Maui Nui Marine Resource Council

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 UTC
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 UTC
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 UTC
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 UTC
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 UTC
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 UTC | 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 UTC
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 UTC | 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 UTC
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 UTC | 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

Free presentation on “Purifying Kihei’s Wastewater with Green Infrastructure as an Alternative to Injection Wells”
2021-06-09 17:30 - 18:30 UTC | Zoom webinar
Three new low cost, low energy, pilot green infrastructure systems that will be constructed in Kihei this summer to purify water coming out of the Kihei Wastewater Reclamation Facility will be the topic of a free Zoom presentation by Paul Sturm, Executive Director of Ridge to Reefs, on Wednesday, June 9 at 5:30 pm. This new system will harness the power of plants, soil and microbial activity to purify wastewater to approach drinking water standards, dramatically expanding its potential uses and reducing the need for disposal via injection wells.
This talk will be presented via Zoom as part of Maui Nui Marine Resource Council’s monthly “Know Your Ocean Speaker Series.” These monthly virtual events are supported by the County of Maui Mayor’s Office of Economic Development.
To reserve your spot, please visit https://bit.ly/KiheiWastewater.
Sturm will be presenting plans for the three new Kihei Wastewater Disposal Pilot projects that Ridge to Reefs will construct this summer with support from support from National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and assistance from John Astilla, founder and owner of Sunshine Vetiver Solutions and construction support from Ali’i Farm Service. The pilot projects will be aesthetically pleasing and odor-free, bearing a closer resemblance to gardens rather than treatment facilities.
“Through natural processes, we will reduce the amount of wastewater that needs to be disposed of; any remaining wastewater will come as close as possible to drinking water standards, expanding opportunities for its re-use,” says Sturm. “Our Ridge to Reefs Kihei Wastewater Disposal Pilot will be up and running within two months, ready to demonstrate the effectiveness of Ridge to Reef’s nature-based solutions as viable, affordable alternatives to groundwater injection disposal.”
“We believe this system has the potential to reduce land-to-sea pollution from wastewater, to benefit Maui’s local coral reefs,” says Sturm.
Ridge to Reefs (RTR) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) formed in 2011 to help protect and restore coastal and coral reef ecosystems by reducing land-to-sea pollution with green infrastructure. The organization uses natural methods and innovative engineering to solve pressing environmental and social problems. Their expertise includes treating polluted storm and wastewater by establishing green infrastructure solutions such as constructed wetlands, rain gardens and bioreactors. Using proven natural methods and state-of-the-art engineering, Ridge to Reefs has installed systems in Maryland, Virginia, Puerto Rico, Palau and American Samoa. To learn more, visit https://www.ridgetoreefs.org/
The 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.
“As a nonprofit working for healthy coral reefs and clean ocean water, Maui Nui Marine Resource Council is extremely proud to host this presentation, as our community works on solutions to reduce pollution to our nearshore waters, to help our coral reefs survive,” says Mike Fogarty, Executive Director of Maui Nui Marine Resource Council. “We are happy to see this innovative science-based pilot project come to Kihei, to use natural materials to better treat wastewater and reduce its pollution impacts on our ocean waters.”
To reserve your spot at this free Zoom webinar, please visit https://bit.ly/KiheiWastewater.
About Paul Sturm:
Paul founded Ridge to Reefs (non-profit organization) in 2011 to support local creation and implementation of watershed plans primarily in the Chesapeake Bay and in coral reef watersheds – with the goal to achieve tangible environmental outcomes.
Paul and his team are currently testing a low cost, low energy, nature-based alternative septic system with University of Hawaii and have constructed similar systems in Puerto Rico and American Samoa. He has worked on innovative methods to control sediment transport using vegetation and stormwater using plants and biochar amendments. Recent efforts have also focused on improving food security, soil health and agricultural resilience in the face of climate change.
Paul is a former Center for Watershed Protection Director/Biologist and spent 11 years working on watershed plans, implementation projects and code changes in the Chesapeake Bay watershed and around the country. Prior to that, he spent 6 years researching the effectiveness of implementation of agricultural and urban BMP’s and developed methods to track and target pollution source areas in agricultural watersheds.
Paul participated in the development of the EPA Sponsored Illicit discharge detection manual. He directly assisted the development of field assessment protocols for the Outfall Reconnaissance Inventory (ORI) and the development of the field form as well as the water chemistry testing protocol that was developed for the manual. The manual was produced for EPA and distributed to officials in all 50 states to help guide NPDES compliance methods for Phase I and Phase II communities. Paul also helped conduct a webcast for EPA that included over 1000 attendees. Paul conducted the field portion of the training where videos of the outfall reconnaissance inventory methods were presented for several outfalls. Paul also answered technical questions from participants in the webcast.
Paul has contributed to more than 20 publications and has presented more than 60 lectures around the U.S., Canada and the Caribbean. These include participation as a trainer at four National Watershed Institutes, invited speaker at four US Coral Reef Task Meetings in Washington, D.C. and San Juan, Puerto Rico, three National River Rallies, three Army Corp of Engineers Water in the Watersheds Courses in Davis, CA and a Coastal Zone Management Course for the Institute of Marine Affairs in Trinidad and Tobago. Paul has led trainings in stream assessment, stormwater retrofitting, erosion, code change, illicit discharge detection and elimination, and sediment and erosion control.

Free Presentation by Dr. Craig Downs and Hawaii Senator Mike Gabbard: “Education vs. Enforcement: Next Steps Beyond the Enactment of Hawaii's Sunscreen Law”
2021-07-07 17:30 - 19:30 UTC
Hawaii’s ban on sunscreens containing the reef-harming chemicals oxybenzone and octinoxate went into effect on January 1, but is the law effective in protecting our local coral reefs and marine animals as intended? Is the ban being enforced? What’s the latest scientific evidence about the chemicals that are replacing these two ingredients in some brands of sunscreen? Are new laws needed?
Get the answers to these important questions on Wednesday, July 7 at 5:30 p.m. via a free Zoom presentation featuring special guest speakers: Dr. Craig Downs, whose groundbreaking research educated the world about sunscreen chemicals and their role in coral reef decline; and Hawaii Senator Mike Gabbard, who authored the legislation that resulted in Hawaii’s ban on the sale of sunscreens that contain the chemicals oxybenzone and octinoxate.
The presentation titled “Education vs. Enforcement: Next Steps Beyond the Enactment of Hawaii’s Sunscreen Law” is sponsored by the County of Maui Mayor’s Office of Economic Development and hosted by Maui Nui Marine Resource Council as part of the organization’s “Know Your Ocean Speaker Series.”
This event is free, but advanced reservations are required. To reserve your spot, please visit https://bit.ly/SunscreenWebinar.
Downs graduated from Hiram College with a B.A. in philosophy and biology, received his M.Sc. from Syracuse University, and received his Ph.D. from the University of Hawaii in cell and molecular biology. He has published over 50 scientific papers and a number of book chapters in scientific textbooks, and is the co-editor of the CRC press veterinary book, Diseases of Corals, as well as founded a number of companies and nonprofits relating anywhere from animal welfare to environmental conservation and exploration.
Downs has held positions as research professor at University of Hawaii’s School of Medicine and Sweet Briar College. He is currently an invited professor at Sorbonne University (France) and is the Executive Director of Haereticus Environmental Laboratory, a non-profit scientific organization dedicated to increasing the scientific, social and economic knowledge of natural environmental habitats in order to better conserve and restore threatened environmental habitats and resources.
Gabbard, who has represented District 20 since 2006, which includes Kapolei, Makakilo, and portions of Kalaeloa, Waipahu, and Ewa, has authored 54 bills that became law relating to energy efficiency, renewable energy, endangered species protection, industrial hemp, the environment, public safety, and more.
One of those bills that became law in 2018, SB 2571, is the ban of sale or distribution in the state of any sunscreen that contains oxybenzone or octinoxate, or both. Last session, Gabbard introduced SB 366, which would ban the sale, offer of sale, or distribution in Hawaii of any sunscreen that contains two more chemicals, avobenzone or octocrylene.
The speakers plan to address whether or not sunscreen pollution is a symptom of unsustainable tourism and coastal development, how we get visitors and residents to comply with the new sunscreen law, and who is responsible for enforcing it.
This panel will also provide information and tips on how you can help to protect the marine environment.
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/SunscreenWebinar.

