News
July 28, 2008
Students Invited to Enter Saving Kimo Contest
The “Saving Kimo Contest” seeks entries: a K-5 coloring contest; a photo or essay for middle-schoolers; and a two-minute video for high-schoolers. It’s to increase coral reef awareness with the help of Kimo, right, a dolphin, and friends. Individual winners get a laptop; classes can win passes to Atlantis Submarines, Sea Life Park or Hawaiian Waters. Deadline: Sept. 30. Details: 847-3551 or on www.diamondbakery.com.
Walnut Brings Debris from Papahanaumokuakea Monument to be Converted to Energy
June 21, 2008
The Coast Guard Cutter WALNUT returned from a 3 week Northwestern Hawaiian Island (NWHI) joint marine debris removal effort with NOAA. Preliminary reports indicate that the dive team dove, cut away, and retrieved about 36,000+ lbs of marine debris from Maro reef and also brought back about 27,000+ lbs of marine debris from Midway that was collected & stored for months by other entities. When WALNUT returned to Sand Island on the 6th, the WALNUT crew offloaded the 63,000+ lbs of the marine debris pier side, it was then trucked out West to Schnitzer Steel for processing, and then finally to HPower for eventual recycling/conversion into energy.
News weblinks:
http://kgmb9.com/main/content/view/7135/40/
Kai Palaoa Debuts in Washington
June 3, 2008Fashion designer Sig Zane of Hilo and three-time Grammy winner Daniel Ho partnered to create a new song and fabric (Kai Palaoa) in celebration of the International Year of the Reef. Here is a shot taken in Washington DC in June at Capitol Hill Oceans Week, with Daniel Ho and Naomi McIntosh of NOAA’s Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary wearing Sig Zane’s new design.
Ocean-related art for upcoming calendar, exhibit
May 9, 2008
Staff from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the state Division of Aquatic Resources, Mālama Hawai‘i and The Nature Conservancy helped select artwork for an upcoming calendar and art exhibit at the Parents and Children Together office in Kalihi.
Emma Anders, statewide IYOR coordinator, looks through some of the hundreds of submissions.
This anime-inspired drawing by an eighth grader was selected to be displayed in an upcoming exhibit.
Pauline Sato of Mālama Hawai‘i looks through the artwork of some first- and second-graders.
Dozens learn about new watershed study in Maunalua Bay
May 6, 2008
More than 60 people, many of them concerned residents, turned out for a community meeting last night to learn about a new watershed study in Maunalua Bay.
Laura Thompson, longtime Niu Valley resident, was one of the more than 60 people who attended last night’s meeting at the Hawai‘i Kai Public Library.
Maui hosting ‘Reef Night’ in June
May 5, 2008
Maui County is hosting Reef Night in celebration of International Year of the Reef on June 22 at the Maui Ocean Center. (Click here to learn more.)
The event, which runs from 6 to 9:30 p.m., will include an ta‘ape cookoff, locally grown produce, educational displays, a photo wall, lectures, demonstrations, a poster contest for children, and entertainment.
Cost is $16 for adults ($11 for kama‘aina), $13 for children ($8 for kama’aina).
The event is organized by the Mayor’s International Year of the Reef (IYOR) Community Task Force, Ola Na Papa I Pulama ‘Ia (Cherish the Living Reefs).
For more information visit www.mauioceancenter.com or contact Kuhea Paracuelles at (808) 242-1180 ext. 26 or kuhea.paracuelles@mauicounty.gov.
Call for ocean-based films
May 2, 2008
The Hawai‘i Ocean Film Festival is looking for films on marine resources, ocean recreation and cultural connections to the sea for its event in August at Hanalei Bay.
The campaign will build through the summer to include magazine and print media outlets, international Web sites focused on ocean sports and environment, filmmaking, travel and consumer interests.
The festival will be held on Aug. 22 and 23 at Hanalei Bay on Kaua‘i. It will showcase the Top 10 independent short films submitted from around the world in short (2 to 9 minutes), medium (10 to 30 minutes) and feature-length formats.
The deadline for submitting films is Aug. 1. Submission information is available at www.ofilmfest.com.
DLNR Bans Bottomfishing for 7 Species
April 9, 2008
The state Department of Land and Natural Resources put in place a temporary closure effective April 14 for the bottomfishing in state waters in the main Hawaiian islands. All fishing for any of the seven Hawai‘i restricted bottomfish species — which include ehu, gindai, kalekale, lehi, onaga, opakapaka and hapuupuu — will be prohibited during this closed season.
This declaration was made following a determination from commercial landings data that the current fishing season’s total allowable catch of 178,000 pounds had been reached in mid-March.
