Meet the KHFMA Box-Parents!

Have you heard of the Kahekili Herbivore Fisheries Management Area? Do you know what its rules and boundaries are? Do you know what a “herbivore” is? Can you identify the herbivores that are protected within the KHFMA in the image below?

These are simple but important questions, and in order to focus on promoting voluntary compliance with the unique set of rules within this relatively small  but highly significant area, education and outreach is needed.

That’s where Ka’anapali Makai Watch and our awesome team of volunteers comes in. We have established several ways of getting the message out about the KHFMA, which is coming up on its three-year anniversary of establishment. Having a presence at the site, whether it’s casually roving volunteers talking story with beachgoers and fishers, or establishing an outreach station at special events or in partnership with the nearby hotel the Westin Ka’anapali Ocean Resort, is one way that is effective.

However, our volunteer team came up with another strategy recently that we feel will make a difference, by providing a mechanism to distribute key information about the KHFMA and its rules.

The DLNR KHFMA sign on its own isn’t particularly engaging, and if someone doesn’t know what a “herbivore” is, or which fishes and invertebrates are within the protected families, it’s less likely there will be compliance, simply due to lack of awareness. And if someone who encounters the DLNR sign manages to get to the bottom without falling asleep or wandering off, they’ll miss the (somewhat convoluted) language that indicates that fish feeding is ILLEGAL in the area.

So, what you will see now on a number of signs within the KHFMA, is literature boxes with interpretive information attached to them, and the DLNR rules & regulations booklets inside.

This effort was spearheaded by the original “box-parents” John & Karen, who have been volunteering with Ka'anapali Makai Watch since 2009. They came up with the idea and caretake a box at Kahekili Beach Park by keeping it stocked with rules & regs booklets and other interpretive materials. The next thing we knew, we had a whole team step up to be box-parents at other signs’ locations, assisted immensely by Don “The Boxfather” McLeish, who engineered and piloted the setup of the durable stainless steel boxes he found. There were impressive architectural drawings involved, and lots of measuring, drilling, cutting and laminating. Our team worked together to refine the content for the boxes’ displays – the idea is to avoid giving out too much collateral material which could very well end up as debris. The boxes display colorful images of the protected species (donated by Keoki Stender), important phone numbers, and key reef etiquette pointers for visitors. We also posted a QR code that directs people to more official information online.

So, without further ado, let’s...

 

Karen & John, Kahekili:

Don, Embassy:

Julie & Mike, Honua Kai Park:

Terry & Marie, North Honoapi'ilani Park (between the Mahana and Honua Kai Resort):

Sofia & Sheila, Honokowai Park:

Mahalo to these amazing volunteers who are helping get the message out every day!!

If you’re interested in getting involved with Ka’anapali Makai Watch, “like” our facebook page or drop us a line, and join us for the 3rd Annual KHFMA Birthday Bash& Culinary Contest coming up this July!