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A vital marine conservation asset used by Pacific Whale Foundation, Sharkastics, and the Center for Marine Debris Research was stolen from Māʻalaea Harbor early Friday morning, dealing a serious blow to ongoing marine debris removal and recycling efforts across Maui and Oʻahu.

The resolution also commemorates the 69th anniversary of the Maunaloa Observatory and honors the cultural significance of Maunaloa itself to the Native Hawaiian community. The Hawaiʻi lawmakers introduced the resolution after the Trump Administration announced its plans to cancel the lease for several National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) facilities earlier this year, including an office needed to support the MLO.  

Marine patrol units of the DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement are now active on O‘ahu, Hawai‘i Island, Maui and Kaua‘i.

Coral reefs are creeping away from the tropics in response to warming oceans, but the pace is too slow to beat the heat and escape impacts of climate change, according to a breakthrough study published June 6 in “Science Advances”.

Forecasters with NOAA’s Central Pacific Hurricane Center and Climate Prediction Center today said the outlook calls for 1 to 4 tropical cyclones across the central Pacific this season.

The National Weather Service has extended a Flood Advisory for the island of Maui until 10:30 p.m.

The bill aims to bolster the security of AI weather models by requiring the development of a US weather dataset.

New research from Hawai‘i Pacific University shows that entanglement in monofilament fishing gear is now the primary cause of injury for stranded Hawaiian green sea turtles.

Thirty-four Hawaiian monk seal pups were born in the main Hawaiian Islands in 2024, and three pups have already been born this year. Officials say the public should give mothers with pups at least 150 feet of space on land and in the water—moms can be protective if they think you’re too close.

Editor’s note: Images that appear within this story could be upsetting to some readers. Discretion is advised. A Facebook post sharing a photo of a dead green sea turtle with its shell missing, had generated thousands of reactions and hundreds of comments by Wednesday afternoon; but state officials say without direct reports, it is difficult to investigate, find possible suspects, and build a case to pursue prosecution.

Actress China McClain has apologized to the state Department of Land and Natural Resources after posting a video to her Instagram account, touching a sea turtle on Maui.

NOAA is designating the marine portions of Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, a 582,570 square-mile area in the Pacific Ocean, as America’s 18th national marine sanctuary. Papahānaumokuākea National Marine Sanctuary will be the largest sanctuary in the National Marine Sanctuary System, and is one of the largest marine conservation areas in the world. 

Responders are working with staff from the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary to tow the whale remains offshore for disposition, as requested by Native Hawaiian cultural practitioners.

For Maui sites, the Aqualink dashboard shares information such as sea surface temperature, wind, wave, and heat stress analysis while Hui O Ka Wai Ola provides data on salinity, pH, turbidity (water cloudiness/murkiness), and nitrate levels (a wastewater and/or fertilizer indicator). The partnership is based on the idea of “thinking globally, acting locally.” By combining local insights with global data, the community has more tools to understand the impacts of climate change on marine environments. 

Nearly 90 Hawaiian monk seals were entangled in ghost nets between 2006 and 2014 in Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.

The three seals, DT12, a female pup and oldest of the group, DT48, a female pup, and DT46, a male pup, all likely weaned early at a small size, according to a press release from the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration.

A scientific research trip led by University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa professors is studying the historic movement of marine species between the Hawaiian Islands and other parts of the Pacific, according to a UH news post. UH professor Peter Marko, who is co-leading the research team, says their discovery could lead to predicting how species dispersal will impact the Hawaiian coral reef ecosystem in the future.

The Department of Commerce and NOAA recommended more than $23 million in funding to support marine debris removal and interception efforts for 13 multi-year projects across 10 coastal US states, three territories and the District of Columbia. This funding is provided by NOAA’s Climate-Ready Coasts initiative under the Biden-Harris Administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. 

The $9,909,551 Transformational Habitat Restoration and Coastal Resilience Grant will be used to support a comprehensive approach to restoring and protecting West Maui reefs, particularly the 1,000-acre leeward Pāpalaua to Olowalu reef. It is considered globally significant and plays a vital role in coastal resilience, in reducing shoreline wave energy, and moderating coastal flooding.

Maui Ocean Center will host its inaugural “Marine Science Night” from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, July 27, highlighting ocean-themed careers, internships and volunteer opportunities.