changes to our islands, we need to discern ways of adapting to more intense storms, sea level rise and loss of coastal ecosystems,” said Dr. Fisher. “The past holds the key to the future, and by learning about the past, we can better understand how to restore, adapt and change in order to make our islands and nearshore coral reefs more resilient.”
Maui Nui Marine Resource Council’s “Know Your Ocean Speaker Series” events are held monthly via Zoom. Support for these events is provided by the County of Maui Mayor’s Office of Economic Development.
The emcee for this event is Darla Palmer-Ellingson, local radio show host of the public affairs program, Island Environment 360 Maui’s only commercially broadcast public affairs show on environmental and related Hawaiian cultural topics, aired on the stations of H-Hawaii Media.
About Scott Fisher, PhD:
Scott grew up in Kula, and at age 17 enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. After his discharge, he studied at Colorado State University. Scott’s graduate work includes an M.A. in Peace Studies with a concentration in Native Hawaiian Strategies of Peacemaking and Reconciliation. His PhD. explored the dynamics of post-conflict recovery in a civil war on the island of Bougainville, Papua New Guinea, with a particular emphasis on how communities make wise decisions about conflicts over natural resources. Scott also holds a graduate certificate in ecological restoration from the University of Idaho.
Since 2003 Scott has worked for the Maui Coastal Land Trust, first as a project manager at the land trust’s 277-acre Waihe‘e Coastal Dunes and Wetlands Refuge and is now the Chief Conservation Officer for the Hawaiian Islands Land Trust. In this capacity he has been involved in all aspects of ecological restoration work on land trust properties. In 2017 Scott began a three-year research fellowship in Paleoecology with the University of Leicester in England. With materials collected in Hawai`i, and with the assistance of the Quaternary Palaeoecology Working Group, his research was able to reconstruct the dominant floral species at Waihe`e over the past 12,000 years (since the beginning of the Holocene). More recently Scott has been consulting with the US Forest Service on a wetlands restoration project in western Madagascar.
About Hawaiian Islands Land Trust:
The Hawaiian Islands Land Trust (HILT) is a state-wide land conservation organization dedicated to protecting the lands that sustain Hawaiʻi, while teaching future generations to do the same. HILT’s mission is to protect and steward the lands that sustain Hawaiʻi, and to perpetuate Hawaiian values by connecting people with ʻāina. Throughout ka pae`āina (the Hawaiian archipelago) HILT has protected over 20,000 acres through both fee ownership and conservation easements.
About Maui Nui Marine Resource Council:
Maui Nui Marine Resource Council is a community-based nonprofit organization celebrating 13 years of working for healthy coral reefs, clean ocean water and abundant native fish throughout Maui County. Our work includes co-managing the Hui O Ka Wai Ola Ocean Water Quality Monitoring Program in South and West Maui, efforts to reduce pollution in Mā‘alaea Bay (through erosion-control efforts in the Pohakea watershed and using oysters to filter sediment and pollutants from ocean water), coral reef research, visitor education programs and more. Learn more at www.mauireefs.org.

"Shark Research in Hawaii – With an Emphasis on Maui" Free Presentation by Kim Holland, PhD
2021-03-03 17:30 - 18:30
Recent shark attacks that occurred off the coast of Maui in November (2020), December (2020) and January (2021), as well as an incident in February (2021) which involved a large shark biting a kayak, have many ocean users concerned and curious about the sharks found in our nearshore waters.
The public is invited to learn more about our local sharks at a free Zoom presentation titled “Shark Research in Hawaii – With an Emphasis on Maui.” It wlll be presented by Dr. Kim Holland, Research Professor at Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, (HIMB) at University of Hawaii at Manoa and the founder of the Shark Research Group at HIMB.
This free talk is hosted by Maui Nui Marine Resource Council’s “Know Your Ocean Speaker Series” and will take place on Wednesday, March 3 at 5:30 pm via Zoom. The presentation is free, but advance reservations are required. To reserve your spot, please visit https://bit.ly/SharkWebinar
For over 40 years Dr. Holland’s research has focused on the biology and movement patterns of large marine fishes such as tuna, billfishes and sharks. He has been a pioneer in helping to develop and deploy cutting edge tracking technologies that allow unprecedented insight into the movement patterns of marine fishes.
