Blog Archives: In the News

BY LOUISE ROCKETT , Lahaina News

OLOWALU – The Lahaina News started getting calls last week on Thursday about construction on Highway 30 south of Olowalu.

Aunty Patty Nishiyama of Na Kupuna O Maui asked, “What’s going on?

“They’re putting up those barriers again. The lanes are so small, and traffic is backed up. It looks dangerous; are we losing more access to the ocean?”

Article Photos

The Hawaii Department of Transportation is conducting roadwork near one of the largest and most pristine reefs in the state at Olowalu. PHOTO BY PAULINE FIENE.

[Above Photo] The state Department of Transportation has not reported its plans for work on Honoapiilani Highway at Olowalu.

The Lahaina native is a commuter along the vital two-lane state corridor – the only road in and out of West Maui.

She was incredulous: “One day the beach is there; the next it’s not.”

The Hawaiian elder wasn’t alone in asking questions; there were queries from others as well.

“What’s the scope of work? Are the barriers permanent? Don’t they know already that hardening the shoreline doesn’t work? Did they get a permit? How much is this going to cost? How much beach access have we lost? How long is this going to take? Why start now, in December?”

But the big puzzle is, why didn’t they tell us?

All good questions and legitimate, so the Lahaina News called the state Department of Transportation to get answers. With none forthcoming, Sen. Roz Baker stepped in and promptly wrote to department personnel.

“I would appreciate your assistance to respond to their (Lahaina News) request for information, so my constituents on the Westside, who rely on the Lahaina News for information, can be informed about the repairs currently being undertaken along Honoapi’ilani Highway.

“Please provide me,” Baker wrote in her e-mail request, “by close of business tomorrow, Friday, December 4, with the information requested and any other relevant information that relates to this project – scope, timing/duration, contractor, cost, do the repairs impede access, were any permits required, etc. – so that I may respond appropriately to the Lahaina News and my constituents in next week’s issue of the paper.”

The DOT did not respond before deadline, leaving another question hanging.

If construction has commenced, why is it so difficult to get a copy of the contract, its terms and scope of work? It is public information; is it not?

Mark Deakos is the president, founder, treasurer and chief scientist of the local nonprofit Hawaii Association of Marine Education and Research (HAMER).

He’s the go-to guy with questions and concerns about that part of the island, both on and offshore. He cares as much as the rest of West Maui about the impact of more seawalls on the health of our delicate marine ecosystem; it’s his milieu.

His experiences have taught him the importance of protecting aquatic life from ecological or manmade threats.

Like any credible scientist, Deakos was hesitant about making a statement without knowing the facts.

“Hard to make any comments,” he advised, “without hearing from DOT about what they are planning. I guess that is one of the issues – lack of communication from DOT,” he observed.

He volunteered, however, to check out the situation.

“It’s definitely further south than mile marker 14 and along a rocky shoreline with a previous eroded seawall.

“They have an excavator,” his observations continued, “so I’m guessing they are not just doing jersey barriers; most likely replacing the old seawall.

“So it appears that the popular mile marker 14 won’t be affected (except by accelerated erosion from either side of the new seawall).”

Deakos inspected offshore conditions.

“I snorkeled about six transect lines from the shoreline out to about 400 meters offshore,” he explained. “Most of the coral on the inshore (side) is dead and covered in sediment and debris; but, as you get offshore, there is some very nice coral structure and quite healthy surprisingly (not as much bleaching as I would have expected). It will be interesting to know what they plan to do, but I feel a little better that its a pre-existing seawall, although it would be nice to eventually have the old seawall removed as well as a lot of those boulders. Based on the sand just offshore, I bet a nice beach would return here if nature is allowed to do its thing.”

Next week, the state responds.

– See more at: https://www.lahainanews.com/page/content.detail/id/532183.html?nav=19&contentsaved=1#sthash.10sKFpkB.dpuf

https://www.lahainanews.com/page/content.detail/id/532183.html?nav=19&contentsaved=1

By EILEEN CHAO – Staff Writer ([email protected]) , The Maui News

“One of the most important local factors for recovery is going to be a healthy population of herbivores,” said researcher Benjamin Neal, who led an XL Catlin Seaview Survey team on a weeklong dive of reefs around Maui, Molokai, Lanai and Molokini last month.

Started in 2012, the survey aims to document the composition and health of coral reefs worldwide.

Article Photos

[Above photo] Brown water runs from Mahana Ridge into the stream and out into the ocean in West Maui. The runoff carries sediment into the ocean that could suffocate reefs, making their recovery even more challenging.  DANA REED photo

[Above] A side-by-side comparison of a coral colony just outside of Kahului Harbor shows signs of bleaching. This photo was taken in August. XL Catlin Seaview Survey photo

[Above] This photo was taken Nov. 7.  XL Catlin Seaview Survey photo

The team spent eight days in November surveying 20 sites, including Molokini, off of Central, West and South Maui, around Lanai and along the southeastern shore of Molokai. Bleaching, though at varying levels, was observed at every site, Neal said.