Free Presentation “Saving a Species: “Rehabilitation as a Conservation Tool for Hawaiian Monk Seals” Offered on Weds., Aug. 4
2021-08-04 17:30 - 19:00 UTC | Zoom webinar
Hawaiian monk seals are endangered, with fewer than 1,400 animals left on earth — yet they have recently been in the news, as videos and photos have surfaced showing the seals falling victim to harassment by visitors who get too close or attempt to touch them, sometimes for social media content. Learn more about Hawaiian monk seals at a free presentation called “Saving a Species: Rehabilitation as a Conservation Tool for Hawaiian Monk Seals” on Wednesday, August 4 at 5:30 pm HST via Zoom where two special guests from The Marine Mammal Center’s dedicated hospital for monk seals, Ke Kai Ola, on Hawai’i Island will highlight their conservation and outreach work.
The Center’s Lauren Van Heukelem, Response and Operations Coordinator, and Dr. Sophie Whoriskey, Hawaiian Monk Seal Conservation Veterinarian, will speak at this event, part of the “Know Your Ocean Speaker Series” which is hosted every month by Maui Nui Marine Resource Council.
Researchers estimate that about 30 percent of Hawaiian monk seals are alive today due to conservation efforts led by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and partners like the Center. The mission of The Marine Mammal Center focuses on global ocean conservation through rescue and rehabilitation, scientific research, and education.
Reserve a spot at the free presentation by visiting https://www.bitly.com/monksealwebinar
“We are hosting this special presentation with the awareness that public education is needed to help protect our Hawaiian monk seals from harassment or injury,” says Anne Rillero, Communications Manager at Maui Nui Marine Resource Council. “These animals are among the most endangered seals on earth.”
Dr. Whoriskey received her bachelor’s degree from Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia, Canada, and her veterinary medical degree from the Atlantic Veterinary College. She first came to The Marine Mammal Center in 2015 as the intern veterinarian in marine mammal medicine and pathology where she spent two years training with marine mammal medicine experts.
In 2020, she returned to the Center as a full-time Hawaiian Monk Seal Conservation Veterinarian. She leads the Center’s Hawaiʻi animal care operations, dedicated to the rehabilitation, conservation and research of the endangered Hawaiian monk seal.
Whoriskey has extensive field experience in remote and harsh environments and has participated in research projects from Alaska to Antarctica, all with a mission of advancing the global body of knowledge on marine mammal health.
Born and raised in Hawaii, Van Heukelem received both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa in Marine Biology. She has participated in many research studies both in Hawaiʻi and the Northern Mariana Islands on various topics.
As the Response and Operations Coordinator, Van Heukelem oversees the monitoring of the endangered Hawaiian monk seal population on Hawaiʻi Island. She runs the Center’s 24-hour hotline for reporting seal sightings around the island and coordinates outreach and population assessments on a daily basis.
“On Hawai’i Island, we operate Ke Kai Ola, the only hospital dedicated to Hawaiian monk seals, providing support for monk seals found throughout the Hawaii archipelago,” says Van Heukelem. “Utilizing a 24-hour response hotline and a variety of education and outreach programs, we aim to advance conservation practices that empower our local community to protect this rare species.”
This presentation will focus on the center’s mission and work over the past 45 years in California and Hawaiʻi. Since opening Ke Kai Ola in 2014, The Marine Mammal Center has treated 36 Hawaiian monk seals and supports the work of NOAA’s Hawaiian Monk Seal Research Program by providing the only long-term care facility for this endangered animal.
These monthly virtual events are supported by the County of Maui Mayor’s Office of Economic Development.
The 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://www.bitly.com/monksealwebinar

Eleu (PP08), a weaned female Hawaiian monk seal pup rescued from Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument Refuge, rests during rehabilitation at The Marine Mammal Center’s Ke Kai Ola hospital and visitor center in Kailua-Kona, HI. The young female seal’s name means one that is active, alert, energetic, lively and nimble. Credit Lauren Van Heukelem © The Marine Mammal Center, NOAA Permit #18786-03

Hawaiian monk seals RK26 (on left) and RL50 (on right) rest on a beach. As the world’s largest marine mammal hospital, The Marine Mammal Center actively monitors endangered monk seals that frequent Big Island beaches to check on their condition, but its experts do not serve in a law enforcement capacity. Credit Sheila Latta © The Marine Mammal Center

Free Sept. 1 Presentation: "The Palau Pledge and Visitor Fee: A Concept to Help Maui Address Over-tourism?"
2021-09-01 17:30 - 18:30 UTC | Zoom webinar
The children of Palau have written a passport pledge for every arriving visitor to sign, holding them ecologically and culturally responsible while touring the island and as to protect and preserve one of the world’s biggest marine protected areas. Would you take the Palua Pledge?
The public is invited to a free presentation called “The Palau Pledge and Visitor Fee: A Concept to Help Maui Address Over-tourism?” on Wednesday, September 1 at 5:30 p.m. via Zoom. Palau Legacy Project co-founder Jennifer Koskelin Gibbons and Project Management Coordinator at Friends of Palau National Marine Sanctuary, Adora Nobuo, will be the guest speakers for the next “Know Your Ocean Speaker Series,” which is hosted every month by the Maui Nui Marine Resource Council.
To reserve your spot at this free Zoom webinar, please visit bit.ly/PalauPledgeWebinar.
The event will also be live-streamed on Facebook @MNMRC.
The presenters will discuss the effects of over-tourism and ecotourism on marine life, share information about the Palau Pledge and environmental fee, how they work to support the Palau National Marine Sanctuary and the impacts they’ve seen, and future plans to further support the PNMS.

Free Talk “Spying on Spinners: What We Can Learn From Listening” Focuses on Study of Spinner Dolphins
2021-10-13 17:30 - 19:00 UTC | Zoom webinar
A free presentation called “Spying on Spinners: What We Can Learn from Listening” on Wednesday, Oct. 13 at 5:30 p.m. via Zoom will take a look at research conducted in the Maui Nui region (Maui, Moloka‘i, Lāna‘i, and the ‘Au‘au Channel) that listened to spinner dolphins to learn more about their behaviors.
The presentation is part of Maui Nui Marine Resource Council’s monthly Know Your Ocean Speaker Series. Reserve your spot at https://bit.ly/SpinnerDolphinWebinar
Megan McElligott, a fourth-year doctoral candidate at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa in the Marine Biology Graduate Program, will be the guest speaker. She will discuss her recent work around Maui, Moloka‘i, Lāna‘i, and the ‘Au‘au channel for her master’s thesis, titled “Investigating Spinner Dolphin (Stenella longirostris) Occurrence and Acoustic Activity in the Maui Nui Region” which was recently published in Frontiers in Marine Science.   She will discuss how the acoustic recordings in her study confirmed that spinner dolphins use Mānele Bay and Honolua Bay for their daily resting behavior, as well as their use of the ʻAuʻau channel for resting.
“Hawaiian spinner dolphins rest during the day in the islands’ coastal waters where they are susceptible to human disturbance,” reports McElligott. She notes that spinner dolphins are nocturnal and hunt in offshore waters at night. During the day, they use areas close to shore to socialize, nurture their young, shelter from predators, and rest in preparation for nightly hunting.
The goal of McElligott’s research is to help wildlife managers determine the best ways to protect spinner dolphins from human disturbance.
McElligott’s research was one of the studies examined by NOAA Fisheries leading up to their new rule finalized on September 28, 2021 that prohibits swimming with, approaching, or remaining within 50 yards of a Hawaiian spinner dolphin. The rule applies to any vessel, person, or object (including all boats, canoes, stand-up paddleboards, drones, or any other means) that is within 2 nautical miles from shore in the main Hawaiian Islands and in designated waters bounded by the islands of Lāna‘i, Maui, and Kahoʻolawe. This final rule will officially be in effect on October 28, 2021, 30 days after it was published in the Federal Register. Learn more about this new law and its exceptions at https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/feature-story/new-regulation-protects-hawaiian-spinner-dolphins-against-disturbance.
McElligott’s study was conducted using a combination of passive acoustic monitoring and vessel surveys to document spinner dolphin occurrence and movements. Bottom-moored acoustic recorders were deployed at eight locations in Maui Nui, and at one previously established resting bay off west O‘ahu for comparison. The amount of whistles, clicks, and burst pulses at each location was quantified and averaged by the hour of the day.
“What we observed in Maui Nui is different from what we see off Oʻahu and Hawaiʻi island,” says McElligott. “I will also talk about what we aim to investigate with our current data collection efforts in Mānele, Hulopoʻe, and Honolua.”
To learn more this species’ behavior and McElligott’s research, tune in to Maui Nui Marine Resource Council’s “Know Your Ocean Speaker Series” on Oct. 12 at 5:30 p.m. via Zoom.
These monthly virtual events are supported by the County of Maui Mayor’s Office of Economic Development.
The 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.
NOAA Fisheries is also proposing to establish time-area closures to reduce disturbance in five nearshore areas designated as essential daytime habitats for spinner dolphins. This regulation would prohibit entering restricted areas between 6 a.m. and 3 p.m. daily in parts of Kealakekua, Hōnaunau, Kauhakō (Ho‘okena), and Makako Bays on Hawai‘i Island, and La Perouse Bay on Maui.
Since this is a proposed rule, a decision on whether to finalize the rule will not happen until after the public has an opportunity to comment. The public comment period for the proposed time-area closures will be open until December 27, 2021, 90 days after publication in the Federal Register. To learn more, visit https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/action/proposed-rule-establish-time-area-closures-hawaiian-spinner-dolphins-essential-habitats-main

