Biennial Report 2020-2021
University of Hawai'i Sea Grant College Program
About Sea Grant
Founded in 1968, the University of Hawaiʻi Sea Grant College Program (Hawaiʻi Sea Grant) is part of a national network of 34 programs in all coastal states, the great lakes, Guam, and Puerto Rico that promote better understanding, conservation, and sustainable use of coastal resources.
Hawaiʻi Sea Grant works in partnership with the University of Hawaiʻi’s prestigious School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to find solutions for Hawaiʻi’s critical resource management issues, and guide cutting-edge scientific research to address these challenges.
Hawaiʻi Sea Grant supports an innovative program of research, extension, education, and communication services directed to the improved understanding and stewardship of coastal and marine resources. Realizing the necessity of collaboration to address these critical issues, Hawaiʻi Sea Grant serves as a critical link for federal, state, and local government, industries, and community members to the University enterprise.
A Message from the Director
As I pause and reflect on the unprecedented times we faced collectively in 2020 and 2021 I am both humbled and amazed by the way our faculty and staff anticipated the changing needs of our communities, and quickly adapted and responded to these challenges. The strength of Hawai‘i and the Pacific region lies within the strong, resilient, close-knit communities, and even though many facets of the economy were severely impacted by the pandemic, our faculty found creative, ingenious ways to provide much needed assistance. While there is not enough space to credit all of these efforts, a few stand out, and most importantly, the beneficial impacts will continue for many years to come.
As an example, Hawai‘i Sea Grant faculty:
- Partnered with the He‘eia National Estuarine Research Reserve System and non-profit organization Paepae o He‘eia to offer a professional development course focusing on Indigenous foods for food service workers facing unemployment or reduced income as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, strengthening partnerships among local restaurants and Native Hawaiian agriculture and aquaculture practitioners.
- Helped to establish the first diagnostic lab providing COVID-19 testing services for underserved, uninsured, and front-line workers, yielding long-term benefits for community resilience by responding to infectious disease threats projected to worsen with climate change.
- Distributed food to thousands of families on Kaua‘i affected by the COVID-19 pandemic by coordinating the distribution of nearly 2,000 produce boxes per week, and was nominated to be a "Hometown Hero" for these efforts.
I invite you to browse the pages of this 2020-2021 Biennial Report to learn more about our work in research, extension, engagement, and communications, and the unwavering dedication of our faculty as we navigated through these challenging times.
Darren T. Lerner, Director, Hawai‘i Sea Grant
Opportunities and Challenges
Hawai‘i is the only U.S. state comprised entirely of islands and extends across the Pacific for 1,500 miles. It lies approximately 2,500 miles from the nearest continental landmass and is unique aesthetically, geographically, culturally, and biologically.
This presents great opportunities and also challenges for residents and for those who visit its coastal communities. At present, the residents are largely reliant on imported food and energy, and the distance from the contiguous states complicates the ability of federal resources to respond to natural hazards. Climate change impacts will undoubtedly require modifications to lifestyles and commerce in Hawaiʻi, both in urban Honolulu and in the state’s rural areas.
In Hawaiʻi, the economy is inextricably linked to the environment. Tourism, the dominant industry, is supported by attractive tropical marine and terrestrial ecosystems, but at significant cost of natural resource use (e.g., energy, water), underlining the need for long-term sustainable solutions to the issues facing Hawaiʻiʼs communities.
While not unique among other states in this regard, Hawaiʻiʼs isolation makes the need to face these issues even more urgent. As a microcosm for the nation’s coastal communities, Hawaiʻi can serve both as a lesson and a model for building sustainable and resilient coastal communities supported by healthy productive ecosystems.
Building Strong Partnerships
By partnering with diverse schools and colleges via joint faculty positions and other synergistic relationships, Hawai‘i Sea Grant brings the full capacity of the University of Hawai‘i’s knowledge and human resources to serve citizens throughout the insular Pacific to a far greater degree than our federal funding alone can support.
As shown in more detail on the following pages, Hawai‘i Sea Grant’s Centers of Excellence are interdisciplinary and build connections throughout the university by engaging the best and brightest minds to address the region’s critical issues. The centers also play a vital role in defining our research agenda by working with communities to identify knowledge gaps that directly impact the well-being of coastal communities. In a complementary and synergistic fashion, the centers are highly effective at linking research results to community needs, challenges, and opportunities.
Educating Tomorrow's Workforce
The Hawaiʻi Sea Grant Graduate Fellowship Program supports training in research and extension of graduate students who pursue scientific, outreach, education and policy careers in diverse agencies and industries, including local and federal government, academia, and non-profit organizations.
These students, who were recruited by university scholars and receive Sea Grant research funding, represent various University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa departments and schools. Graduate fellows participate in required outreach and training by presenting their research to the public, authoring blog posts for the Hawai‘i Sea Grant website, and participating in special professional development opportunities.