His presentation will include a brief overview of tracking technologies with an emphasis on what has been learned about the movements of sharks around Maui Nui.
“While many Maui residents and visitors are fearful about sharks, it’s important to remember that sharks play an important role in maintaining Hawaii’s ocean ecosystems,” said Anne Rillero, Communications, Community Outreach and Development Manager at Maui Nui Marine Resource Council. “We’re looking forward to learning more about Dr. Holland’s findings and insights about Hawaii’s sharks.”
Maui Nui Marine Resource Council’s “Know Your Ocean Speaker Series” events are held monthly via Zoom. Support for these events is provided by the County of Maui Mayor’s Office of Economic Development.
The emcee for this event is Darla Palmer-Ellingson, local radio show host of the public affairs program Island Environment 360 — Maui’s only commercially broadcast public affairs show on environmental and related Hawaiian cultural topics, aired on the stations of H-Hawaii Media.

Free Presentation on “Growing Up Fast: A Land-Based Coral Nursery for Restoring Hawaii’s Reefs” Offered During Earth Week
2021-04-21 17:30 - 18:30 | Zoom webinar
KIHEI, HI— In honor of Earth Day and Earth Week, the public is invited to a free presentation on “Growing Up Fast: A Land-Based Coral Nursery for Restoring Hawaii’s Reefs” on Zoom on Wednesday, April 21 at 5:30 pm.
The presenter will be coral specialist Christina Jayne of the Dept. of Land and Natural Resources Division of Aquatic Resources Hawaii Coral Restoration Nursery. The talk is hosted by Maui Nui Marine Resource Council, as part of its monthly “Know Your Ocean Speaker Series.”
Coral reef restoration is the process of raising new corals — often from fragments of coral salvaged from the wild — in a protected, nurturing environment, then transplanting them out into the ocean to grow and form new reefs. When combined with efforts to improve coral reef habitat, it is viewed as a way to help coral reefs survive the stresses of climate change and warming ocean waters.
For the past two years, Jayne has worked for the Dept. of Land and Natural Resources Division of Aquatic Resources as a coral restoration specialist at the Hawaii Coral Restoration Nursery on Oahu with director David Gulko. Before moving to Honolulu, she earned her bachelor’s in Marine Biology from the University of California San Diego and her masters from Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego.“Hawaii’s reefs are extremely unique and Hawaiian corals have some of the slowest growth rates in the world, which is why the State has taken an innovative, land-based approach to coral restoration,” notes Jayne.
Hawaii’s first state coral nursery, which is managed by DAR, opened in 2016 at the Anuenue Fisheries Research Center on Oahu.
Corals are brought to the Coral Restoration Nursery and are rapidly grown using a series of aquarium-based techniques that help them to generate large coral colony modules in a fraction of the time it would take naturally, which can be out-planted back on the reef.
The nursery typically uses corals for out-planting from harbors because of their lower ecological value compared to corals from natural areas, says DAR, and they may also be more resilient to any challenges and environmental changes.
University of Hawaii Sea Grant researchers are also conducting experiments at the Anuenue facility to understand different environmental conditions, like light and water movement, that are useful for growing corals quickly. Creating the best environment for the corals to grow rapidly will help to restore local reefs after disturbance events such as bleaching or physical damage.
Maui Nui Marine Resource Council’s “Know Your Ocean Speaker Series” events are held monthly via Zoom. Support for these events is provided by the County of Maui Mayor’s Office of Economic Development.
The virtual event’s emcee will be Darla Palmer-Ellingson, local radio show host of the public affairs program, Island Environment 360 Maui’s only commercially broadcast public affairs show on environmental and related Hawaiian cultural topics, aired on the stations of H-Hawaii Media.
To reserve your spot at this free Zoom webinar, please visit https://bit.ly/coralnurserywebinar
