by Luna Kekoa
On a sun shining , windy July 23rd, the Kahekili Herbivore Fisheries Management area celebrated its second year of existence with a Birthday Bash! This event was hosted by the Kaanapali Makai Watch team, as well as the NOAA Humpack Whale Sanctuary and Marine Mammal Stranding team, and the West Maui Watershed partnership.
Honorary guests to the KHFMA celebration included our Maui County Council members Mike Victorino, Joe Pontanilla, and Elle Cochran who shared their perspectives and concerns of the area with community members and volunteers.
As part of the celebration the community was encouraged to participate with an underwater scavenger hunt, and for those who couldn’t get wet, there was also a land-based scavenger hunt. One group of volunteers participated in a Fish Identification Network (FIN) fish count survey, while another group conducted water quality samples. On land, beach-goer surveys and herbivore identification surveys were being conducted with park visitors and hotel guests. Once the surveys were completed the group gathered around for some cake. This year, researchers conducting experiments in the Kahekili area created KHFMA theme cakes that included a manini(convict tang) cake, a coral cake (with healthy and unhealthy reef), and urchin cupcakes.
We would like to mahalo all participants who visited and shared in the KHFMA Birthday Bash!
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