Free November 3 presentation will share ocean water quality data from 29 Maui beaches and its impact on watershed management planning
2021-11-03 17:30 - 19:00 UTC | Zoom webinar
Every three weeks year-round, more than 20 Maui residents leave their homes in the early morning hours to help monitor the ocean water quality along the coasts of South and West Maui.
Carrying portable lab equipment in their cars, they work in small teams, wading knee deep into the ocean to gather water samples. Inital testing is completed in their cars, with additional testing taking place at indoor labs and at the University of Hawai‘i Manoa.
This unique volunteer-based program known as Hui O Ka Wai Ola (“Association Of The Living Waters”) has been gathering data in this way for five years, including through most of the Covid-19 pandemic.
What are they discovering about Mauiʻs coastal waters?
Learn more about this community-based effort and its findings at a free Zoom presentation on Wednesday, November 3 at 5:30 pm, hosted by Maui Nui Marine Resource Council as part of its “Know Your Ocean Speaker Series.”
The presentation will be conducted by Tiara Stark, Senior Team Lead of the Hui O Ka Wai Ola Program. Stark is responsible for overseeing all of the Hui O Ka Wai Ola water quality monitoring tasks and regularly accompanies the volunteers on their monitoring expeditions. She will describe the coastal water quality trends that Hui O Ka Wai Ola has identified, and explain how these findings are helping to drive watershed management actions in our community.
Starkʻs presentation will include a snapshot of the findings at each of the projects’ 29 monitoring locations, so that attendees will be able to learn the latest about ocean water quality at their favorite beaches.
Stark notes that almost all of the 29 locations where Hui O Ka Wai Ola monitors ocean water quality are failing to meet State of Hawai‘i Department of Health standards.
“This is frustrating to our community, because we all want clean ocean water for our shorelines,” says Stark. “But with all of the data weʻve been gathering, weʻve acquired important information about whatʻs likely happening upslope from the ocean in our watersheds thatʻs creating the problems that weʻre seeing.”
“The data weʻve gathered will help shape better management strategies for our watersheds with the aim of achieving cleaner ocean water to benefit our coral reefs, our nearshore fish populations and marine wildlife, and the people of Maui County who love being in and around the ocean,” says Stark.
Hui O Ka Wai Ola was co-founded in 2016 through a partnership of Maui Nui Marine Resource Council, The Nature Conservancy, and West Maui Ridge to Reef Initiative.
The three organizations worked closely with the State of Hawai‘i Department of Health Clean Water Branch to establish consistent protocols that would ensure that the Hui O Ka Wai Ola data would be readily accepted for reports by county, state and federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Environmental Protection.
Maui Nui Marine Resource Council, The Nature Conservancy, and West Maui Ridge to Reef Initiative continue to manage the program together.
Learn more about Hui O Ka Wai Ola and how you can volunteer at www.huiokawaiola.com.

Support clean ocean water and healthy coral reefs at benefit for Maui Nui Marine Resource Council at Flatbread Company on November 23
2021-11-23 17:00 - 21:00 UTC | Flatbread Company, 89 Hana Hwy, Paia, HI, 96779, United States
Enjoy some exceptionally delicious wood-fired pizza and support efforts to protect Maui’s coral reefs at a benefit for the nonprofit Maui Nui Marine Resource Council at Flatbread Company in Paia on Tuesday, November 23.
All pizzas purchased between 5 pm and 9 pm that day will help raise needed funds for Maui Nui Marine Resource Council’s work to restore healthy coral reefs, clean ocean water and abundant native fish for the islands of Maui County. The Flatbread Company will donate $3.50 for each large flatbread and $1.75 for each small flatbread sold during the benefit, whether the pizza is for takeout or in-restaurant dining.
The staff of Maui Nui Marine Resource Council will be on hand to meet the public and talk about their nonprofit organization’s work including:

Ocean water quality monitoring at 29 Maui beaches through its unique community-based program Hui O Ka Wai Ola.
Improving ocean water quality in Māʻalaea Bay by installing caged oysters to filter out sediments and other pollutants.
Preventing sediment and pollution runoff from Pohakea watershed into Māʻalaea Bay
Educating visitors about protecting coral reefs by using only mineral-based sunscreens, avoiding walking or standing on corals, and keeping snorkel fins up and away from the reef while snorkeling.
Promoting reef friendly landscaping and avoiding the use of reef-harming herbicides and pesticides.

The Flatbread Company is located at 89 Hana Highway in Paia.
Celebrating 14 years, Maui Nui Marine Resource Council is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization working for clean ocean water and healthy coral reefs. To learn more, visit www.mauireefs.org.

“Talk Story with Maui Nui Marine Resource Council” on Wednesday, December 1 at 5:30 pm
2021-12-01 17:30 - 18:30 UTC | Zoom webinar
10,000 oysters cleaning the water in Māʻalaea Harbor. Hundreds of ocean water quality samples gathered and analyzed. Three new solar-powered monitoring buoys providing data for scientists worldwide. A major new grant to help prevent coastal flooding in Kihei. Education programs to help visitors protect Mauiʻs reefs as they enjoy our island’s beaches. And much more.   The public is invited to learn about the many projects underway at Maui Nui Marine Resource Council during a “Talk Story” evening with their staff on Wed. Dec. 1 from 5:30 to 6:30 pm on Zoom.
During the evening, attendees will learn about ways that this Maui-based nonprofit is working for healthy coral reefs, clean ocean water and a sustainable population of native fish for the islands of Maui County. Questions and suggestions will be welcomed, and door prizes will be awarded.
“We’re looking forward to sharing the latest news and developments at Maui Nui Marine Resource Council at this annual event,” said Mike Fogarty, Executive Director. “It’s been a very busy year for our staff, resulting in some exciting progress in our work to protect Maui’s reefs and nearshore waters.”
The evening will include details about an initiative to promote reef-friendly landscaping in South Maui, new technology that’s being used to identify ocean water quality issues along Maui’s coasts, and steps taken during 2021 to prevent ocean pollution caused by wildfires, feral axis deer, and marine debris transported into the ocean from Maui streams and gulches.
“We guarantee you’ll learn a lot about coral reef protection and why it is so important to the future of our island,” noted Amy Hodges, Programs and Operations Manager at Maui Nui Marine Resource Council. “And in turn, we want to hear from our community, to learn about your ideas and suggestions for protecting Maui’s coastal waters.”
Due to Covid-19, this annual event will once again be held by Zoom. Preregistration is required. To sign up, visit https://bit.ly/MNMRCUpdates.

