Nonprofit groups partner again to remove invasive species from Kealakekua Bay

Big Island nonprofits are coming together, once again, to work together to restore and preserve Kealakekua Bay’s ecological and cultural integrity by removing invasive species.

Local nonprofit ʻIke Lawaiʻa, in partnership with KapuKapu ʻOhana and the Alex & Duke De Rego Foundation, will host the 2nd annual invasive species removal event at Kealakekua Bay on May 17, removing Roi (Cephalopholis argus), Ta‘ape (Lutjanus kasmira), and To‘au (Lutjanus fulvus).

No other species will be removed.

To ensure the safety of all participants and visitors, Kealakekua Bay waters will be closed to the public from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the day of the event. The community is invited to come out to the bay as there will be informational booths and opportunities to engage with organizations supporting the effort.

“We are proud to bring our community together for the 2nd Invasive Species Tournament in order to care for our bay through the knowledge of our ancestors,” said Uncle Chuck Leslie from ʻIke Lawaiʻa, a native Hawaiian Organization rooted in Kealakekua Bay, dedicated to perpetuating traditional lawaiʻa (fishing) practices, safeguarding the bay’s environmental and cultural well-being, and passing down ancestral knowledge to future generations.

“Removing invasive species supports our coral restoration, fish population and makes sure all things are healthy in Kealakekua Bay. We make sure that there is a future for both our keiki and this wahi pana (sacred place).”

This invasive species removal effort aligns with the goals of the Kealakekua Bay Community Action Plan, adopted by the local community in 2022, which serves as a community-led framework for stewardship of this culturally and ecologically significant area.

The implementation of the plan is led by Kapukapu ʻOhana community stakeholders and state partners, including the Kealakekua Bay Cultural Advisory ʻOhana, The Nature Conservancy, Conservation International, Hoʻāla Kealakekua Nui, NPS – Ala Kahakai, Department of Aquatic
Research, DLNR-DOCARE, and State Parks.

The Community Action Plan was incorporated by the Board of Land and Natural Resources into the Hawai‘i State Parks Master Plan for Kealakekua Bay Marine Life Conservation District/State Historic Park in 2023.

For more information about ʻIke Lawaiʻa and its mission, visit: https://ikelawaia.org. To
learn more about the Kealakekua Bay Community Action Plan, visit: Kealakekua Bay
Community Action Plan.