Partner Projects
As coastal resource use continues to increase in Hawaii, bringing with it both problems and opportunities, Malama Kai Foundation is supporting the rising need for environmental education and sustainable community-based management of coastal resources by supporting partner projects.
West Hawaii fishery Council (WHFC)
The West Hawaiʻi Fishery Council provides a community-based approach to fisheries management. In 1998, the Hawaii State Legislature passed Act 306, which established the West Hawaii Regional Fishery Management Area (FMA) under the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources. The Act defined the West Hawaii area to encompass the nearshore waters from ‘Upolu point (North Kohala) to Ka Lae (Ka‘u) on the island of Hawaii, a shoreline distance of approximately 147 miles. The purpose of Act 306 is to effectively manage fishery activities to ensure sustainability, enhance nearshore resources, and minimize conflicts of use in the West Hawaii Regional FMA. The WHFC was formed in 1998 to accomplish the goals and tasks of the legislation. MKF receives funding to provide administrative support to the WHFC.
eyes of the reef
Eyes of the Reef (EOR) is a statewide, volunteer organization that provides community training for the identification and early detection of the five major threats to our local coral reefs. With support from Malama Kai Foundation, EOR has developed training and outreach materials, brochure, field guide, and underwater identification cards. EOR verifies and assesses reports from the community, then forwards verified reports to the appropriate state agencies for follow up. All reports are kept in a statewide database in partnership with Reef Check Hawaii and DLNR’s Division of Aquatic Resources.
HAWAI‘I WAI OLA
Hawai‘i Wai Ola is a group of dedicated volunteers and surveyors on Hawai‘i island who are working to put the ‘quality’ in water quality monitoring! Their mission is to improve Hawai‘i islands coastal water quality through science, communication and collaboration to accelerate positive change. Their community-minded volunteers contribute in a number of ways, from collecting ocean water samples at sites island wide every two to three weeks, to taking a closer look at the samples back at the lab and entering findings into our database. Their work helps the Moku O Keawe community to know what’s in their coastal waters. Join our Clean Ocean Team to help expand monitoring to other locations across Hawaiʻi. They are founded on the belief that for conservation to be durable, interventions must align with the cultural and economic needs of our island community and that they can help empower local business to lead the effort.
Reeftalk
Since its inception, Malama Kai Foundation has partnered with other local organizations to present at Reef Talks, a free lecture series on marine and coastal topics, bringing experts from around the State to speak to the West Hawaii community.
After a hiatus of many years, Malama Kai Foundation is currently working with partners to restart Reef Talks! Please see our Reef Talks page for more information.