Free Zoom Presentation on Wed. Feb. 2 by Dr. Jennifer Lynch: “Did Maui’s expanded polystyrene ban improve the amounts or types of plastic on Maui beaches?”
2022-02-02 17:30 - 18:30 (Pacific/Honolulu) | Zoom webinar
KIHEI, HI – On December 31, 2018, Maui County banned the use, sale or provision of polystyrene food service containers as a step to protect marine wildlife and bird populations. The County took this step after learning about the lightweight nature of polystyrene and its ability to break down into smaller fragments that persist for decades, contributing to the potential illness and death of marine animals and birds that mistake the small fragments for food and ingest them.
Did this ban improve the amounts or types of plastic on Maui beaches? Learn what recent research has found at a free Zoom presentation by Dr. Jennifer M. Lynch, the co-director of the Hawaii Pacific University Center for Marine Debris Research. Her talk will take place on Wednesday, February 2 at 5:30 pm as part of Maui Nui Marine Resource Councilʻs Know Your Ocean Speaker Series, sponsored by the County of Maui Office of Economic Development.

Admission is free, but advance reservation is required. To register, visit https://bit.ly/MauiPlasticWebinar.
Dr. Lynch is one of eight co-authors on a study titled, “Did Maui’s expanded polystyrene ban (County Ord. No. 4457) improve the amounts or types of plastic pollution on Maui beaches?“
The study abstract states that “in order to protect native wildlife and Hawaii’s unique coastal environments, reduce plastic waste, and promote the health and welfare of the residents of Hawaii, bans on single-use plastic items have been implemented by some local municipalities. However, the impacts and effectiveness of these policies has been rarely studied.”
The study used polymer identification methods to determine if ordinance number 4457 had an effect on the amount and composition of plastic marine debris on five Maui beaches.
The authors of the study are Kerrianne O’Malley, Hawaii Pacific University Center for Marine Debris Research; Sheena Weller, Hawaii Pacific University Center for Marine Debris Research; Cheryl King, Sharkastics; Jens Currie, Pacific Whale Foundation; Kayla Brignac, Hawaii Pacific University Center for Marine Debris Research; Melissa Jung, Hawaii Pacific University Center for Marine Debris Research; Regina Ostergaard-Klem, Hawaii Pacific University and Jennifer M. Lynch, National Institute of Standards and Technology and Hawaii Pacific University Center for Marine Debris Research.
“We are excited to host Dr. Lynch and to learn about her findings about how Mauiʻs polystyrene ban has impacted the debris on our local beaches,” commented Michael Fogarty, Executive Director of Maui Nui Marine Resource Council. “Her findings are valuable for our nonprofit, especially now as we launch a National Geographic-funded study of the streams and gulches that are transporting plastic waste to Mauiʻs beaches and shorelines.”
“Polystyrene foam is lightweight, floats, and is more likely to be blown from landfills, even when disposed of properly,” reports the website Foam Free Maui County. Recent studies conducted by University of Hawaii at Manoa show that methane and ethylene (major contributors to global warming) are emitted as polystyrene breaks down (Royer et al 2018). Carbon dioxide is also emitted (Ward et al 2019).
“Join our presentation to learn what is being found here on Maui,” notes Meredith Beeson, Project and Research Coordinator at Maui Nui Marine Resource Council and the coordinator of the Know Your Ocean Speaker Series. “Sign up today at https://bit.ly/MauiPlasticWebinar.”
Jill Wirt, Project and Research Coodinator at Maui Nui Marine Research Council will emcee the free event.
About Dr. Jennifer M. (Keller) Lynch
Dr. Jennifer Lynch has worked for the National Institute of Standards and Technology since 2003, and became the Co-Director of the Hawaii Pacific University (HPU) Center for Marine Debris Research (CMDR) in 2019. The CMDR was purposefully established in Hawaii, one of the most plastic polluted marine environments. Dr. Lynch’s research focuses on developing optimal methods to quantify and chemically characterize plastic marine debris to answer questions about pollution quantities, sources, fate, transport, effects, and reuse. She has authored 61 peer-reviewed publications and four book chapters, and mentored over 45 graduate students.
About Maui Nui Marine Resource Council
Maui Nui Marine Resource Council (MNMRC) is a Maui-based non-profit organization working for clean ocean water, healthy coral reefs and a restoration of abundant native fish for the islands of Maui County. MNMRC is recognized for its ability to work with the community to plan, fund, enact and manage culturally appropriate, science-based solutions to serious problems undermining nearshore ocean water quality and threatening local coral reefs. To learn more, visit www.mauireefs.org.

New FlushAware App to Be Topic of March 2 Know Your Ocean Speaker Series
2022-03-02 17:30 - 19:00 (Pacific/Honolulu) | Zoom webinar
Meet the App’s Developer and Learn More About Where Wastewater Goes When You Flush Your Toilet on Maui
PAIA, MAUI, HI – The average person flushes their toilet five times per day. But when you flush, do you know where your wastewater goes and what impacts it has on the ocean where you surf or swim, the beaches where you play and the fish that you eat from our coastal waters? Maui Nui Marine Resource Council invites you to learn more about the path that wastewater follows once it leaves your toilet and how your wastewater is impacting our nearshore ocean water quality at a special Know Your Ocean Speaker Series presentation on Zoom on Wed. March 2 at 5:30 pm featuring Travis Liggett as the guest speaker. To reserve your spot, please visit https://bit.ly/FlushAwareWebinar
Liggett is the president of Reef Power LLC and the developer of the new FlushAware app with a demonstration website launch for Maui island users slated for March 2022.
“FlushAware is a new online education system that will inform users about the treatment level and destination of their Maui Island disposal method, while providing tools for activism and improving life downstream,” says Liggett.
During his presentation, Liggett will demonstrate how the new FlushAware app will work, and will discuss solutions to Maui’s wastewater challenges, which he says can be found in the living life support ʻĀina. “Native species such as stream limu, breadfruit and taro provide answers to our water waste woes. Instead of nearshore injection, municipal discharges in Maui can be polished with turf scrubbers to reduce nutrient pollution using local freshwater algae,” reports Liggett. “The wastewater can then be 100% reused as irrigation of native food agroforestry, pastureland, and vetiver slope stabilization plantings to reduce sediment transport potential from mauka lands.”
Travis Liggett graduated from University of California at Berkeley with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering with a focus on design in 1998, and from the University of Colorado at Boulder with a Master of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering with a focus on life science in 2003.
In 2001 Liggett started work as a Research Assistant at BioServe Space Technologies, a NASA Commercial Space Center located at CU Boulder, and continued his tenure working for the Agency as a Flight Systems Engineer for the Space Station Biological Research Project starting in 2003, then as an Aerospace Research Engineer focusing on functional prototype development of new life science technologies from 2005 – 2010 at NASA Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, located in California’s Silicon Valley.

On Maui, he has managed algae growth operations at Maui Tropical Algae Farm, and served as Principal Engineer for Water Quality Consulting, Inc., where he performed core duties including work on the Maui Ocean Center’s 2018 NPDES permit application.
Liggett founded the small business Reef Power LLC in 2018 with the objective of bringing to Maui a natural regenerative reuse wastewater nutrient polishing system called a turf scrubber growing native Hawaiian stream limu (freshwater macroalgae), coupled with native food agroforest irrigation for disposal, instead of nearshore injection wells.
“Wastewater has a significant impact on Maui’s coral reefs and nearshore ocean water quality, whether you live in Kula or Kihei,” says Mike Fogarty, Executive Director of Maui Nui Marine Resource Council. “The FlushAware App will contribute to our community’s growing awareness of the impacts of each and every flush – the first step in finding an answer to the question of how to manage our wastewater to protect our reefs and the ocean waters that surround our shores.”
The Know Your Ocean Speaker Series is hosted on the first Wednesday of each month and is funded in part by the County of Maui Office of Climate Change, Resiliency and Sustainability and by donations from individuals and businesses in the community. To learn more, visit www.mauireefs.org.
Photo at right: A turf scrubber reduces nutrient pollution using local freshwater algae.

