Māhukona Coral Rescue and Restoration

Restoration Continues at our Most Northern Site

In March, the ʻĀkoʻakoʻa team rescued, relocated, and reattached at-risk coral colonies at the Māhukona restoration site. In this two day operation, the restoration site was accessed from shore, where the dive team could swim out tools and equipment, and new materials could be easily delivered when needed. While the whales sang, the ʻĀkoʻakoʻa team was hard at work in the blue waters of the Kohala coast.

The team started by rescuing corals that had been broken off of the reef by winter swells and human activities, and they generated structure-from-motion (SfM) maps of an area of degraded reef that they targeted for restoration. Their SfM mapping approach allows them to track the composition and regrowth of reattached corals over time. Because the areas were mapped before and after rescued corals were reattached, the diagnostics team can already compare the differences just one day of restoration can make on a location.

The team worked on the relocation site where rescued corals were permanently fastened to their new home. The site selected was prepared by scrubbing surface layer algae off of dead coral and rock surfaces. Then, cement spheres were placed onto these surfaces before the coral was quickly pressed onto the prepared site. The field team was able to reattach dozens of mature coral colonies in just one day using this method. Many other sick corals were also collected and relocated to the land-based nursery where they will recover and grow our Future Reef Bank and prepare for this year's spawning events in the summer.

The Māhukona site is a deep collaboration with ʻĀkoʻakoʻa Cultural Advisor Uncle Chadd Paishon, where his students will monitor the progress of the rescued corals. Creating this opportunity for local students to get involved not only helps educate the next generation but utilizes the skills and expertise of the youth who call Māhukona home. ʻĀkoʻakoʻa is a program backed by science but led by culture and community, from keiki to kupuna, across West Hawaiʻi.