DLNR News Release – FIRST CORAL OUTPLANTING IN WAIKĪKĪ CONSERVATION DISTRICT BRINGS NEW LIFE TO REEF

STATE OF HAWAIʻI

KA MOKU ʻĀINA O HAWAIʻI

DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES

KA ‘OIHANA KUMUWAIWAI ‘ĀINA

JOSH GREEN, M.D.

GOVERNOR

RYAN K.P. KANAKA’OLE

ACTING CHAIRPERSON

FIRST CORAL OUTPLANTING IN WAIKĪKĪ CONSERVATION DISTRICT BRINGS NEW LIFE TO REEF

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 16, 2026 

HONOLULU – The DLNR Division of Aquatic Resources’ Hawai‘i Coral Restoration Nursery (HCRN) has completed the first coral restoration outplanting in the Waikīkī Marine Life Conservation District (MLCD), placing nursery-grown corals onto the reef flat between the Waikīkī Aquarium and the Waikīkī Natatorium.

The site was selected with strong community input and support, highlighting its accessibility and importance as a historically and culturally significant area.

DAR staff transported corals which had been growing in the HCRN’s tanks on Sand Island. On shore, DAR’s education team set up a booth to answer questions and share information with curious beachgoers as DAR and Waikīkī Aquarium teams carefully transferred corals from bins into the nearshore waters. Piece by piece, each coral was placed and attached to its new home on the ocean floor.

“Coral reefs are the foundation of our nearshore ecosystems, supporting marine life, protecting our shorelines and providing cultural and recreational value,” said Christina Jayne, curator of the O‘ahu Coral Nursery. “Bringing restoration efforts into a highly visible and meaningful place like Waikīkī allows the community to see this work firsthand and understand the role we all play in protecting these resources.”

The Waikīkī MLCD is a state-designated protected area along the Diamond Head end of Waikīkī, established in 1988 to conserve and restore nearshore marine resources. Spanning about 76 acres, the MLCD prohibits fishing and the removal or disturbance of marine life and natural features. 

The newly planted corals serve as a visible reminder that restoration is possible and already underway.

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