The total allowable catch represents the scientific measure intended to stop excess fishing effort of bottomfish species, specifically seven snapper and grouper species referred to as the “Deep 7.”
The closure will be in effect through at least Aug. 31 and will complement a federal bottomfishing closure that will take effect April 16 in all federal marine waters (from three nautical miles and seaward) in the main Hawaiian islands.
“Since 2005, bottomfish in the main Hawaiian islands have been declared to be in a state of overfishing. If the federal total allowable catch were to be exceeded, this could have adverse consequences on Hawai’i’s fishery in the future,” said Laura H. Thielen, DLNR chairperson, in a news release.
Maps of closed state marine waters to bottomfishing (seasonal closure and bottomfish restricted fishing areas) will be available on the DLNR website from the effective date, April 14. Go to the website at http://hawaii.gov/dlnr/dar.
Read two stories in The Honolulu Advertiser and the Honolulu Star-Bulletin about this topic.
KHNL covers B.E.A.C.H. Sweep
Feb. 11, 2008
Read KHNL’s story — and watch video — on the nonprofit B.E.A.C.H. at a cleanup for International Year of the Reef.
Unfortunately, Hawaii is in a region of the pacific where marine debris finds its way to much of our southern and eastern shores. Plastic can takes its toll on marine wildlife including reefs.
From plastic fishing gear and nets, to plastic bottle caps, strong onshore winds and ocean currents are making Hawaii beaches a plastic paradise.
Calling all creative kids!
Feb. 27, 2008
Parents and Children Together (PACT), along with The Honolulu Advertiser, the state Department of Education and the Hawai‘i Association of Independent Schools, invites O‘ahu students in grades 1 through 12 to be part of Kids Day on Wednesday, April 30.
Students are encouraged to submit original stories, poems or artwork for the Kids Day Creativity Contest. Enteries must relate to this year’s theme, “The Ocean and Me,” and be submitted by Friday, March 14. One winner per grade will be selected and winners’ submissions will be published in a special Kids Day edition of The Honolulu Advertiser on May 7. Winner entries will also receive $100.
For more information about the contest, call PACT at 847-3285.
February is Humpback Whale Awareness Month
Feb. 1, 2008
Gov. Linda Lingle and Lt. Gov. James “Duke” Aiona signed a proclamation declaring February as Humpback Whale Awareness Month.
The goal is to enhance public awareness of Hawai’i’s official state marine mammal and increase public involvement in ocean stewardship.This proclamation comes less than a month after Lingle signed one for International Year of the Reef.
Hawai‘i is home to the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, the only marine protected area in the nation soley devoted to humpback whale protection.
“I invite the public to enjoy the sanctuary’s Humpback Whale Awareness Month activities and celebrate the homecoming of our amazing humpbacks,” Lingle said in a news release.
The sanctuary is celebrating Humpback Whale Awareness Month by offering a variety of special activities around the state. Activities vary from lunchtime whale watches to special lecture presentations at various venues. Find out more by visiting www.humpbackwhale.noaa.gov.
The Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary is co-managed as a federal-state partnership between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the state Department of Land and Natural Resources.
Here are some facts about humpback whales:
- There are an estimated 35,000 humpback whales in the world. Hawai’i is the only state in the U.S. where as many as 10,000 humpback whales return every winter, calve and nurse their young.
- Whales are air-breathing mammals, which, at full size, can be more than 45 feet in length and can weigh nearly 45 tons.
- The humpback whale is Hawai’i’s official state marine mammal, known as kohola in Hawaiian. They are considered a representation of the Native Hawaiian god of the ocean, Kanaloa.
- Humpback whale-watching generates more than $30 million in visitor industry revenues annually.
- Covering a range of eight octaves, the whale’s song are highly structured and have been found to use repeated themes and even rhyme. These songs are used for navigation, communication and social interaction.
IYOR makes headlines in Hawai‘i
The official launch of the International Year of the Reef - Hawai‘i, held on Jan. 25, helped get media attention on the state of Hawaii’s coral reefs and their valuable ecosystems.
Here is a sample of stories that were published or broadcast in January:
- “It’s the Year of the Reef” by Lynda Arakawa, The Honolulu Advertiser, Jan. 24, 2008
- “Hawaii’s Coral Reefs Forefront of Celebration,” KGMB 9, Jan. 25, 2008<
- “Renewed Interest to Restore Islands’ Coral Reefs,” KHNL News 8, Jan. 25, 2008
- “2008: International Year of the Reef” by Kayla Rosenfeld, Hawai’i Public Radio, Jan. 28, 2008
- “Year of the Reef Campaign Begins” KITV News 4, Jan. 31, 2008
- “Protecting reef is in our interest,” editorial, The Honolulu Advertiser, Jan. 26, 2008
