In January 2025, members of the Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR) had the opportunity to participate in the Motorboat Operator Certification Course. Through a combination of classroom work and field exercises, DAR staff became more proficient in maneuvering boats, victim recovery, knot tying, trailering, and launching, and various other skills necessary for the safe handling of ocean-going vessels.
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We share some best practices and simple precautions to ensure a safe and easy boating experience during whale season.
A new series of short videos is coming to DAR’s education program's YouTube page! Episodes of “Dive in with DAR” will explore an ocean’s worth of topics, from ongoing conservation efforts to managed marine species native to Hawai‘i.
As lawaiʻa, we are stewards of our resources. While this means following rules and regulations, it also includes making personal choices that go beyond what is written in black and white. The decisions we make and the actions we take ultimately decide whether future generations will be able to maintain the fishing tradition.
DAR Maui is working with local commercial kala fishermen, dealers, and researchers at the Fishery Research Cooperative Unit at University of Hawai‘i Hilo to assess how kala populations are doing.
This month, the Oʻahu DAR monitoring team began implementing Fish and Habitat Utilization surveys in Maunalua Bay
In September 2024, two DAR biologists embarked on a 24-day research cruise with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Office of National Marine Sanctuaries to the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument.
DAR staff and contractors partnered with HIMB, TNC, and NOAA to identify and outline priorities for coral restoration statewide. Developed under the Hawaiʻi Coral Reef Strategy 2030, the Makai Restoration Action Plans address three priority goals: 1: bleaching, 2: coastal protection, and 3: fish habitat.
The “ʻIke Kaiāulu,” or “Community Knowledge,” video series seeks to tap into an understanding of the rich history of caring for 'āina.
The DAR West Hawaiʻi Coral Restoration Program has been able to begin its site-specific fieldwork, respond to requests to remove and transplant corals from man-made structures to nearby reefs, and begin testing nursery propagation techniques.