4/24/25 – INVASIVE SPECIES REMOVAL EVENT COMING TO KEALAKEKUA BAY STATE HISTORICAL PARK

JOSH GREEN, M.D. GOVERNOR

DAWN CHANG CHAIRPERSON

INVASIVE SPECIES REMOVAL EVENT COMING TO  KEALAKEKUA BAY STATE HISTORICAL PARK

KEALAKEKUA BAY STATE HISTORICAL PARK, Hawaiʻi — An invasive species removal event is scheduled for Kealakekua Bay on Sunday, May 18 as part of an ongoing community effort to restore and preserve the bayʻs ecological and cultural integrity. Local nonprofit organization ʻIke Lawaiʻa, in partnership with KapuKapu ʻOhana and the Alex & Duke De Rego Foundation, are the event hosts.

To ensure the safety of all participants and visitors, Kealakekua Bay waters will be closed to all other uses from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on the day of the event.

Invasive species to be removed include Roi (Cephalopholis argus), Taʻape (Lutjanus kasmira) and Toʻau (Lutjanus fulvus). No other species will be removed.

This invasive species removal effort aligns with the goals of the Kealakekua Bay Community Action Plan, adopted by the community in 2022 to create and serve as a community-led framework for stewardship of this area.

The implementation of the plan is led by KapuKapu ʻOhana community stakeholders and state partners, including the Kealakekua Bay Cultural Advisory ʻOhana, The Nature Conservancy, Conservation International, Hoala Kealakekua Nui, NPS – Ala Kahakai, the DLNR Divisions of Aquatic Research, Conservation and Resources Enforcement, and State Parks.

The Community Action Plan was incorporated by the Board of Land and Natural Resources into the Hawai`i State Parks Master Plan for Kealakekua Bay Marine Life Conservation District/State Historic Park in 2023.

“We are proud to bring our community together to care for our bay through the knowledge of our ancestors,” said Chuck Leslie, from ʻIke Lawaiʻa. “Removing invasive species supports our coral restoration, fish population and makes sure all things are healthy in Kealakekua Bay. We make sure that there is a future for both our keiki and this wahi pana (sacred place).”

ʻIke Lawaiʻa is a Native Hawaiian Organization rooted in Kealakekua Bay, dedicated to perpetuating traditional lawaiʻa (fishing) practices, safeguarding the bay’s environmental and cultural well-being, and passing down ancestral knowledge to future generations.

 

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RESOURCES

(All images/video courtesy: DLNR)  

For more information about ʻIke Lawaiʻa and its mission, please visit: https://ikelawaia.org

To learn more about the Kealakekua Bay Community Action Plan, please visit: https://kealakekua.org/community-action-plan/

Video – Kealakekua Coral Restoration (February 25, 2024): https://vimeo.com/916525461?autoplay=1&muted=1&stream_id=Y2xpcHN8MTAwNTE2NzR8aWQ6ZGVzY3xbXQ%3D%3D

Photographs – Kealakekua Coral Restoration (February 25, 2024): https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/ulqydd8t1lot56umnaxnt/AH46D91Kn2d7UbDRLizk8gQ?rlkey=1ykkgtka8t0ewz4gtysubba0i&st=0dqd14c8&dl=0

 

Media Contact:

Patti Jette

Communications Specialist

Hawai‘i Dept. of Land and Natural Resources

808-587-0396

Email: [email protected]