In addition to the Hawaiʻi Sea Grant Graduate Fellowship Program, additional student fellowship programs were administered including the Peter J. Rappa Sustainable Coastal Development Fellowship and the E. Gordon Grau Coastal and Marine Resource Management and Policy Fellowship Program (Grau Fellowship).
The Grau Fellowship, which launched in 2019, provides a unique degree-to-work experience for post-graduate students with interests in ocean and coastal resources in the state of Hawaiʻi and the management and policy decisions affecting those resources.
Modeled after the highly successful national John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship Program based in Washington D.C., this fellowship, named after Hawai‘i Sea Grant’s former director and University of Hawaiʻi emeritus professor E. Gordon Grau, provides fellows an opportunity to acquire practical, on-the-job experience in the planning, implementation, and management of marine, coastal, and/or watershed resource policies and programs in the state of Hawaiʻi.
To date, the students have had the opportunity to work in the State of Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources, Wastewater Alternatives and Innovations, NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries in the Pacific Islands Region, and the National Disaster Preparedness Training Program.
Advancing Coastal and Climate Science and Resilience
Promoting trans-disciplinary collaboration among university, community, and government partners across the Pacific to address critical issues of coastal and climate science and management. The Center for Coastal and Climate Science and Resilience emphasizes collaboration among multi-disciplinary faculty and their engagement with a broad range of regional stakeholders to help communities and decision-makers understand and address impacts of coastal hazards, climate change, and sea-level rise.
Hawai‘i Sea Grant provided guidance to the state of Hawai‘i on laws that require state agencies to begin assessing and planning for sea-level rise. Based on this guidance, in 2021 Hawai‘i became the first state in the U.S. to pass a law requiring sea-level rise disclosures in real estate transactions. The law, SB474, specifies that mandatory disclosures in real estate transactions must include identification of properties lying within a sea-level rise exposure area. To ensure realtors were informed of the new requirements, Sea Grant extension faculty worked with a statewide realtor association to improve understanding of the scientific and policy justifications for this state legislation, and as a result the new law is supported by the Hawai‘i Association of Realtors.
Building Resilience to Coastal Hazards and Climate Change in Hawai‘i
Building on a statewide Sea Level Rise Vulnerability and Adaptation report, Hawaiʻi Sea Grant is helping to increase resilience and understanding of impacts from sea-level rise through:
A Hawaiʻi Sea Level Rise Viewer web-based mapping tool
Guidance for Disaster Recovery Preparedness in Hawaiʻi
Guidance for Addressing Sea-Level Rise in Community Planning in Hawaiʻi
Guidance for considering sea-level rise in local planning and permitting decisions.
Hawai‘i Sea Grant extension faculty worked with state agency staff, elected officials, and communities to improve understanding of the best-available science on coastal hazards and sea-level rise vulnerabilities. This includes potential policy applications utilizing map data from the Hawai‘i Sea Level Rise Viewer, a tool developed through Hawai‘i Sea Grant's coordination.
On July 2, 2021, the Governor of Hawai‘i signed into law Act 178 based on Hawai‘i Sea Grant guidance which directs the state’s agencies to collaborate toward identifying state facilities that are vulnerable to sea-level rise, flooding, and natural hazards.
Act 178 also requires the agencies to assess options to mitigate the impacts of sea-level rise to these facilities using the most current science. The purpose of this Act is to increase the resilience of existing and planned state facilities, including critical infrastructure, to climate change-related natural hazards.
Promoting Marine Science Education
Supporting formal and informal education; connecting scientists, professionals, teachers, and the public; and sharing wisdom to support sustainable stewardship of coastal and ocean resources. As both a repository and a catalyst for practices and projects that span daily life, culture, and the ocean, the Center for Marine Science Education facilitates partnerships that enhance and foster understanding, literacy, and appreciation of marine and coastal environments. Learn more: https://seagrant.soest.hawaii.edu/marine-science-education/
Honu Hospital-English Subtitles - VOS8-6
Voice of the Sea, Hawai‘i Sea Grant’s award-winning weekly television series, profiles researchers, community leaders, federal agencies, local partners, and cultural practitioners, sharing stories of remarkable individuals making a positive impact on the future of Hawai‘i and the insular Pacific. Each week, approximately 25,000 viewers tune in to watch Voice of the Sea on television in Hawaiʻi, and the series is also broadcast in American Samoa, Guam, Palau, and the Federated States of Micronesia. In 2020 and 2021, Voice of the Sea received seven Telly Awards including one silver, the top honor. The Telly Awards were established in 1979 to honor excellence and support creativity in local, regional, and cable TV programming.
Hanauma Bay Education Program
The award-winning Hanauma Bay Education Program has been administered by Hawai‘i Sea Grant since 1990. At that time, Hawai‘i Sea Grant was asked to lead the education program to demonstrate to visitors and the local community how to protect the bay’s unique and fragile environment.
This, coupled with limiting visitor access, evolved as the two key methods in preserving the bay. It is now seen as a successful example of balancing the needs of the expanding visitor industry with conserving natural resources.
