Holomua Marine Initiative

The Year of the Limu started in January 2022 with the declaration from Governor Ige to commemorate algae and seaweed that have been central to Hawaiian society for generations. Limu lovers statewide pushed for the recognition, and a leader among them has been Uncle Wally Ito, the former Limu Hui Coordinator for the non-profit Kuaʻāina Ulu ʻAuamo (KUA), which is coordinating limu stories and tributes. Many curious people have taken limu walks on Oʻahu with Uncle Wally and learned about its history and use in traditional cuisine and medicine.

Currently, native limu are being used to feed urchins that are raised in tanks at DAR’s Ānuenue Fisheries Research Center on Oʻahu, which then are released to combat invasive algae in our waters. There is much to appreciate about limu, and you can learn more about the history of the aquatic plants in Hawaiian culture and how herbivores keep the reefs healthy by keeping them in check in our deep dive web story, “Algae in Coral Reefs.”

Celebrate limu with your ʻohana this year—and every year—at the Hāna Limu Festival!

Get yourself a beautiful Zoom background before the celebration ends!

Limu for Seaweed Loving Urchins, from DLNR

Asparagopsis taxiformis

Ulva fasciata

Sargassum echinocarpum