Holomua on Hawaiʻi Island: Overview
Holomua on Hawaiʻi Island
Holomua on Hawaiʻi Island brings together community voices, local knowledge, and science to help shape effective nearshore marine management. Building on lessons learned from the Maui pilot, the Holomua Marine Initiative is launching on Hawaiʻi Island to develop place-informed, regionally aligned management recommendations grounded in community priorities, cultural practices, and lived experience. This Initiative centers Hawaiʻi Island residents in guiding the future care and abundance of our nearshore waters.
Where we are in the process:
We are currently in Step 1 of the planning process on Hawaiʻi Island, focused on listening and relationship-building with communities. The team is preparing for a series of Talk Story sessions scheduled in May during which residents- including fishers, cultural practitioners, and other ocean users, are invited to share their priorities, concerns, and ʻike to help guide future management discussions. Insights gathered during these sessions will shape the selection and direction of the community-nominated Navigation Team(s) and inform the next phases of developing nearshore management recommendations that are grounded in local voices and place-based knowledge.
Click the image on the left to download the Talk Story sessions flyer, or visit the Hawai‘i Island Talk Story page to learn more!
7 Talk Story sessions across Hawai‘i Island are scheduled from 5:00–7:30 PM to gather community priorities and inform the Navigation Team process. Please RSVP to attend at any of the following locations:
Where we are on Hawai‘i Island and Maui:
What’s happened so far?
The Hawai‘i Island Education & Outreach Facilitators, composed of Hali’a in West Hawai’i and Maika’i in East Hawai’i, have been actively engaging fishers ahead of the Hawaiʻi Island Holomua launch through both informal conversations and organized outreach at community events. These efforts focus on building relationships, sharing information about Holomua, and ensuring that fishers’ perspectives, concerns, and priorities are reflected early in the process, grounding the initiative in on-the-ground experience and trust.
Please feel free to contact them with any questions or if you would like them to join an event!
- Hali‘a: [email protected]
- Maika‘i: [email protected]
You have questions… we have answers!
Click a question below to view the answer:
Why is Holomua launching on Hawai‘i Island before the Maui process is completed?
Holomua is launching its community engagement on Hawai‘i Island in May. Having completed phase three of the five-phase process on Maui, the team is ready to adapt strategies and apply lessons learned to this next launch on Hawai‘i Island. Holomua remains committed to moving at the community’s pace on Maui while dedicating fresh capacity and expertise to Hawai‘i Island’s unique priorities.
Why did Holomua decide to launch on Hawai‘i Island next?
We chose Hawai‘i Island as our next location because of its significant community momentum and the high number of local initiatives already well into their planning phases, as well as the existing DAR Hawai‘i Island team capacity. By launching here now, we can effectively align these existing efforts and priorities into cohesive management strategies at both regional and island scales. As we learn and adapt from the Hawai‘i Island process, we anticipate faster rollouts across the remaining islands.
How does DAR envision existing or new community place-based management efforts fitting into the Holomua process?
DAR aims to balance its support for local initiatives with the need to align shared priorities. The goal will be to convene local community groups and the Navigation Team(s) to determine management priorities that have regional alignment and establish cohesive recommendations across. DAR will continue to support specific, place-based efforts motivated by local priorities. This approach is intended to streamline community management efforts, increase support during rulemaking, and promote consistent regional standards rather than a complex patchwork of rules for each location.
How is the Navigation Team selected?
Navigation Team members are nominated by the Hawai‘i Island community, with final qualifications and team composition shaped by feedback from the initial Talk Story sessions. Nominees must submit a letter of interest and commitment, which is then reviewed against community-defined criteria. Finally, for Hawai‘i Island, a seven-member local Nomination Review Team—representing each moku—will select candidates based on eligibility, expertise, and balanced team dynamics.
Who creates the Nomination Review Team?
Ultimately, for Hawai‘i Island, DAR will be selecting 7 members for this group, one per moku- with Kona divided into north and south, based on the following qualifications:
- Be long-time residents of Hawai‘i Island that are well-respected and knowledgeable about their communities and people
- Must understand Hawai‘i Island’s nearshore resources and be familiar with past and current management efforts and rule-making processes
- Support a fair selection process by minimizing potential bias and dedicated to helping create a team that represents all relevant interest groups
- Be comfortable being public-facing and featured on DAR/Holomua website and social media
What type of management actions can be included in the Navigation Team proposal?
The role of the Navigation Team is to develop management recommendations for Hawai‘i Island’s nearshore resources. These recommendations can include both non-regulatory actions (e.g. restoration projects such as coral outplanting, projects to improve water quality, education and outreach, strengthening monitoring efforts, etc.) and regulatory actions (e.g. fishing rules). Click HERE to view examples of non-regulatory and regulatory management actions.
Who is guiding the Holomua on Hawai‘i Island process?
- Hawai‘i Island residents: Provides guidance and identifies management priorities throughout the process by attending public meetings such as the initial Talk Story sessions followed by the Information Exchanges, and by engaging with their Navigation Team representative(s). Community members are encouraged to get to know their representative Navigation Team member and provide regular input throughout the process that will be shared and considered in planning discussions.
- Navigation Team members: Drafts management recommendations guided by their communities’ input and priorities, while using the best available data, resources, and specialized insights from the Advisory Network as needed.
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ʻAʻohe hana nui ke alu ʻia.
No task is too big when done together by all.
– Mary Kawena Pukui, ʻŌlelo Noʻeau #142