Can a non-scientist do science? Free Zoom presentation on April 6 to present global and local community science projects on Maui
2022-04-06 17:30 - 19:00 (Pacific/Honolulu) | Zoom webinar
Increasingly, scientists are asking for the public’s help to understand a wide range of topics from earthquakes to water quality to where animals live and more. Learn more about community or “citizen” science and how you can contribute to aiding conservation work in particular, at a free Zoom presentation on Wednesday, April 6 at 5:30 pm. This free event is hosted by Maui Nui Marine Resource Council as part of its Know Your Ocean Speaker Series with support from the County of Maui Office of Sustainability and Climate Resilience.

Reservations are required. To reserve your spot at this free Zoom presentation, please visit https://bit.ly/MauiCitizenScienceWebinar
Through presentations by guest speakers Dr. Mark Deakos, Cheryl King, John Starmer and Jennifer Vander Veur, you’ll be introduced to some global citizen science projects that are relevant to Maui and hear about some long running community science projects taking place in Maui County that are seeking volunteers.
“If you want to make a difference in understanding the effects of climate change, protect native habitats and the species they rely on, or simply become more aware of the world around you, citizen science is a great way to get involved and make a difference,” notes John Starmer, Chief Scientist at Maui Nui Marine Resource Council and Volunteer Coordinator at City Nature Challenge (CNC) on Maui.
Maui Nui Marine Resource Council is a Maui-based nonprofit that relies upon citizen volunteers for its Hui O Ka Wai Ola ocean water quality monitoring program at 29 locations along Maui’s shores.
Starmer is the Volunteer Coordinator with City Nature Challenge. Started in 2016 as a competition between San Francisco and Los Angeles, the City Nature Challenge (CNC) has grown into an international event, motivating people around the world to find and document wildlife in their cities. The challenge is organized by Community Science teams at the California Academy of Sciences and the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County and occurs during a four day period. From April 29 to May 2, participants take photos of wild plants and animals. From May 3 to May 8, participants identify what was found. During this friendly competition, the winner is the city that gathers the most observations of nature, finds the most species and engages the most people in the event.
“Because our urban areas are a bit smaller than most cities (like San Francisco or Hong Kong), our Maui team decided to aggregate the whole island (plus Molokini Crater) for the purpose of the challenge,” says Starmer.
Dr. Mark Deakos is the Founder, President and Chief Scientist of the Hawai‘i Association for Marine Education and Research (HAMER). Mark will be focusing on his manta ray photo-identification catalog of over 600 individuals.
Cheryl King will be summarizing information about two of her citizen scientist-related projects: SHARKastics (marine debris research and cleanups) and Hawaiian Hawksbill Conservation (the statewide in-water photo-identification catalog for critically endangered Hawaiian hawksbill sea turtles from 1998-present). She’s also a Seabird Biology Technician with the Maui Nui Seabird Recovery Project, so will be presenting potential volunteer opportunities with seabirds and colony restoration.
“There are so many wonderful, diverse ways to get involved in helping our precious natural resources and habitats of Maui Nui, so we hope to inspire a new batch of volunteers to join the critical work that’s being done all around Maui every day,” says King.
Jennifer Vander Veur is the Senior Program Manager of the Coral Reef Alliance of Maui Nui. “We are proud to support a dedicated team of local volunteers in Maui, Hawai’i, as they work to protect the valuable coral reefs in their community,” says Vander Veur. Her program works with volunteers who grow and plant native vegetation at key locations near coastal streams, which act as natural barriers and trap sediment runoff before it reaches the ocean and coral reefs.
“Getting the public involved in science projects allows scientists to take on projects that they could not do on their own with the limited funding and time that are available to typical research projects,” says Starmer.
“Maui Nui Marine Resource Council is hosting this talk to help Maui residents and visitors learn about the opportunities to participate in citizen science projects and help our community better understand and protect our natural resources,” says Meredith Beeson, who organizes the Know Your Ocean Speaker Series at Maui Nui Marine Resource Council. “Please join this event to learn how you can get involved and make a difference.”

Cheryl King

John Starmer
Jennifer Vander Veur

Dr. Mark Deakos

Public Invited to Free Zoom Presentation on Solving Climate Change with the World’s Mightiest Seaweed
2022-05-04 17:30 - 19:00 (Pacific/Honolulu) | Zoom webinar
Discover a Hawai’i Grown Solution to the Global Climate Challenge on Wednesday May 4 at 5:30 pm
KIHEI, HI – Learn how the startup company Symbrosia is working to solve climate change by reducing livestock methane emissions with seaweed that’s grown sustainably in Hawaiʻi, at a free Zoom presentation offered on Wednesday, May 4 at 5:30 pm. The presenters will be Daisy Stock and Kylie Tuitavuki of Symbrosia.
This Zoom presentation is offered as part of Maui Nui Marine Resource Council’s Know Your Ocean Speaker Series, supported by the County of Maui Office of Climate Change, Resiliency and Sustainability. Admission is free, but preregistration is required. To sign up, visit https://bit.ly/SymbrosiaWebinar.
“Symbrosia has been developing a breakthrough seaweed supplement that, when sprinkled into animal feed, increases growth rates and reduces the methane emissions from cows by over 90%,” Tuitavuki reports.
The seaweed is Asparagopsis taxiformis, which Symbrosia views as the sustainable feed material of the future for the world’s millions of farmers and billions of farm animals.
“We are collecting, cultivating and partnering with ranchers and farmers throughout the Hawaiian Islands, to support local food systems and the local economy while also fighting against climate change,” notes Stock, who is the R&D Manager at Symbrosia. “Our team is currently scaling up sustainable production in Kailua Kona, HI at Symbrosia’s pilot facility.”
“The United Nations has declared 2020-2030 the ‘decade of ecosystem restoration’,” said Tuitavuki, a member of Symbrosia’s Business Development team. “While seaweed has long been touted for its impressive array of restorative ecosystem services, only recently has research started to uncover algae’s potential within the food, animal feed, and biofuel sectors.”
“Maui Nui Marine Resource Council is pleased to offer this talk as part of our Know Your Ocean Speaker Series,” comments Meredith Beeson, who coordinates the monthly speaker series. “We look forward to helping our community learn about a potential solution that can help address livestock methane pollution, which currently accounts for 6% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions.”
“If enough cows, sheep, and goats start snacking on this methane-vanquishing seaweed, it will prevent gigatons of greenhouse gases from entering the atmosphere and will bring the entire animal agriculture industry one big step closer to being carbon neutral,” reports the Symbrosia website. “This will make a huge difference in the fight against climate change.”
To learn more about Symbrosia, please visit https://symbrosia.co.
The Know Your Ocean Speaker Series is hosted by the nonprofit Maui Nui Marine Resource Council on the first Wednesday of each month and is funded in part by the County of Maui Office of Climate Change, Resiliency and Sustainability and by donations from individuals and businesses in the community. To learn more, visit www.mauireefs.org.
To reserve your free spot at this talk, please visit https://bit.ly/SymbrosiaWebinar
About Daisy Stock
Leading the R&D team at Symbrosia, Daisy investigates novel approaches to A. taxiformis strain selection and development. Prior to joining the team, she worked in a NASA laboratory investigating the origin of life through isotopic analysis of meteoric material. While earning her B.S. in Marine Science from UC Berkeley, Daisy completed her undergraduate thesis on light sensory mechanisms of sea urchin and contributed to marine conservation research in Panama, Mo’orea, Hawai’i, and California. Daisy is passionate about inclusive, community-oriented science and is excited for the future of marine based approaches to climate change mitigation.
About Kylie Tuitavuki
As a member of the Business Development team, Kylie facilitates outreach, community building, and story-telling for Symbrosia’s partners throughout the Hawaiian Islands. In addition to her work at Symbrosia, Kylie is a current graduate student at UH Mānoa investigating the long-term sustainability of indigenous cropping systems and their potential for revitalization that would support local food systems. While earning a B.A. in Anthropology and Integrative Biology at UC Berkeley, Kylie completed her senior thesis on the impact of long-term agricultural management strategies on soil health and has worked on several community-based research projects in Vanuatu, Mo’orea, and Hawai’i. Kylie is passionate about equitable, inclusive, and community centered research and is thrilled to uplift local and underserved communities in the fight against climate change.