Annually, nearly 800,000 visitors are educated on the value of marine resources and reef etiquette, and the education program also hosts visiting schools and organizes marine and conservation-related evening presentations for the public. The Hanauma Bay Volunteer Program has a dedicated corps of over 100 active volunteers which makes this significant education accomplishment possible.
While it is clear that this expanded knowledge has had profound impacts on the health of Hanauma Bay’s ecosystem, this information is also carried with the residents and visitors once they leave the bay, and ultimately translates into more conservation-minded individuals.
Interweaving Multiple Knowledge Systems
The Ulana ‘Ike Center of Excellence is deeply rooted in Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander values, communities, and research initiatives. The name Ulana ʻIke (Weaving Knowledge) draws upon the archetypal imagery of weaving or braiding together distinct knowledge systems. The hala plant (Pandanus tectorius) is foundational to the Pasifika identity, featuring prominently in cosmogonic origin stories and mythologies.
Ulana ‘Ike is a collaborative hub, a Sea Grant Center of Excellence dedicated to meeting the need for coordination among the growing number of Sea Grant faculty and extension agents who work on projects involving multiple knowledge systems. The long term goal of the center is to empower customary practitioners in holding decision-making power and directing co-management of coastal and marine resources.
Learn more: https://seagrant.soest.hawaii.edu/ulana-ike/
The Ulana ʻIke Center of Excellence partnered with the Heʻeia NERR and Paepae o Heʻeia to develop a seven week course titled “Na ʻOno o Ka ʻĀina Indigenous Foods Course Featuring the Ahupuaʻa of Heʻeia” for employees in the food industry facing unemployment or reduced hours as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The course piloted distance-learning techniques, and focused on the Indigenous foods of Heʻeia including history, ecology, cultural practices, cultivation and harvesting techniques, and methods for preparing and preserving. Training instructors included Hawaiian agriculture and aquaculture practitioners from Heʻeia.
Evaluation feedback from the course was highly positive with participants emphasizing that they feel more knowledgeable about Indigenous foods and comfortable working with them, and would stay connected to Heʻeia afterwards through volunteering and sourcing ingredients.
Kūlana Noiʻi: Introduction to Place-based Research Methodologies in Hawaiʻi
The Ulana ʻIke Center partnered with the Marine Biology Graduate Program at UH Mānoa and the Heʻeia National Estuarine Research Reserve to develop and lead an intensive three week graduate course titled Kūlana Noiʻi: Introduction to Place-based Research Methodologies in Hawaiʻi.
The course was mandatory for all incoming Marine Biology graduate students in the 2021 cohort, and was aimed at providing students with a grounding in what constitutes a research paradigm and the knowledge and skills necessary to conduct place-based research in Indigenous spaces with a focus on Hawaiʻi.
Through readings and lectures from experts, students were exposed to multiple disciplines and knowledge frameworks for approaching scientific inquiry. The course used the Kūlana Noiʻi as an ethical framework to explore reciprocal, place-based research methodologies.
Students also gained first-hand experience in building connections with local community organizations that implement Indigenous management practices. They worked alongside place-based stewards, researchers, and cultural practitioners to learn about conservation issues and practices in Hawaiʻi.
In addition to place-based activities and panels, a series of self-directed learning broadened students’ skill sets and critical thinking as well as provided space for self-reflection towards integrating place-based dimensions into their graduate research. The course culminated with students developing a set of individual place-based research ethics, or their personal Kūlana Noiʻi, to inform their graduate work.
Creating Smart Buildings and Community Design
Long term solutions are being implemented in Waikīkī
Developing and supporting economically, socially, and culturally inclusive communities to exist sustainably within their environmental footprint. Through a unique partnership of natural science with planning and architecture, the Center for Smart Building and Community Design addresses issues of urbanization and its impact on the natural environment to assist stakeholders in developing and implementing long- term solutions in the built environment.
Model Home on Oahu. Rendering by Jeff Brink.
To support Hawai‘i’s 100 percent renewable energy goal by 2045 and address the potential impact of new residential construction, Hawai’i Sea Grant faculty, their colleagues, and seven student researchers conducted field studies and developed whole-building energy models of detached houses in Hawai‘i. The team published a peer-reviewed paper, brochure, and created a video to demonstrate how house design and construction practices can be modified to meet the newly adopted, more restrictive energy codes and renewable energy goals. The research was conducted through a collaboration between the University of Hawai’i’s Hawai’i Natural Energy Institute’s energy efficiency program, School of Architecture’s Environmental Research and Design Lab, and Hawai‘i Sea Grant.
Envisioning Sea-Level Rise Adaptation in Waikīkī
Waikīkī, the economic hub of Hawai‘i’s tourism, is located at low elevation, adjacent to the ocean. It is threatened by flooding for multiple reasons: sea level rise, high tide flooding, high wave events, and/or periods of rain.
