The Council would like your opinion on issues that impact coral reef ecosystems and watersheds. Please let us know how important these issues are to you. Five stars mean they are of high concern or importance
Maui's Marine and Coastal Issues:
Flood Issues
Olowalu EIS up for Public Comment
Maui Island Plan
Coral Reef Decline
Decrease in Fish Populations
Water Quality
Beach Erosion and Rising Sea Levels
Raingarden Toolkit- Wahikuli Raingarden Demonstration
Create your own raingarden! Everything you need to know is in the attached links below!
On March 15th and 16th the MNMRC was proud to partner with the West Maui Ridge to Reef Initiative and the County of Maui Division of Water Supply, for the installation of the Wahikuli raingarden. Over 70 community members participated in the training workshop and installation.
A rain garden is an intentionally created flat bottom depression planted with natives positioned to receive, treat and infiltrate runoff from impervious surfaces, in this case, shower and parking lot runoff. This garden provides a visible example of a low impact design practice that homeowners or business can implement with minimal expense and time. Be a leader in water conservation and start your own raingarden on your property or in your community with the helpful information on the links below-
Raingarden Manual and more information
Raingarden Manual and more information
Stormwater: Can a problem become a resource?
In a follow up to the "Kokua Ka'ono'ulu Flood Forum" last November, the Maui Nui Marine Resource Council and the Maui Tomorrow Foundation are sponsoring a followup Pau Hana Talk Story Session with pupu's. Please join us at the HIHWNMS (Humpback Whale Sanctuary) Education Center - 726 S. Kihei Rd., Kihei, Maui on Friday May 11, 2012 from 5:30 to 7:30pm
The stated goal of the session is to collect ideas on solving the problem through community participation.
Our format: Participants will be grouped by ahupua'a (watersheds), given a "storm scenario" to apply to their neighborhood. Maps and markers will be provided and participants will be asked to share their experiences of stormwater impacts to their neighborhoods and what could make a difference to
reduce impacts and put the water to use. We'll look at both makai and mauka impacts, and solutions.
What Happens Next?: Each Ahupua'a group will report their ideas to the whole gathering.
A resource panel of experts will be available to comment, suggest next steps or answer questions that arise for the groups.
The ideas gathered will be submitted to the South West maui Watershed Plan (South Maui's first big picture look and linking our lands and waters)
Sponsored by: Maui Nui Marine Resource Council, Maui Tomorrow Foundation and others
For additional information: Please contact the event coordinator, Lucienne de Naie 214-0147
Southwest Maui Watershed Group - planning for the future
Southwest Maui Watershed Group - planning for the future
1,500 Home Development proposed for Olowalu. Public comments on their Environmental Impact Statement are due on April 21st.
The Olowalu Town environmental impact statement is up for public review and comment as part of their planning process for a proposed 1,500-home development. The project includes impacting 636 agricultural land.
In the early 2000's, Dr. Eric Brown conducted a baseline study on marine life in the area adjacent to the proposed development. Dr. Brown characterized the Olowalu reef as "the best leeward reef in Maui and probably the whole state." Numerous marine biologists and researches agreed with Dr Brown and submitted testimony in 2008 and 2009 that the development would put reefs and water quality at risk in the area.
MNMRC urges you to consider an alternative location for the Olowalu development so that we may protect Maui's last remaining healthy reef. Please testify to leave Olowalu OUT of the Maui Island Plan. Hawaii's coral reefs are the cornerstone of Hawaii's culture and economy, attracting millions of tourists to our islands each year and providing millions of dollars in revenue for our communities. We have options to build a small town elsewhere but there is no option to move the reef. Once the reef is gone, we cannot bring it back.
EIS Volume 1
2012 County of Maui Community Survey - Where do you want your tax dollars spent?
County of Maui residents are urged to fill out the 2012 County of Maui Community Survey. The survey covers all the County’s public services and asks whether they are satisfied or dissatisfied with them. Let your voice be heard!
2012 County of Maui Community SurveyMNMRC New Council Member Position Availability
The MNMRC currently has openings for new members from the following fields in the community:
Coastal Systems
Cultural
Education
Fishers
Streams/Watersheds/Water Quality
Students
Visitor Industry/Hotels
Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation (DOBOR)
Anyone interested in protecting our marine resources, no matter what category you may fit under, should apply!
New Members must fill out the application below to be a part of the MNMRC and their applications are reviewed by the Organizational Committee and a vote will be taken at the larger Council. Please circulate this application to all interested parties.
Coral Reef Decline: How important are healthy reefs for Maui's future?
The decline of fish stocks and reef health in Maui waters has been documented over the past decade by the State Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR) and independent researchers. Long term monitoring of 9 sites indicates that one site increased coral cover, three sites were "stable" and five sites showed significant declines in coral cover, three of those are collapsed. One of the most significant decreases was in Honolua Bay which showed a loss from 42% coral cover down to 8% coverage. Maui relies on clean ocean water and healthy coral reefs to provide food, subsistence living, and recreation for its residents. Healthy reefs attract visitors to our island paradise, which in turn creates jobs for our residents and a multimillion dollar marine life based activities industry. The reefs also protect our shores from storm waves which may otherwise cause destruction and financial peril. The overall picture indicates that we need to take better care of what we have in a proactive way.
The MCRT is a group of marine scientists, public officials and local experts working to restore our once thriving reefs to the point where they can again provide habitat for fish, shellfish, lobster, octopus, eels, turtles and other marine life. The team is preparing a Coral Reef Management Plan for Maui Nui that will lead the way to restore Maui's once thriving reefs. Eventually the plan will be brought in front of the County of Maui Planning Commission for approval.
Status of Maui's Coral Reefs
Status of Maui's Coral Reefs
Decrease in Reef Fish Populations: How important is it that we bring back the fish, as a food source and to attract the visitors on whom our jobs depend?
Scientific data from researchers and observations made by ocean users indicate that Hawaiian coral reef fisheries are in decline. Impacts are due to a numbers of causes such as lack of enforcement for existing regulations, high commercial demand and movement away from traditional Hawaiian marine resource management. Although the Hawaii Department of Natural Resources has developed management solutions to improve the status of coral reef fisheries, additional tools are necessary such as increasing public education and awareness, creating additional Marine Protected Areas and encouraging community based management projects such as the Council's Community Managed Marine Area Network.
Hawaiian Fish are in Decline
Hawaiian Fish are in Decline
How important is it for Maui to start moving back from the rising sea level changes?
The best estimates of sea level change by 2100 is 1-2 meters total, which suggests about 0.4 to 0.9 inches rise per decade. Beaches are dynamic by nature. Coastal erosion can occur due to strong currents and high wave action, rising sea level and impacts by human alterations such as shoreline hardening and beach nourishment projects. The later can have a detrimental affect on nearby marine life as water clarity can decrease and sedimentation can increase if replacement sand is not analogous to existing grain size and quality.
The Coastal Construction Control Line (CCCL) Program is part of management plan meant to help ensure the preservation of beach and dune ecosystems around the country. Construction activities seaward of the control line must meet special siting and design criteria. The program has been very successful in Florida and Hawaii may initiate the program starting with Kailua Beach on Oahu. This is the first plan in Hawaii to take climate changes into consideration and may act as a template for other beaches in Hawaii. Retreating from the shoreline or forming wetland buffers are other approaches to adapt to coastal erosion.
Hawaii Coastal Erosion Website
Hawaii Coastal Erosion Website