About Maui Nui Marine Resource Council
Maui Nui Marine Resource Council (MNMRC) is a Maui-based non-profit organization working for clean ocean water, healthy coral reefs and a restoration of abundant native fish for the islands of Maui County. MNMRC is recognized for its ability to work with the community to plan, fund, enact and manage culturally appropriate, science-based solutions to serious problems undermining nearshore ocean water quality and threatening local coral reefs. To learn more, visit www.mauireefs.org.

Public invited to free presentation on first community-based marine conservation network on Maui
2022-06-01 17:30 - 18:30 (Pacific/Honolulu) | Zoom webinar
Kihei, HI – The public is invited to a free presentation on “Weaving the Net – How the Maui Nui Makai Network is connecting communities for a healthy land and sea of tomorrow” to be held on Wed. June 1 at 5:30 pm via Zoom.
At this free event, speakers Maile Shannon and Scott Crawford will share the story of the Maui Nui Makai Network, including ongoing projects and its vision for the future. The Network includes nine member communities that actively manage coastal areas of Maui Nui, incorporating native Hawaiian values, knowledge and experiences into management practices. Through the Network, member sites share and learn from their diverse experiences, lessons and best practices to help each other mālama (care for) specific makai (seaward) areas.
The presentation is hosted by Maui Nui Marine Resource Council as part of its “Know Your Ocean Speaker Series” with support by the County of Maui Office of Climate Change, Resiliency, and Sustainability (CCRS).
While the presentation is free, pre-registration is required. To register, visit https://bit.ly/MNMNWebinar
The speakers for this presentation are:
Maile Shannon, the current Chair of the Maui Nui Makai Network. She has been involved in ‘āina-based work since 1999. Formerly a farmer/rancher, Shannon has worked and volunteered as a conservationist in the nonprofit world since 2009 while raising her children Marcus, Shannon, and Hunter.
Scott Crawford, the current Secretary of the Maui Nui Makai Network. He has served as the Executive Director of Kipahulu Ohana, Inc. for 20 years, helping to manage Kapahu Living Farm traditional wetland taro farm, and the Malami i ke Kai program, including the proposed Kipahulu Moku Community Based Subsistence Fishing Area. He also works with other Network members from East Maui: Na Mamo O Mu’olea and Ke Ao Hali‘i (Save Hana Coast) and he helps to manage the Hana Farmers Market.
“We are pleased to host this event, to help the public learn about the Maui Nui Makai Network’s community-based approach to protecting the marine resources found along the shorelines of Maui County,” said Robin Newbold, Co-founder and Chair of Maui Nui Marine Resource Council. “We supported the creation of this Network in its early days and are pleased to be one of four Kākoʻo members, as we watch it grow and thrive, incorporating Hawaiian traditions to create an effective modern-day approach to protecting our nearshore reefs, marine wildlife and coastal waters.”
To register for this event, please visit https://bit.ly/MNMNWebinar
About Maui Nui Marine Resource Council
Maui Nui Marine Resource Council (MNMRC) is a Maui-based non-profit organization working for clean ocean water, healthy coral reefs and a restoration of abundant native fish for the islands of Maui County. MNMRC is recognized for its ability to work with the community to plan, fund, enact and manage culturally appropriate, science-based solutions to serious problems undermining nearshore ocean water quality and threatening local coral reefs. To learn more, visit www.mauireefs.org.

“Rally for the Reefs” webinar on Thursday, June 16 will focus on saving the reefs of Māʻalaea Bay
2022-06-16 17:30 - 19:00 (Pacific/Honolulu) | Zoom webinar
“Rally for the Reefs” webinar on Thursday, June 16 will focus on saving the reefs of Māʻalaea Bay
MĀʻALAEA, HI – Longtime Māʻalaea resident Peter Cannon remembers that during his childhood, “the coral reefs of Māʻalaea Bay were like the robust and healthy reefs that you see today at the ʻĀhihi-Kīnaʻu Natural Area Reserve.” He recalls that local families enjoyed harvests of ribbon limu from the bay, and there was an abundance of native fish and opae.
Since the 1970s, the coral reefs in Māʻalaea Bay have degraded so severely that Hawaii’s Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR) has described the situation as “a case study in total system collapse.” In their report, “Status and Trends of Maui’s Coral Reefs” DAR in partnership with the Coral Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program reported on their 1999 monitoring in Māʻalaea Bay and noted that the “end result of reef degradation is evident in Māʻalaea Bay.”
The report noted that in 1972, “Māʻalaea coral reefs were described as being ‘striking in their diversity and in the presence of rare corals species’. As late as 1993, estimated coral cover was 50- 75% close to the site where cover is now 8%. Therefore, in just a few decades, the Māʻalaea reef has transformed from a healthy and diverse ecosystem into a badly degraded habitat overgrown by algae and with little surviving coral.”
The report also noted that fish stocks in in Māʻalaea are now in very poor condition, and the reefs have been invaded by alien and invasive algae species.
Declining ocean water quality in Māʻalaea Bay is a major contributor of the decline. A new report for the years 2019 – 2022 by the Hui O Ka Wai Ola community-based ocean water quality monitoring program indicates that Māʻalaea Bay has excessive levels of nitrates, second only to the levels in Kihei Cove, of all the sites the program monitors along the leeward Maui coast.
What can Maui County residents and visitors do to improve the ocean water quality and save the reefs of Māʻalaea Bay? Learn about the steps that are proposed — and how individuals can help – at an online Rally for the Reefs webinar to be held on Thursday, June 16 at 5:30 pm via Zoom.
Admission is free, but reservations are required. To reserve your spot, visit https://bit.ly/Rally4Reefs.
The “Rally for the Reefs” webinar will feature presentations by:
Stuart Coleman
Founder and Executive Director of WAI (Wastewater Alternatives & Innovations)
Coleman will discuss modern wastewater alternatives and innovations that will make it possible to reduce the pollution that has been harming the corals in Māʻalaea Bay.
Maui County Councilmember Kelly Takaya King
(Holds the County Council seat for South Maui)
Councilmember King will discuss the funding for the improved wastewater treatment system for Māʻalaea in the County’s 2023 budget and the steps ahead to make this system a reality.
State Representative Angus L.K. McKelvey
(Representing West Maui – Māʻalaea – North Kihei)
Representative McKelvey will explain how the State can help establish improved wastewater treatment in Māʻalaea, and why the proposed wastewater treatment project in Māʻalaea could serve as a model for other small communities throughout Hawaii that are looking for replacements for cesspools, injection wells and septic systems.
“The community has been working hard to identify and address the problems that have undermined the ocean water quality of Māʻalaea Bay and harmed the coral reefs,” said Mike Fogarty, Executive Director of Maui Nui Marine Resource Council. “We’ve now reached critical junctures that will decide if and when some of the proposed solutions to the problems of water pollution and reef loss will be addressed. We need to act now to save Māʻalaea’s reefs before it’s too late. Please attend the Rally for the Reefs to learn what can and should be done.”
The Rally for the Reefs webinar is sponsored by WAI, Maui Ocean Center, Māʻalaea Village Association, Maui Nui Marine Resource Council, Maui Ocean Center Marine Institute and Sierra Club Maui Group.
To register to attend this free Zoom event, please visit https://bit.ly/Rally4Reefs.