As a major tourist destination, Waikīkī cannot immediately retreat from sea-level rise, and will need to rely on an “in-place” adaptation strategy. The project “Envisioning Sea-Level Rise Adaptation in Waikīkī, Hawai‘i'' led by Hawai‘i Sea Grant faculty and students is the first to address this challenge, and merges architectural design with climate science to create visual renderings.
This project is providing visionary and quantitative details to move the adaptation discussion forward. The research converges science with design to create conceptual design renderings as part of the near-term research to help visualize sea-level rise adaptation methods, compel community discussion, and motivate large-scale decision making toward a positively adaptive built environment in densely developed coastal communities. In addition, the team is creating the design brief used to guide the conceptual designs which are based on input from stakeholders, precedent studies’ best practices, and emerging resilience guidelines.
Fostering Sustainable Coastal Tourism
Directing scientific research, outreach, and education activities to support a vibrant tourism economy and improve the quality of Hawai‘i’s natural environment. Through strong partnerships with units within the University of Hawai‘i, local businesses, and the government, the Center for Sustainable Coastal Tourism assists the state, the tourism industry, and the community to balance the need for a robust economy with regenerative tourism, preserving regional cultures, and reducing the environmental footprint of tourism.
In response to overcrowding and infrastructure concerns expressed by the public, the City and County of Honolulu contracted Hawai‘i Sea Grant to survey the community to measure the perception related to tourism benefits and impacts in Windward Oahu and develop recommendations for improved management.
The project evaluated and prioritized potential options to address the community priorities, and provided a baseline estimate of visitors at representative Windward communities. Data were collected via in-person survey questionnaires administered to visitors and residents.
A series of community outreach workshops were held and two publications, “Recreational Use and Management at Kailua Beach Park” and “Socioeconomic Impacts of Tourism in Kailua and Waimānalo, Hawai‘i” were finalized and submitted to the County.
Climate Change Adaptation and Community Resilience in Waikīkī
For over 90 years the 370-foot Royal Hawaiian Groin stabilized the sandy shoreline fronting the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, however, over time the groin severely deteriorated, putting the Royal Hawaiian Beach, a major attraction and natural asset, at risk.
Through a public-private partnership between Hawai‘i Sea Grant, the state of Hawai‘i, and the Waikīkī Beach Special Improvement District Association, the $4 million project was implemented in 2020 to nourish the existing Royal Hawaiian Beach. Hawai‘i Sea Grant led public outreach and project coordination efforts, assisted with technical review of the planned beach designs, and conducted project monitoring and evaluation. During the project, sand was collected from a large sand field in shallow waters about 1,000-feet offshore and approximately 21,700 cubic yards of sand was placed on the Royal Hawaiian Beach, roughly doubling the beach width.
The leadership and technical assistance Hawai‘i Sea Grant provided supported approximately $93.92 million in tourism-related revenue that would have been lost had the project not occurred. Aside from sand replacement efforts, this was the first new beach improvement project in Waikīkī in 48 years. This project is part of deliberate ongoing efforts towards climate change adaptation and community hazard resilience in Waikīkī .
Encouraging Sustainable Aquaculture and Coastal Resources
The Pacific Region Aquaculture and Coastal Resources Hub builds strategic partnerships that revitalize and expand aquaculture development in the region. It seeks to improve and support aquaculture practices, restoration, and success of traditional Hawaiian fishponds, management of coastal resources, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education, and the economic condition of the state. The Hub aims to be a major source for aquaculture and coastal resource-related research and products, and link the aquaculture industry with the sustainability of natural resources, promotion of healthy coastal ecosystems, and respect for indigenous people and the unique multicultural fabric of society.
As part of a broader effort to catalyze a cross-Pacific regional collaborative hub integrating research, outreach, and education to advance sustainable Indigenous Aquaculture practices, Ulana ʻIke partnered with Hui Mālama Loko Iʻa, Washington Sea Grant, and Alaska Sea Grant to convene a cross-regional summit bringing together diverse experts, knowledge holders, practitioners, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, and Northwest tribal leaders, senior and youth community members and Sea Grant outreach staff to learn about local and regional examples of traditional Indigenous Aquaculture systems. Over 125 Indigenous aquaculture practitioners came together representing a dozen tribal nations from the Pacific Northwest as well as Indigenous communities in Alaska, California, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Hawaiʻi, and Aotearoa. The gathering fostered relationship building and space to share knowledge and advance Indigenous aquaculture practice and methodologies.
Aquaculture Collaboration in Micronesia
Hawai‘i Sea Grant partnered with the Marine and Environmental Research Institute of Pohnpei (MERIP), a non-profit organization based in the Federated States of Micronesia, to protect natural resources and provide economic opportunities through sustainable aquaculture practices in the aquarium trade.
There is increasing evidence that fish stocks in Micronesia are decreasing as a result of overfishing, habitat loss, and the increasing effects of climate change. Alternatives are clearly needed for Indigenous Micronesian communities that have little or no access to income generation other than fishing or slash-and-burn agriculture.