Researchers also noted how few parrotfish were spotted around Maui County waters, especially compared to how many had been seen during an expedition a decade ago.

“Parrotfish are particularly important for chewing up the algae,” Neal said.

Experts have warned that Hawaii stands to face its worst bleaching event ever this fall. Corals turn bone-white, or bleach, when ocean temperatures become warmer than the corals are used to. Though bleaching does not necessarily mean the corals will die, bleached corals become more susceptible to disease and other harmful conditions.

Neal said he expects that some of the sites that have experienced severe bleaching, such as Cathedrals off Lanai, are likely to be changed forever. McGregor Point near Maalaea, Molokini crater and Kahului Point also saw severe bleaching, though “it is not yet apparent why these sites were the worst,” Neal said.

World leaders are currently convening at a conference in Paris to discuss policies that could mitigate climate change. In the meantime, there are efforts local communities can undertake to better the reefs’ chances for recovery.

“One of the factors that will significantly influence recovery and how those corals come back is maintaining good water quality,” Neal said.

The Maui Nui Marine Resource Council released a report in October that found the state of Maui’s reefs is “poor.”

The report was recently presented to the Maui County Council Infrastructure and Environmental Management Committee, and it claims that nearly a quarter of Maui’s corals have been lost since 1993. The report identifies three primary drivers behind the decline of reef health: land-based pollutants and sediment that run off into the ocean; overfishing from the lack of regulation enforcement; and insufficient “resting” of certain sites to allow marine species to recover and replenish stocks.

“It’s like when someone is already very sick and then a flu epidemic comes along,” explained Robin Newbold, chairwoman of the Maui Nui Marine Resource Council. “They’re much more likely to die because their immune system is already compromised.”

Similarly, if corals are already stressed from being suffocated by sediment or overgrown algae, they’re less likely to survive a global event like ocean warming.

Higher ocean temperatures this summer “hit the reef when it was already at the tipping point,” Newbold said.

“We really need to do what we can to malama (take care of) the reef and get it back to health,” she said.

Limiting the impact of development in sensitive areas, like the proposed 1,500-home Olowalu Town project above Olowalu reef, is part of the challenge. Newbold and other environmentalists have been working with elected officials to negotiate initiatives that can be put in place to protect reefs.

One of the most immediate actions the community can take is to restrict fishing of herbivores, which feed on algae and keep it from suffocating the reef. Herbivores include parrotfish, rudderfish, surgeonfish and urchins.

The state adopted stricter bag and size limits last year for parrotfish and goatfish caught around Maui island, but Newbold said enforcement has been lax. She has seen photos of a group of fishermen who launch from Mala Wharf at night and dive with tanks, catching more than 50 fish at a time.

Under current law, no more than two parrotfish may be taken at a time, and no blue male parrotfish may be taken at all.

“None of these regulations are going to help without ample enforcement,” Newbold said. “We really think community management is an important step to take.”

Researchers predict that coral in the Kahekili Hervivore Fisheries Management Area and the Manele-Hulopoe Marine Life Conservation District on Lanai will make a faster and fuller recovery than other sites where herbivores aren’t protected, though they have yet to confirm that hypothesis. The Catlin Survey group hopes to return to Maui next year to document how corals have changed or recovered from the bleaching event.

* Eileen Chao can be reached at [email protected].

https://www.mauinews.com/page/content.detail/id/604790/Researchers-look-at-ways-for-coral-to-survive-bleaching–climate-change.html?nav=10

June 18, 2015

BY LOUISE ROCKETT, Lahaina News

LAHAINA – With Polanui Hiu leading the way on the West Side, the Community Managed Makai Area (CMMA) crusade is strong, healthy and growing on Maui.

There is nothing new about the concept of community management.

It’s a return to the traditional Hawaiian model of decentralized resource management, John Parks of Marine Management Solutions told the Lahaina News, adding, “where local families and knowledgeable leaders have more involvement and influence over the management and fate of the natural resources found within their own community and ahupua’a.”

Article Photos

Eco-stewards with Polanui Hiu meet monthly on the first Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon at 393 Front St. All are welcome.

Ekolu Lindsey is the po’o (head) of Polanui Hiu. He described how the CMMA was formed in the family’s front yard situated along the shoreline in south Lahaina.

“The seed was planted when I took my dad (the late Uncle Ed Lindsey) and son (Ka’elo Lindsey) out diving on the canoe back in 2005. My father was quick to notice a lack of all marine resources

“If we had to sustain ourselves with what is on the water fronting our family home today, we would all be very lean and hungry,” Ekolu observed.

In 2010, the CMMA seed germinated.

“We heard a talk by John Parks (then) of The Nature Conservancy,” Ekolu continued, “and he spoke of the Local Managed Marine Areas in Fiji, and the success they have had at the community level. We were fortunate enough to meet the first group from Fiji who started this movement.