Free Presentation on “Nature Based Solutions to Cesspools and Injection Wells -- Latest Findings from Field Research” Offered on Wed. July 6
2022-07-06 17:30 - 19:00 (Pacific/Honolulu) | Zoom webinar
Are there effective nature-based solutions that can help replace the 90,000 cesspools in the state of Hawaii that are currently releasing nearly 53 million gallons of raw, untreated human waste into the environment each day?
Can nature-based methods also provide quick-to-install alternatives to the injection wells located throughout the state that are used for wastewater disposal, often to the detriment of nearshore ocean waters and coral reefs?
Get the answers to these questions at a free Zoom webinar on Wed. July 6 at 5:30 pm. The presenters will be Paul Sturm, founder and Executive Director of the nonprofit organization Ridge to Reefs, and John Astilla, a local farmer and founder/owner of Sunshine Vetiver Solutions.
The presentation is part of Maui Nui Marine Resource Council’s monthly Know Your Ocean Speaker Series, supported by the County of Maui.
Admission is free, but advance reservations are required.  To reserve your spot, visit https://bit.ly/RidgeToReefsWebinar.
Sturm will discuss a nature-based treatment system for cesspool conversion which has been shown to be highly effective in six months of testing with University of Hawaii. It relies upon native plant and restoration plant species which use evapotranspiration to reduce the concentration and volume of effluent released to the environment and functions as a zero discharge system.
Astilla and Sturm will also discuss the results of a pilot project adjacent to the Kihei wastewater plant that demonstrates an alternative to injection wells that is less costly, highly effective and more space efficient. This pilot project demonstrates techniques that can be used to treat effluent from any of Maui’s three wastewater plants.
Cesspools are little more than holes in the ground that discharge raw, untreated human waste into the environment, where it finds its way into groundwater drinking supplies, rivers and the ocean. There are about 12,000 cesspools on Maui and 1,400 on Molokai. In 2017, the Hawai‘i State Legislature passed Act 125, which mandates that by January 1, 2050, all cesspools in the State, unless granted exemption, shall upgrade or convert to a septic or aerobic treatment unit, or connect to a sewer system (Act 125, 2017).   But replacing a cesspool with an approved septic system requires a significant cash outlay for most homeowners, with an average cost of more than $23,000 per cesspool replacement.
“More than 53 million gallons of human sewage enters Hawaii’s environment each day through cesspools; this sewage contaminates groundwater drinking water supplies and our coastal ocean waters, creating algae blooms and harm to corals,” says Sturm. “That’s why Ridge to Reefs has focused on finding affordable nature-based alternatives to cesspools, to ease the financial burden on homeowners and businesses, and provide a solution to this pollution issue.”
Sturm and Astilla will also be describing an affordable, nature-based methods to replace the use of injection wells to re-use or dispose of treated wastewater. These methods have been tested at a pilot site near the Kihei Wastewater Reclamation Facility. Results of this pilot project will be presented during the Zoom webinar.  “Throughout the state of Hawaii, more than 500 injection wells, most of which were dedicated to the disposal of treated sewage effluent, had been installed by 1985,” reports Sturm. “Unfortunately, this effluent has been found to enter our coastal waters, where it contributes to coral reef deterioration.”
“We are pleased to provide a nature-based alternatives that are affordable, easily installed and scalable to provide a safe way to take up treated wastewater and keep it out of the ocean,” says Sturm. “This method offers a stopgap solution which can be integrated into until more extensive piping and infrastructure can be constructed to direct the treated wastewater to agricultural and landscaping purposes.”
“We are happy to bring this informative talk to the public, as it presents real answers to the problems that threaten our reefs and drinking water supplies,” says Mike Fogarty, Executive Director of Maui Nui Marine Resource Council. “To ensure clean ocean water along our coasts and the conditions needed for healthy coral reefs, Maui must address its wastewater problems and implement alternatives to cesspools and injection wells now – our reefs simply can’t wait.”
To register for this talk, please visit https://bit.ly/RidgeToReefsWebinar
About Paul Sturm:
Paul Sturm is the founder and Executive Director of the nonprofit organization Ridge to Reefs. Founded in 2011, Ridge to Reefs works to protect and restore coastal and coral reef ecosystems by reducing land-to-sea pollution with nature based solutions. His expertise includes treating polluted storm and wastewater by establishing green infrastructure solutions such as constructed wetlands, rain gardens and bioreactors. Ridge to Reefs currently has projects in the Chesapeake Bay, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Palau, and American Samoa.  Paul has spent over 25 years working on watershed plans, implementation projects, sustainable agriculture and code changes in the Chesapeake Bay watershed and around the country. Early in his career, he spent 6 years researching the effectiveness of implementation of agricultural and urban Best Management Practices and developed methods to track and target pollution source areas in agricultural watersheds.

Public invited to free Aug. 3 presentation on whale shark research and conservation in Hawaiʻi
2022-08-03 17:30 - 18:30 (Pacific/Honolulu) | Zoom webinar
MAʻALAEA, MAUI, HI – Whale shark sightings have been reported throughout the Hawaiian Islands, but very little is known about these slow-moving, filter-feeding giant fish. It’s unknown how many individual whale sharks frequent Hawaii’s waters, where they are coming from or going to, and where they are most frequently seen.
The nonprofit Hawai’i Unchartered Research Collective (HURC) is working to fill in gaps about whale sharks through research and investigations of local and global threats to these mysterious animals. Learn what HURC is discovering about Hawaii’s whale sharks at a free Zoom presentation by Maria Harvey, Director and Chief Research of HURC on Wednesday, August 3 at 5:30 pm. The presentation is free, but preregistration is required. To sign up, visit https://bit.ly/WhaleSharkWebinar
The presentation is hosted by Maui Nui Marine Resource Council as part of its monthly Know Your Ocean Speaker Series. This event is sponsored by the County of Maui Office of Climate Change, Resiliency, and Sustainability (CCRS).
Harvey formed Hawai‘i Uncharted Research Collective in 2017. Her research non-profit provides an avenue to couple her research and education background with her love for the Hawaiian Islands, ocean conservation and the charismatic whale sharks that inhabit the deep blue waters of the Pacific.
Her presentation will dive into some of HURC’s results so far, the efforts that are underway to protect whale sharks and the organization’s future plans.
Harvey graduated from the University of Hawaii in 2009 with a bachelor’s degree in Marine Science and is currently working on her graduate degree in Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Biology.
Harvey’s love for the ocean, education, wilderness, and research has taken her all over the world in recent years. Notably, Harvey has worked in Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, Mexico and Cape Cod. During her travels, she has worked as a Captain, naturalist, expedition guide, assistant researcher, and currently a level-4 marine animal disentanglement specialist. Her work and studies have encompassed a variety of species, including spinner dolphins, humpback whales, right whales, bottlenose dolphins, leatherback turtles and whale sharks.
In recent years, Harvey has been a guest lecturer and distinguished speaker for private universities and cruise operations, including the University of Pennsylvania’s Veterinary School, Georgetown University, and UnCruise Adventures.
“Those who have encountered whale sharks in the wild say it is an extremely memorable experience,” said Meredith Beeson, Maui Nui Marine Resource Council’s Research and Program’s Coordinator and manager of the Know Your Ocean Speaker Series. “This free talk will bring you up-close to the world of whale sharks, through Maria Harvey’s work to understand and protect them. Come join us online for this fascinating evening presentation.”
To register, please visit https://bit.ly/WhaleSharkWebinar

Chase Great White Sharks with World-Renowned Photographer David Fleetham in Next Know Your Ocean Speaker Series Webinar
2022-09-07 17:30 - 18:30 (Pacific/Honolulu)
KIHEI – For most ocean goers, coming across a great white shark would probably spark fear. But for underwater photographer and former National Geographic assignment photographer David Fleetham, these sharks sparked fascination and sent him on a journey around the world to photograph them and dispel the fear that comes with sharks.
The public is invited to learn more about these animals and Fleetham’s journeys in a free presentation, “Photographing Great White Sharks – A journey to Australia, South Africa, Guadalupe Island Mexico and back to Hawaii.” The Zoom presentation will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 7 at 5:30 pm as part of Maui Nui Marine Resource Councilʻs monthly Know Your Ocean Speaker Series, sponsored by the County of Maui. Admission is free, but advanced registration is required. To register, please visit https://bit.ly/SharkPhotographyWebinar.
Fleetham will share stories and photographs from his 30-year-long mission to learn more about great white sharks and nail down an iconic image of a misunderstood myth.
“For me, the path to good photos of great white sharks has been one with many twists and turns,” said Fleetham. “In terms of perceptions, cage diving with the sharks has become an industry in many parts of the world and has changed our view of these impressive fish.”
Born in Vancouver, Canada in 1958, Fleetham is one of the most published underwater photographers in the world. He began diving and photographing underwater in 1976 and has called Hawaii home since 1986. For the first ten years he photographed in the cold, rich waters of British Columbia, Canada, and worked as a PADI Instructor and USCG Certified boat captain in various dive businesses in the Pacific Northwest and Hawaii. From Hawaii, David has been on assignments to Indonesia, the Galapagos Islands, South Africa, the Bahamas, Micronesia, Australia, Sri Lanka, the Sea of Cortez, China, the Red Sea, the Socorro Islands, numerous locations in the South Pacific and Caribbean, and back to the cold waters of British Columbia.
“Sharks are vital for ocean ecosystems, including coral reefs, where they help maintain a sound balance in the food web,” said Meredith Beeson, Project and Research Coordinator at Maui Nui Marine Resource Council. “Changing public perception and protecting these animals is crucial if we want to continue to enjoy the reefs around Maui Nui, and we’re excited to hear what David has to share from his experience working on this.”
More about David Fleetham’s Work:
Fleetham’s photographs have been published around the globe, with over two hundred magazine covers to date. In 1991 his photograph of a sandbar shark appeared on the cover of LIFE. It is the only underwater image to ever be published on the cover. His award winning work has been published by National Geographic, The Cousteau Society, and every North American diving publication.
In 2010 Fleetham’s image of a manatee was selected from 50,000 entries as the grand prizewinner in the professional division of the National Wildlife Federation’s photography contest. Galleries and agents in over 50 countries reproduce Fleetham’s images thousands of times each year. The American Museum of Natural History, The Smithsonian Museum, The North Carolina Museum of Natural History, The London Zoo, Hong Kong Museum, The Maui Ocean Center, The Waikiki, Vancouver, Monterey Bay, New Jersey State, and Ripley’s Aquariums and the Aquarium of the Americas all display his work.
Fleetham is a founding member of The Ocean Artists Society, whose members include James Cameron, Wyland, David Doubilet, and Al Giddings. You can see his work on his website, and he can be found on Instagram @davidfleetham.