Over the years, new forms of sustainable invertebrate aquaculture have been introduced to these communities as a means of generating alternative livelihoods. Hawai‘i Sea Grant has been collaborating with MERIP since 2015 to support outreach activities that train local Micronesian communities on culturing sponge, corals, and giant clams. Hawai‘i Sea Grant provides continued technical assistance to existing farmers and develops new products for farmers to grow, and also continually recruits new farmers to the program.
Publication Highlights: Contributing to Scientific Knowledge
The influence of Hawaiʻi Sea Grant extends far beyond the state and region through its contributions to scientific knowledge. For instance, in 2020-2021, Hawaiʻi Sea Grant faculty and researchers published 112 journal articles, books, and other outreach publications.
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
BOOKS
BOOK CHAPTERS
- Vaughan, M., M. Montgomery, and K. Luebbe. 2020. Waiʻaleʻale. In The Value of Hawaiʻ i III: Hulihia, the Turning, edited by N. Goodyear-Kaʻōpua, Craig Howes, Jonathan Kay Kamakawiwoʻole Osorio, & Aiko Yamashiro, 182-198. Honolulu: University of Hawaiʻi Press.
PEER-REVIEWED JOURNAL ARTICLES
- Andrews, K. R., I. Fernandez-Silva, J. E. Randall, and H.-C. Ho. 2021. Etelis boweni sp. nov., a new cryptic deepwater Eteline snapper from Indo-Pacific (Perciformes: Lutjanidae). Journal of Fish Biology 99:335-344.
- Barott, K., A. S. Huffmyer, J. M. Davidson, E. A. Lenz, S. B. Matsuda, J. R. Hancock, T. Innis, C. Drury, H. M. Putnam, and R. D. Gates. 2021. Coral bleaching response is unaltered following acclimatization to reefs with distinct environmental conditions. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 118(22):e2025435118.
- Demaagd, N., and M. J. Roberts. 2021. How Will Climate Change Affect Water Demand? Evidence from Hawaiʻi Microclimates. Water Economics and Policy 7(1):2150005.
- Fernández-Llamazares, , D. Lepofsky, K. Lertzman, C. G. Armstrong, E. S. Brondizio, M. C. Gavin, P. O. Lyver, G. P. Nicholas, P. Pascua, N. J. Reo, V. Reyes-García, N. J. Turner, J. Yletyinen, E. N. Anderson, W. Bal E, J. Cariño, D. M. David-Chavez, C. P. Dunn, S. C. Garnett, S. Greening (La'goot), S. Jackson (Niniwum Selapem), H. Kuhnlein, Z. Molnár, G. Odonne, G.-B. Retter, W. J. Ripple, L. S Fi N, A. S. Bahraman, M. Torrents-Ticó, and M. B. Vaughan. 2021. Scientists’ warning to humanity on threats to indigenous and local knowledge systems. Journal of Ethnobiology 41(2):144-169.
- Habel, S., C. H. Fletcher, T. R. Anderson, and P. R. Thompson. 2020. Sea-Level Rise Induced Multi-Mechanism Flooding and Contribution to Urban Infrastructure Failure. Scientific Reports.
- Hixon, M. A., B. W. Bowen, R. R. Coleman, C. W. Counsell, M. J. Donahue, E. Franklin, J. N. Kittinger, M. A. McManus, and R. J. Toonen. 2021. Fish Flow: following fisheries from spawning to supper. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 2021.
- Jury, C., K. Bahr, E. Barba, R. Brainard, A. Cros, K. Dobson, A. Graham, R. McLachlan, C. Nelson, J. Price, M. R. de Souza, L. Shizuru, C. Smith, W. Sparagon, C. Squair, M. Timmers, T. Tran, J. Vicente, M. Webb, N. Yamase, A. Grottoli, and R. Toonen. 2021. Reef communities persist under future ocean acidification and warming. Science.
- Kelly, L. W., C. E. Nelson, D. Petras, I. Koester, Z. A. Quinlan, M. G.I. Arts, L.-F. Nothias, J. Comstock, B. M. White, E. C. Hopmans, F. C. van Duyl, C. A. Carlson, L. I. Aluwihare, P. C. Dorrestein, and A. F. Haas. 2021. Distinguishing the molecular diversity, nutrient content and energetic potential in exometabolomes of macroalgae and reef building corals. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 119(5):e2110283119.
- McKenzie, T., S. Habel, and H. Dulai. 2021. Sea-level rise drives wastewater leakage to coastal waters and storm drains. Limnology and Oceanography Letters 6(3):154-163. URL: https://aslopubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/lol2.10186.
- Mezzacapo, M., M. J. Donohue, C. Smith, A. El-Kadi, K. Falinski, and D. T. Lerner. 2020. Cesspool impacts on water resources and human health in Hawai‘i: A review. Journal of Contemporary Water Research and Education 170:35-75. URL: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/j.1936-704X.2020.03339.x.
