Ocean Blog
Partial Closure of Beach Park Due to Coral Spawning
Kahalu‘u Beach Park will be closed from 7 a.m. to noon on Tuesday and Wednesday, May 1 and 2, 2018, due to anticipated coral spawning events.
Hawai‘i Shows Up in Full Force for International Marine Debris Gathering
The Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund reports that record amounts of net masses have hit Hawai‘i’s shores this year.
New Control Methods Can Help Protect Coral Reefs from Invasive Species
The U.S. Geological Survey announces that control efforts such as the removal of shipwrecks and application of chlorine may help mitigate the damaging effects of corallimorph.
Group Loads Over 11 Tons of Marine Debris in Single Day
On the morning of Sunday, March 4, 2018, Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund (HWF) and volunteers don gloves and began hauling derelict fishing nets and ropes and other plastic marine debris.
Self-Driving Robots Collect Water Samples to Create Snapshots of Ocean Microbes
The University of Hawai‘i announces that for the first time, scientists from UH Mānoa and the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) will track and study ocean microbes.
Researchers Create First Map Showing Impact on Hawai‘i Reefs
First comprehensive map documenting the relative impact of human activities and natural events in slowing reef recovery
HOT UH Scientists Return from 300th Expedition
Completion of 300 research cruises marks a major scientific milestone and makes Station ALOHA one of the best-sampled places in the world’s oceans.
Humpback Whale Placenta Found
The Pacific Whale Foundation’s reports that their raft the Ocean Journey, on its first whale watch of the day, came across a humpback placenta in the water.
Former Big Island Student Protecting Corals
As a child growing up on the Big Island of Hawai‘i, Narrissa Spies thought the classroom and beach were two separate and distinct places.
$1.2M Grant from Keck Allows Team to Explore Ocean’s Deepest Zone
The deepest 45%t of the ocean depth range remains one of the most unexplored and inaccessible regions on the planet. Twelve people have walked on the moon while only three people have ever been to the deepest zone in the ocean, the hadal zone.
Kona Nonprofit Seeks Help Collecting Whale Shark Photos
Whale shark sighting are said to be common in Hawai‘i.
Study Finds Overfishing Primary Cause of Reef Fish Decline in Hawai‘i
The primary cause of reef fish declines across the Hawaiian Islands is overfishing, according to the largest study of its kind ever published.
UH Mānoa Study: Ocean Warming Increases Potential of Destructive Cyclones
The group found that for every degree Celsius increase of sea surface temperature, the destructive potential of typhoons in the western North Pacific can increase by 340%
NOAA Scientists Discover Ta‘ape-Free Zone
NOAA and University of Hawai‘i marine scientists will publish a study describing a complete absence of the introduced, invasive bluestriped snapper or ta‘ape, across a large region of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.
Papahānaumokuākea Wins Global Award for Marine Protected Areas
Marine Conservation Institute has selected Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument as one of the winners of the first-ever Global Ocean Refuge System (GLORES) awards.
UH Mānoa Team Catalogs Largest Microbe Genome to Date
UH Mānoa researchers have compiled the largest single-site microbiome gene catalog to date.
Analysis Shows Overwhelming Public Support for Marine Monuments, Sanctuaries
An analysis of public comments on the fate of U.S. marine monuments and sanctuaries found that over 99% of Americans supporting one or all of the parks.
New Database Catalogs Genetic Data Worldwide
The publicly available database will help researchers access genetic data worldwide.
UH Mānoa Botanists Discover New Fungi Species in Coral Reefs
Researchers have discovered potentially hundreds of new species of fungi buried in reefs off Maui.
Researchers Grow Turtle Skin in Lab for First Time
Scientists hope to better understand a tumor-causing disease affecting endangered sea turtles.
