Maunalua Makai Watch Program

The Makai Watch program engages community volunteers in being active caretakers of the bay by being the eyes, ears, and voice for the bay.

The Maunalua Makai Watch began in May 2007. Since then we have trained over 100 community volunteers. Our volunteers have dedicated thousands of hours monitoring benthic cover, water quality, juvenile fish populations, and human use of the bay. They have also participated in invasive alien algae removals, and important community outreach & education.

Maunalua Makai Watch is part of a statewide Makai Watch program established by the State Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) and non-profit partner organizations including the Community Conservation Network, The Nature Conservancy, and the Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund. Makai Watch is designed to engage community members actively in the management of marine resources as volunteers. The program consists of three main components:

• Awareness Raising and Outreach: Makai Watch trains community members to provide outreach Maunalua community members. Volunteers help to raise awareness about the Maunalua region and build a sense of kuleana by interacting with users of the Bay and providing information. Topics of community education include identifying  threats that face Maunalua Bay and current fishing rules and regulations.

• Biological and Human Use Monitoring: To encourage continued community participation, it is important that community members understand the condition of marine resources, how they are being used, and how they change over time. Makai Watch volunteers collect valuable data on water quality, benthic cover, juvenile fish populations, and human use of marine resources (boating, collecting, fishing, etc.). Volunteers continue to monitor the health of the Bay, and become stronger advocates for stewardship and pono practices.

• Observation and Compliance: To reduce the willful disregard for laws governing marine resource use, Makai Watch Volunteers have been trained in how to identify, and report illegal activities. Maunalua Makai Watch works closely with the Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement (DOCARE) so and the Honolulu Police Department to ticket and prosecute violators.

If you see a violation in progress CALL: 643-DLNR

If you need help to verify a violation, or to facilitate the enforcement process call:

Alika Winter

Marine Resource Manager

Maunalua Makai Watch Coordinator

alika@malamamaunalua.org

(808) 561-8691

Also, watch this video.