- Silbiger, N. J., M. J. Donahue, and K. Lubarsky. 2020. Submarine groundwater discharge alters coral reef ecosystem metabolism. Proceedings of Royal Society of London Series B 287:20202743.
- Spring, M., M. J. Donohue, M. Gierach, J. Jambeck, H. Kite-Powell, K. L. Law, J. Lund, R. Narayan, E. Schwartz, and R. Sumaila. 2021. Reckoning with the U.S. role in global ocean plastic waste. Washington, D.C: The National Academies Press.
- Timmers, M. A., C. P. Jury, J. Vicente, K. D. Bahr, M. K. Webb, and R. J. Toonen. 2021. Biodiversity of coral reef crytobiota shuffles but does not decline under the combined stressors of experimental ocean warming and acidification. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 18(39):e2103275118.
- Winter, K. B., Y. M. Rii, F. A.W.L. Reppun, K. D. Hintzen, R. A. Alegado, B. W. Bowen, L. L. Bremer, M. Coffman, J. L. Deenik, M. J. Donahue, K. A. Falinski, K. Frank, E. C. Franklin, N. Kurashima, N. K. Lincoln, E. M.P. Madin, M. A. McManus, C. E. Nelson, R. Okano, A. Olegario, P. Pascua, K. L.L. Oleson, M. R. Price, M. A. J. Rivera, K. S. Rodgers, T. Ticktin, C. L. Sabine, C. M. Smith, A. Hewett, R. Kaluhiwa, M. Cypher, B. Thomas, J.-A. Leong, K. Kekuewa, J. Tanimoto, K. Kukea-Shultz, A. H. Kawelo, K. Kotubetey, B. J. Neilson, T. S. Lee, and R. J. Toonen. 2020. Collaborative research to inform adaptive co-management: a framework for the He`eia National Estuarine Research Reserve. Ecology and Society 25(4):15.
OUTREACH PUBLICATIONS
- “Hui Malama Loko I‘a Needs Assessment”
This report is the first comprehensive compilation of the research ideas and needs within the community of fishpond managers, landowners, and stewardship organizations to inform adaptation of fishpond practices toward their resilience, adaptation, and sustainability in the face of a changing climate.
- “Guidance for Addressing Sea Level Rise in Community Planning in Hawai‘i”
This report is informing updates to comprehensive community plans statewide as a key step in improving resilience to increasing coastal hazards.
- “Going Beyond Code: Monitoring Disaggregated Energy and Modeling Detached Houses in Hawai‘i”
To support Hawai’i’s 100 percent renewable energy goal by 2045, Hawai’i Sea Grant faculty, colleagues, and seven student researchers published a paper to demonstrate how house design and construction practices can be modified to meet the newly adopted, more restrictive energy codes and renewable energy goals.
- “Sea-Earth-Atmosphere (SEA)”
Hawai‘i Sea Grant developed, tested and released a new grade 3-5 online curriculum called Sea-Earth-Atmosphere (SEA) and continued to update, support, and modify resources to accommodate users of the grades 6-12 curriculum Exploring our Fluid Earth.
- “Tsunami vertical evacuation in Waikīkī , Oahu”
Hawai‘i Sea Grant partnered with the Hawai‘i Emergency Management Agency to draft guidance for tsunami vertical evacuation in Waikīkī , Oahu, with recommendations focused on building and property owners creating emergency evacuation plans, how to deal with guests and non-guests during evacuation events, and conducting structural assessments of the buildings.
2020-2021 Funded Research
Hawaiʻi Sea Grant funds research that emphasizes solution-based outcomes and applicability to pressing issues. Science-based information promotes the development of beneficial products and services, while providing marine and coastal resource managers with the knowledge required for successful sustainable resource practices.
Leveraging close ties to the USGS Pacific Islands Climate Adaptation Science Center (PI-CASC), which is co-administered by Hawaiʻi Sea Grant, several of the research projects below related to climate change themes include graduate students funded by PI-CASC through its Graduate Scholar program, comparable to the Hawaiʻi Sea Grant Graduate Fellows program.
The research projects fall within four focus areas which explore pressing issues related to the health and well-being of our coasts and coastal economies:
Healthy Coastal Ecosystems
Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture
Environmental Literacy and Workforce Development
Resilient Communities and Economies
Healthy Coastal Ecosystems
Microbial biogeochemical cycling across a chronosequence of mangrove introductions across Hawaiʻi PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Dr. Rosanna Alegado Graduate Scholar: Becca Lensing Invasive mangroves harm Hawaiian coastal ecosystems, choking native plants, providing footholds for invasives, and generating leaf litter mounds inedible to Hawaiian species. This study investigates whether microbial communities can evolve to tackle the detritus and examines the resilience of our coastal ecosystems to mangrove invasion.