“That was the start of what is known today in Maui Nui as the Community Managed Makai Area (CMMA) movement,” Ekolu advised, and Polanui Hiu (PH) was the first CMMA on the island.

Mark Deakos is a marine scientist and founder of the Hawaii Association for Marine Education and Research. He is a CMMA advocate.

“Top-down management is not doing a good enough job at managing natural resources. When the resource is in your backyard, it’s the local community that is best equipped to manage it, since they have the most to gain or lose,” Deakos said.

“Re-introducing traditional management practices into community management has been hugely successful in other island communities, and we are glad to see momentum in that direction here in Hawaii.”

According to the PH brochure, “The project area extends from the high water mark to 70 feet in depth and from Makila Point to the punawai (water spring) fronting 505 Front Street.

“The area encompasses 222 acres of sand and rock beach and fringing and patch coral reefs. The area is small enough to be manageable by the community group and large enough to show biological gains under the appropriate strategies.”

The name of the reef is Na Papalimu ‘O Pi’ilani, a bountiful place for limu and fish.

Since its inception, participants in the Polaniu Hiu project have numbered in the hundreds, with a diverse range of skills and backgrounds, but all working towards the same vision: “The waters of Polanui are thriving with an abundance of native fishes and limu. The community is empowered through aloha to malama Na Papalimu ‘O Pi’lani and ho’omau in our traditions for future generations.”

The eco-stewards meet monthly on the first Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon at 393 Front St., and they have an action plan: to preserve the natural shoreline; ho’opono na wai a kane a me Kanaloa (put in alignment the water of Kane and Kanaloa); and ho’ola hou na holoholo na a me na limu o Na Papalimu ‘O Pi’ilani (restore the healthy native Hawaiian reef ecosystem).

Their list of accomplishments is growing and impressive.

“We have brought a level of awareness and education to an area that has morphed from subsistence to recreational use. Education and awareness is the first steps before we can get to behavioral change,” Ekolu advised.

The publication of a 2015 West Maui Moon and Tide Calendar is a strong visual of a major achievement.

Baseline readings have also been conducted to help measure the success of their replenishment strategies.

“We have three years of studies for the area outside the reef,” Ekolu noted, “and we are working on gathering data on the near shore waters. Presence/ Absence Surveys, Fish Abundance Surveys, Human Use Surveys, Creel Surveys, Coral Reef Surveys, and Water Quality Testing are some of the tools we are using to measure our success or failure over time.”

However, there are challenges ahead.

“Polanui Hiu will be seeking a Community-Based Subsistence Fishing Area Designation recognized by DLNR (state Department of Land & Natural Resources). We will be asking for a five-year rest period to allow resources to recover,” Ekolu said.

Deakos supports these efforts and would like to form a CMMA in Olowalu.

“The science has come a long way,” Deakos said. “We now have the ability to take a coral sample and say something about when it was stressed and what caused the stress. Citizen science is a growing field and is contributing tremendously to the advancement of science.”

Parks is positive about the CMMA movement as well.

“CMMAs serve as a vehicle for local communities to fulfill their desire to organize and take immediate action on helping to reverse the negative trends they have observed regarding the health of the marine resources in their neighborhood.

“Second,” Parks continued, “CMMAs support local families in actively asserting their traditional responsibilities as lineal descendants over nearshore marine waters while clearly demonstrating the benefit of doing so”

“Finally,” Parks remarked, “CMMAs are a non-government process that may actually help county and state government agencies fulfill their regulatory mandates.”

“Polanui Hiu is only the beginning,” Parks concluded.

“The Lindsey family and their south Lahaina neighbors are leading the charge in how the corals and reef fish around Hawaii’s main islands are going to be locally managed during this century.

“Maui’s CMMAs are a real-time acknowledgement of how traditional knowledge and cultural practices of the past remain a valid solution that we must abide by today, and into the future.”

Social media is spreading the word of Polanui Hiu, with Lisa Agdeppa the behind-the-scenes powerhouse of the Facebook page, e-mail blasts and creator and distributor of educational flyers.

She is passionate and practical at the same time.

“I’d really like to see our coral reefs begin to heal,” she said.

“This is a long process, but the fact that we understand the causes of disease is the first step.

“Finding solutions with people who share our passion and love for the ocean is the best part. We meet people from all backgrounds, worldwide experiences with the ocean. They share their knowledge and love; this is an amazing part of working with people. We make new friends, share bonds, and all for the love of our ocean and its resources. This is why I love being part of Polanui Hiu.”

Ekolu embraces the value of inclusiveness.

“We have been able to bridge science and people to form a cohesive hui. We are working towards a better today, for an awesome tomorrow,” he said. “Everyone can help!”

Join them the first Saturday of the month or connect with Agdeppa on Facebook at www.facebook.com/polanuihiucmma.