Hui O Ka Wai Ola Reports on Six Years of Monitoring Maui’s Coastal Water Quality 2016-2022
2023-02-01 17:30 - 18:30 (Pacific/Honolulu) | Zoom webinar
How do you know the water off your favorite beach is clean enough to swim in? You have a group of volunteers to thank for that. Prompted by caring for the health of our residents, visitors, and the culturally important and ecologically sensitive coral reefs off our shores, Hui O Ka Wai Ola (the Hui) has been keeping track of changes in water quality on Maui since 2016.
To register (it’s FREE), visit https://bit.ly/HOKWOwebinar2023.
Learn more about the Hui water quality monitoring program, how the past year’s massive storms and brown water events affected water quality, and the new pesticide sampling project on a free Zoom webinar on Wed. February 1 at 5:30 pm, presented by Liz Yannell, the Hui’s Senior Team Leader.
The presentation is part of Maui Nui Marine Resource Council’s monthly Know Your Ocean Speaker Series, supported by the County of Maui. Admission is free, but advance reservations are required.
To reserve your spot, visit https://bit.ly/HOKWOwebinar2023.
In this month’s MNMRC Know Your Ocean Speaker Series talk, Liz Yannell, the Hui’s Senior Team Lead, speaks about water quality observations taken over the last year and looks at long-term trends from the past six years. We’ll also hear about an ongoing collaborative project with the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to evaluate pesticide contamination in waters along our coast.
The Hui O Ka Wai Ola is a volunteer-based water quality monitoring organization that is a partnership between MNMRC, The Nature Conservancy, and the West Maui Ridge to Reef Initiative. The Hui’s members include volunteers from diverse backgrounds like scientists and community organizations. The Hawaii Department of Health is mandated to monitor coastal water quality around the islands and encourages partnerships with groups such as the Hui to improve data about pollutants threatening coral reefs and human health.
The Hui’s culture of collaboration and a deep interest in ocean health made for a natural partnership with NOAA’s NCCOS (National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science) carrying out the fieldwork needed for a research study to address a long-standing gap in our understanding of Maui’s water quality, “current use” pesticides. Current use pesticides are still legally in use for pest control vs those, like DDT, that are no longer on the market in the US. Current use pesticides are one class of chemicals that has long been overlooked here in Maui. Pollutants in the water are typically measured by collecting a one-time “grab sample” (i.e. a bottle of water). While these can provide good information, especially when repeated over time, the drawback to using grab samples is that low-level pollutants can be missed. Passive samplers that absorb chemicals in the environment over time can be used to sample for a longer period of time. This minimizes the likelihood of missing the presence of a pollutant. In the current project, silicone bands will be used to soak up any pesticides in the water at eighteen nearshore reefs along leeward Maui. This work will provide a more comprehensive assessment of pesticide pollution in our coastal waters, and help guide pollution reduction actions if needed.

Free Webinar: Catch and Release: Large Whale Entanglement Response in Hawaiʻi
2024-10-02 17:30 - 18:30 (Pacific/Honolulu) | Zoom webinar
MAUI, HI – The Maui Nui Marine Resource Council (MNMRC) will host the October edition of its “Know Your Ocean Speaker Series” featuring Maria Harvey. on Wednesday, October 2 at 5:30 p.m. via Zoom.
Entanglement is one of the leading causes of mortality in large whales. In her talk, Harvey, the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary’s (HIHWNMS) Large Whale Resource Protection, Rescue, and Monitoring Assistant will share stories, dive into the history of response efforts, and share strategies used by authorized entanglement responders. She will also share ways individuals can help in entanglement situations and what the future for large whale disentanglement looks like in the Hawaiian Islands.
Harvey earned her B.A. in Marine Science from the University of Hawaiʻi in 2009 and is currently working on her graduate degree in Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology. She has worked as a Captain, naturalist, expedition guide, assistant researcher, and a level-4 marine animal disentanglement specialist. Her work and studies have encompassed a variety of species, including spinner dolphins, humpback whales, right whales, leatherback turtles, and whale sharks. In recent years, Harvey formed Hawai‛i Uncharted Research Collective, a research non-profit, that provides an avenue to couple her research and education background with her love for the Hawaiian Islands, ocean conservation, and the charismatic whale sharks that inhabit the deep blue waters of the Pacific. Her educational background and professional experience brought her to Lynker in support of the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary and their large whale health monitoring and disentanglement efforts.
Registration for the talk is free and can be completed at https://bit.ly/KYOMHOCT24.

Speaker Series: Global & Local Coastal Water Quality Data Visualization: A New Tool for Maui's Community
2024-12-04 17:30 - 18:30 (Pacific/Honolulu) | Zoom webinar
Join us for a conversation on how Aqualink, a leading platform for real-time oceanographic data, is partnering with water quality monitoring organization Hui O Ka Wai Ola (HOKWO) to empower residents and scientists alike to track water quality and ocean conditions in real-time. Learn about new tools for monitoring sea surface temperature, wind, and wave conditions alongside HOKWO’s essential data on salinity, pH, and turbidity. The partnership aims to highlight the importance of “thinking globally, acting locally,” equipping Maui’s community with insights to safeguard its cherished beaches and reefs. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn more about the global network of ocean advocates and how you can make a meaningful impact in protecting Maui’s coastal waters! Register here:
Save your spot, register today!

Meet the Speaker: Caesar Hjertén, Project Manager at Aqualink

Caesar joined Aqualink in February 2022 with the goal of advancing the platform and increasing the organization’s impact. Caesar graduated from UH Hilo where he also played for the university’s soccer team. Caesar is passionate about our oceans and the environment. He likes to play sports, dive, surf, and other outdoor activities. At Aqualink, he manages the online platform, fleet of Smart Mooring buoys, and is Aqualink’s primary point of contact.

Meet the Speaker: Liz Yannell, Program Manager at Hui O Ka Wai Ola
Liz joined the Hui as Senior Team Leader in May 2022 and became the Program Manager in June 2023. She has a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies from Florida Gulf Coast University. In 2022, Liz graduated from the Marine Options Program at UH Maui and worked as the assistant in the marine lab on campus. As Program Manager, she is primarily responsible for coordinating various aspects of the program, including field, lab, and logistical support, coordinating fellow team leads, and managing the volunteer program. Her responsibilities include overseeing monitoring operations and data collection, entry, and record-keeping; team lead and volunteer training and coordination; preparing and maintaining supplies and equipment; and meeting with advisory Technical and Steering Committees to ensure successful continuity and growth of the program. She also often joins volunteers in collection and analysis of coastal water samples in the field. Liz is from O’ahu and currently lives in Kula with her two kids and husband. She loves all things ocean-related and is very passionate about coral reef conservation.
