Maui Navigation Team

Introducing the Maui Navigation Team

The nominated Maui Navigation Team was formed in early 2023 from community members that have extensive knowledge of and deep connections to the nearshore waters of Maui. As a group, they represent 10 of the 12 moku, including all but Hāna and Kīpahulu, though many consultations with communities from these moku took place throughout the Maui Navigation Team planning process. All actively engage in activities in the ocean, with 15 of 16 members self-identifying as fishers or from fisher families and representing many different types of fishing practices. The team contributes generations of knowledge and stewardship for Maui to this process. All are passionate about the kuleana to effectively manage Maui’s nearshore resources for the future.

The Role of the Maui Navigation Team

The role of the Navigation Team in the Maui Holomua process is to develop management recommendations for Maui’s nearshore resources. They meet to review available data, and identify and refine management actions under the four pillars of Holomua. Throughout the meetings, the Navigation Team has utilized their experience and intimate knowledge of Maui’s oceans and resources to identify appropriate management strategies to address threats and promote health of Maui’s fisheries and coral reefs.

Brian Ventura

I was born and raised on the south shore of Maui and have seen the decline of our nearshore marine life. My best memories from my youth have nothing to do with vacations to other places. They are from fishing and camping trips on Maui. I committed to be a part of the Navigation team because Maui’s shoreline has fed and sustained my family for the last 5 generations, and I want it to be a part of future generations to come. I have 2 main reasons for being a part of this and they are next to me in the picture.

Joe Naki

I joined the Holomua team to learn how they go about making the rules & regulations about the oceans around Maui. I found the process tiring but interesting and challenging. I really enjoyed working with the Holomua team and learned a lot.

Denver Coon

I joined the Navigation team because, growing up on Maui, I feel a deep responsibility to protect our marine resources. The team’s process of using local people with local knowledge and experience to create balanced regulations aligns with my commitment to crafting practical laws that ensure everyone can enjoy and appreciate the ocean responsibly.

Lyons Cabacungan

I am the current Poʻo of Aha Moku o Kaupo. My passion to protect and preserve Maui’s natural resources is driven by the future generations of kanaka in mind. I believe that ike kupuna/kanaka needs to be imbedded into all aspects of the Holomua Initiative.

Kaʻapuni Aiwohi

I started my pilina me ka lihikai, ke kāheka, ke kaiau, ka limu a me nā iʻa from my father, Lopaka Sylva Aiwohi in Pāʻia, and his grandfather Darryl Kalani Aiwohi from Kapalua i Honolua ā i Honokōhau. I have lived in Waiehu for my entire life and my ʻohana descend from ka ʻili ʻāina ʻo Paniʻoi, Honokōhau, where the kalo momona(fat corms) continue to grow.

Jerome Kekiwi, Jr.

I come from the Keʻanae-Wailuanui Ahupua’a located in the Koʻolau Moku of Maui Hikina (East Maui). I decided to join the Navigation Team because I want our keiki and future generations to experience an abundance of nearshore and ocean resources in their lifetime.

Brian Yoshikawa

I am an avid fisherman from the tide pools to the deep reef and beyond.

Over 50 years of observations and interaction with our aquatic environment and have seen many changes over the years that warrant modifying our approach to the ways we do things with regard and respect to our environment. I got involved for future generations to be able to enjoy and sustain their families as I have.

Andrea Kealoha

I am from Pāʻia. I represent my ʻohana who are fisherman. I am also an oceanographer and study the impacts of climate change and local stressors to coral reefs. I got involved with this because I want to help find better ways to manage our resources while continuing to perpetuate our cultural practices.

Darrell Tanaka

I joined the Navigation team because I remember what our reefs was like back in 1990, and now it sucks, its time for change.

Makayla Rickard

I have a background in sustainability and currently work in marine conservation as a Program Manager for The Coral Reef Alliance. I support community driven processes and believes that natural resource management will only be successful when done in a collaborative environment and is rooted in place and culture. This Maui Navigation team process has been a good foundational step in the right direction towards building trust between government and community.

Maile Shannon

I’ve been involved in ʻāina based work since 1999 and in conservation since 2009.

Holomua has allowed the Maui community the opportunity of a bottom up approach process. In addition, it has provided capacity to navigate the many challenges of restoring our near shore resources.