Vulnerability of Coastal Ecosystems to Increased Salinity from Climate Change PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Dr. Kasey Barton Co-INVESTIGATORS: Dustin Wolkis, Seana Walsh, Tamara Sherrill Graduate Scholar: Anna McCormick Critical Hawaiian coastal habitats are at risk from climate change impacts, particularly sea-level rise, which threaten protective coastal plant species. This work examines the salinity tolerance of native, and invasive, coastal plants to identify those in need of greater management and conservation action.
Enhancing social-ecological resilience and ecosystem services through restoration of coastal agroforestry systems PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Dr. Leah Bremer Co-INVESTIGATORS: Tamara Ticktin, Clay Trauernicht, Kawika Winter Graduate Scholar: Gina McGuire Using ongoing restoration efforts at Heʻeia, Oʻahu, this research examines the ecological, economic, and cultural benefits of coastal agroforestry restoration in order to produce state-wide recommendations for prime locations to enhance biodiversity and ecosystem services of high interest to agencies, funding sources, and communities
Tracking groundwater nutrients using novel tracers to inform coastal watershed management in South Kohala, Hawaiʻi PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Dr. Henrietta Dulai Co-INVESTIGATORS: Kim Falinksi Graduate Fellow: Casey McKenzie Using a combination of nitrogen isotopes and microcontaminants as source tracers, this project aims to identify pathways of groundwater flow to the coastline along South Kohala, Hawaiʻi, tracing sources of groundwater contaminants and excess nutrients. Managers can use results to improve wastewater management and improve coral reef resilience.
Collaborative Study of Groundwater Transport Paths and Discharge Loads of Wastewaters and Other Land-Uses that Impact the Ewa Coastal Zones of West Oʻahu PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Dr. Craig Glenn Co-INVESTIGATORS: Dr. Aly El-Kadi, Dr. Celia Smith, Dr. Marek Kirs, Dr. Niels Grobbe, Dr. Robert Whittier Graduate Fellows: John Cameron, Matthew Duff On-site sewage disposal systems threaten groundwater quality via the release of untreated sewage effluent to the environment. This work plans to use remote sensing techniques with field studies to establish groundwater flow paths and contaminant transport around Ewa Beach, Oʻahu, to aid in future remediation strategizing.
What can seascape-scale vegetation patterns on coral reefs tell us about reef health? PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Dr. Elizabeth Madin Graduate Fellow: Zackery Rago Coral reefs worldwide are threatened by changing conditions yet are often remote and hard to monitor. This project will use drone-based imagery to explore how coral “halos” are linked to reef ecosystem health, and whether that health may change over time where protective measures are instituted.
Differentiating treated and untreated wastewater contamination in a tropical coastal community using microbial community genomics PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Dr. Craig Nelson Co-INVESTIGATORS: Dr. Tracy Wiegner Graduate Fellow: Nicolas Vanderzyl There is growing concern that coastal ecosystems are threatened by sewage contamination of groundwaters. Using genomic methods, this project will examine the bacterial populations in the Keaukaha area of Hawaiʻi Island, to differentiate sources of contamination, and aid in management efforts to ameliorate sewage leakage.
A comprehensive approach to value Waikīkī Beach PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Dr. Nori Tarui Co-INVESTIGATORS: Dr. Takahiro Tsuge Graduate Fellow: Marcus Peng Waikīkī Beach is a huge economic driver for Hawaiʻi, but with increased erosion from sea-level rise, the optimal strategy for its upkeep is still debated. This study endeavors to estimate the value of Waikīkī ’s benefits to tourists, residents, and businesses, and evaluate the costs of different beach improvement options.
Effects of watershed restoration to traditional Hawaiian land use practices on health of nearshore coral reef ecosystems PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Dr. Robert Toonen Co-INVESTIGATORS: Dr. Chris Jury Graduate Fellow: Paolo Marra-Biggs Reimplementation of traditional practices in the Heʻeia ahupuaʻa, in addition to invasive mangrove removal, has been predicted to support improvements to the coastal ecosystems of Kānoʻohe Bay. This study will examine effects on water quality and changes to coral reef health, in response to restoration efforts.
Identifying hot spots of sewage pollution in Hilo, Hawaiʻi PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Dr. Tracy Wiegner Co-INVESTIGATORS: Dr. Steven Colbert, Dr. Craig Nelson Graduate Fellow: Shayla Waiki, Joseph Nakoa Hawaiʻi banned new cesspools in 2015, but groundwater contamination from the remaining 8700 cesspools in the Hilo area is a continuing concern. This work will use dye tracer studies to track cesspool outflows and use sewage indicators to establish contaminant sources to coastal groundwaters to inform future management decisions.
Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture
Resolving the Diet of Larval Marine Fishes to Accelerate Aquaculture Opportunities PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Dr. Brian Bowen Graduate Fellow: Emily Conklin, Cassie Kaʻapu-Lyons Demand for seafood increases while wild stocks dwindle, but marine aquaculture efforts struggle to raise fish larvae due to their highly selective, yet undetermined, food preferences. This project applies innovative DNA barcoding of larval intestinal contents to determine typical diets and thus enhance aquaculture opportunities to provide sustainable fish stocks.
