Organizers Are Trying to Inform Tourists About Mauiʻs Fragile Reefs

In an effort to educate the nearly 3 million tourists that visit Maui each year, a Lahaina-based environmental group is raising awareness on protecting the islandʻs marine life.

Polanui Hiu, a makai restoration group comprised of concerned residents, complied an “Ocean Friendly Guide” that offers ocean safety and coral reef preservation tips, as well as links to online resources.

The group derived its name from the area in Lahaina they are trying protect, Polanui, which was once known for its  abundance in fish and edible limu.

In addition to community outreach and advocacy work, some of the group’s members conduct reef surveys.

According to the groupʻs website, the data collected from these surveys “helps to ensure that management activities, including voluntary fishing guidelines, are having the desired effect and helping to restore abundance to Polanui’s reef.”

Polanui Hiu member Edwin “Ekolu” Lindsey said the group hopes the informational guide will help “keep everyone safe, our cultural resources utilized respectfully, and our visitors filled with aloha in their hearts to share around the world.”

View the “Ocean Friendly Guide” below:

Courtesy: Alana Y. of Polanui Hiu