Kalei Luʻuwai

I got involved in order to add my support for a plan to manage our nearshore resources, prior to the government getting involved. We need to make our nearshore resources sustainable for future generations, and to not allow over-fishing going forward.

Greg Czar

Growing up on Maui I spent a lot of time fishing and diving. From a young age I was taught that our marine life is a precious resource and not a commodity with endless supply. I am concerned that future generations will not have the opportunity that many of us did due to the rapid decline of our coastal marine life. I hope that we as a community can come together and ensure our way of life, feeding our families from the sea will still be possible in years to come.

Trevor (Kiaʻi) Collier

Trevor Kiaʻiokaʻuhane Collier, a proud native born son of Maui, first born to a Native Hawaiian mother and Island boy father. At the age of three, he was enrolled in the Hawaiian Language Immersion preschool, Pūnana Leo, first on Oʻahu, then on to Maui where he completed his entire Hawaiian Language Immersion education at Kula Kaiapuni o Kekaulike. Kiaʻi then obtained a Bachelor’s of Science in Business Management from Menlo College in Atherton, California. In 2021 Kiaʻi received the opportunity to work for Hawaii Land Trust as the Land Steward and Educator for the Waihe’e coastal dunes and wetland refuge. Kiaʻi discovered a pathway in which to dedicate his service and duty to aloha Akua, aloha kānaka & aloha ʻāina, to care and protect ancestral divinity, people & land, as kanaka maoli, a true loyal Hawaiian subject.

Felimon Sadang

My name is Felimon Sadang, one of the last original net fishermen on Maui and have been fishing for over 50 years. I am from Kā‘anapali Moku and fish commercially along the north, west, and south shores on Maui. I joined the Navigation team to help create a plan with sensible regulations to ensure resources for the future and to ensure sustainable commercial nearshore fishing can continue. I am stepping up to help make sure Maui’s Marine resources will be available to feed our families and enjoy for many generations into the future.

Kawika Davidson

Aloha 😁, Kawika Davidson (high school knows me David Davidson). My tutu man and tutu lady both work from Kona, Kumukahi ʻohana, and Hilo, Kalahiki ʻohana instilled in me respect for our moana and ʻāina. I am a waterman, diver, fisherman, canoe paddler, surfer, kiaʻi for the honu at Hoʻokipa. Hunter, gatherer, and do tree and animal propagation. Managed the upper 2500 acres of Kahikinui for 25 years. My partner and I have 7 children and 18 grandchildren. We instill the same ancestral values in our moʻopuna that were passed down from our kupuna, respect for our ka, respect for our ʻāina, respect for our ʻohana, and the knowledge to kupono.

Building the Navigation Team

Over 80 nominations for the Maui Island Navigation Team were submitted by residents and community members of Maui. All nominees were be contacted by DAR and asked if they were willing and interested in being part of the Navigation Team. More than 30 community members accepted their nominations and expressed interest by filling out a short questionnaire which gathered more information about who they are, how they fit the qualifications needed, and why they were excited to join the process. This information helped ensure that the Maui Navigation team is diverse and representative of various resource users and Maui moku.

An independent three-person selection committee that included Tamara Paltin, Jimmy Gomes, and Archie Kalepa made the difficult and final decision on the current 16-member Island Navigation Team. All of the information and submitted responses were carefully reviewed by the selection committee to ensure that the composition of the Maui Navigation Team matched the recommendations by the Maui community during the October Talk Story events, which included ensuring that each moku, various ocean users, and different types of fishers were represented as part of the team.

Meet the Selection Committee

Archie Kalepa

is an accomplished waterman and lifeguard from Lāhainā, Maui who has spent much of his life in the water surfing, paddling, sailing, and keeping others safe.

Jimmy Gomes

lives in Kula, Maui and served on the Board of Land and Natural Resources for 8 years which included engaging DAR with the goal of helping to find a balance for all our people in the State of Hawaiʻi.

Tamara Paltin

was born and raised in Hawaiʻi nei, spending two decades as an Ocean Safety Officer on Maui and loves to spend time with family at the beach whether surfing, paddling canoe or free diving with her ʻohana.

Holomua Marine Initiative