Land-based pollutants on Hawaiian reefs PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Dr. Megan Donahue Co-INVESTIGATORS: Dr. Kim Falinski Graduate Fellow: Honour Booth Increased military, agricultural, and residential development contaminates surrounding watersheds that feed into critical coastal ecosystems. This work examines land-based pollutants, such as metals and persistant organics, in coastal ecosystems and reef fish to understand how the pollutants are distributed and transported, with an eye toward better land management decisions.
Environmental Literacy and Workforce Development
Fostering a SOEST culture of place-based and community-based pedagogy in support of coastal sustainability in Hawaiʻi PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Dr. Barbara Bruno Co-INVESTIGATORS: Dr. Daniela Bottler-Wilson, Dr. Jennifer Engels Graduate Scholars: Tineill Dudoit The goal of this project is to train geoscience faculty at UH Mānoa in place-based teaching practices in order for them, in turn, to train a diverse, local workforce and community to address the critical needs of our islands in enhancing coastal resilience and sustainability.
Resilient Communities and Economies
Envisioning In Situ Sea Level Rise Adaptation Strategies for a Densely Developed Coastal Community, Waikīkī PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Wendy Meguro Co-INVESTIGATORS: Dr. Charles Fletcher Graduate Fellows: Josephine Briones, Ireland Castillo Waikīkī , an economic hub for Hawaiʻi, is already subject to regularly flooding and faces an uncertain future with sea-level rise. This project will offer conceptual design renderings towards an “in-place” adaptation strategy, to help motivate large-scale planning for an adaptive environment in this densely developed coastal community.
For a complete list of 2020-2021 research projects, visit Hawaiʻi Sea Grantʼs research website: http://seagrant.soest.hawaii.edu/research/
Hawai‘i Sea Grant 2020 – 2021 Directory
Faculty and Staff
Administration Team | Title |
|---|---|
Director | |
Associate Director/Extension Leader | |
Assistant Director for Research and Fellowships | |
Assistant Director for Diversity and Community Engagement | |
Assistant Director for Education | |
Program Development and National Partnership Specialist | |
Program Management Specialist | |
Program Management Specialist |
Communications Team | Title |
|---|---|
Communications Leader | |
Assistant Communications Leader/Multimedia Specialist | |
Communications Specialist/Science Writer | |
Information Technology Specialist |
Fiscal/Human Resources Team | Title |
|---|---|
David Keola | Administrative Officer |
Human Resources Specialist | |
Administrative Officer | |
Dana Tamashiro | Administrative Officer |
Extension | Title |
|---|---|
Education and Community Engagement Specialist | |
Postdoctoral Fellow, Pacific Islands Climate Adaptation Science Center | |
Hanauma Bay Education Program Assistant Volunteer Coordinator | |
Ocean Exploration Specialist | |
Coastal Dune Restoration and Management Coordinator | |
Aquaculture Extension Specialist | |
Federated States of Micronesia Marine Resource Management Specialist | |
Coastal Processes Specialist | |
Aquaculture Extension Specialist |
Extension | Title |
|---|---|
Research Coastal Geologist | |
Coastal Resilience Specialist | |
Coastal Hazard Mitigation Specialist | |
Hanauma Bay Education Program Outreach Coordinator | |
Aquaculture Extension Specialist | |
Community Planning and Design Extension Specialist | |
Climate Adaptation Extension Specialist | |
Hanauma Bay Education Program Volunteer Coordinator | |
Elizabeth Kumabe Maynard | Hanauma Bay Education Program Manager |
Extension | Title |
|---|---|
Michael Mezzacapo | Water Resources Outreach Specialist |
Coastal Processes Extension Specialist | |
Coastal Land Use Extension Specialist | |
Sustainability Specialist | |
Coastal Resilience Extension Specialist | |
Hanauma Bay Education Program Marine Park Education Specialist | |
Max Sudnovsky | Republic of the Marshall Islands Extension Specialist |
American Samoa Extension Specialist | |
Coastal Lands Program Coordinator |
Coastal Resilience and Sustainability Team Faculty (CREST)
CREST Team | Title |
|---|---|
Associate Professor of Oceanography; Director, Center for Integrated Knowledge Systems | |
Associate Professor of Engineering | |
Associate Professor of Architecture | |
Associate Professor of Oceanography | |
Professor of Economics | |
Associate Professor of Natural Resources and Environmental Management |
Special Program Resources
Ka Pili Kai
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Useful Websites
University of Hawai‘i Sea Grant College Program www.HawaiiSeaGrant.org
NOAA National Sea Grant www.seagrant.noaa.gov
University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology www.soest.hawaii.edu
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Contact
University of Hawai‘i Sea Grant College Program 2525 Correa Road, HIG #238 Honolulu HI 96822 (808) 956-7031 seagrant@hawaii.edu
