Molokai’s coral reefs are among the most pristine and productive in the Hawaiian Islands, providing essential habitat for marine life and a sustainable food source for the island’s residents. However, land mismanagement and invasive species have led to sediment runoff that smothers coral, degrading the reef’s health. Local organizations and community members have been working together for over a year now to restore these ecosystems—starting with an ancient solution: fishpond restoration.
Read more about the 2023 launch of this project here >
Restoring Ancient Fishponds to Protect Coral Reefs
Ka Honua Momona (KHM), in partnership with the Coral Reef Alliance (CORAL), is leading a multi-year effort to restore Ali‘i and Kaloko‘eli, two historic 30-acre fishponds along Molokai’s southern shore.
For centuries, these fishponds served as nature’s refrigerator, providing a reliable food source during times when other resources were scarce or off-limits to protect their ability to reproduce. However, due to the mismanagement of surrounding upland areas, the fishponds became clogged with sediment—up to three or more feet of muck in some places—resulting in shallow, unproductive waters.
Our partners are now working to restore the fishponds’ depth and productivity, aiming to create a sustainable food source for the community of Molokai. In addition to exploring ways to trap sediment before it reaches the coastal waters, they’re also finding creative solutions to repurpose the sediment itself, using it to help build a hula mound—a symbol of turning adversity into an opportunity to unite and strengthen the community.
In addition to sediment removal, local teams are strategically removing invasive species like mangroves and gorilla ogo, which disrupt the balance of the fishpond ecosystem and reduce the flow of incoming seawater, planting native vegetation along the shoreline to stabilize sediment and prevent further erosion, and monitoring fish populations and water quality to track improvements and connectivity to reef health.
By restoring these fishponds, the community is not only reviving a cultural tradition but also implementing nature-based solutions to protect coral reefs from sediment pollution.
A Community-Driven Approach to Conservation
This project is more than ecological restoration—it’s about building local capacity for long-term coral reef management. CORAL and KHM are establishing a community-based water quality monitoring program, training the community to collect and analyze data, ensuring conservation efforts align with natural reproductive cycles, and sharing outcomes and sustainable fishing practices with local fishers to support responsible harvesting.
Already, the impact is visible. In just the first year, the project successfully:
- Restored one acre of fishpond, clearing 9,418 pounds of invasive algae
- Planted 430 native plants to stabilize shorelines
- Created 10 new jobs at KHM, supporting local livelihoods
- Logged 4,832 volunteer hours, engaging the community in hands-on conservation
And there’s more on the horizon for this impactful project.
A Deeper Dive into Monitoring Sedimentation
By working closely with our partners on fishpond rehabilitation, together, we’ve created a detailed plan to monitor how the environment responds and how successful the rehabilitation efforts are.
On Molokai, our partners collect water samples from their fishponds twice a week to measure the amount of sediment in the water. This helps us set a baseline to understand the level of sediment stress in the area. It also gives us important information about the risks of sedimentation from the surrounding watersheds, especially during large storms. Since receiving training in July 2024, KHM has collected over 50 days of water samples, including data from two major storms.
We’ve noticed significant spikes in water turbidity—basically, how cloudy the water becomes—after big storms. To better understand and measure this threat, we’re using turbidity measurements paired with sediment traps to collect sediment that settles on the ocean floor. Turbidity measurements show how much sediment stays suspended in the water, which blocks sunlight from reaching corals. Without enough sunlight, corals struggle to produce the energy they need to survive. The sediment traps, on the other hand, tell us how much sediment is landing directly on the corals, forcing them to use valuable energy to expel the sediment.
Both of these challenges can weaken coral health and reduce their ability to cope with other major stresses, like those caused by climate change.
In our first year working with KHM, we’ve learned a lot about how these stressors affect coastal waters and have established a baseline for current threat levels. With this baseline, we’ll be able to understand how rehabilitation efforts on land are working to reduce sediment runoff into the reefs.
Support from the Love Tito’s Initiative and NOAA
Community-led conservation efforts like this thrive with the support of individuals, foundations, and organizations that value local stewardship. This work is sponsored by NOAA and wouldn’t be possible without their financial assistance. Support for this project is generously funded with a federal award from the US Department of Commerce and authorized by the Coastal Zone Management Act, NA23NOS4730179.
The Love Tito’s Initiative, Tito’s Handmade Vodka’s philanthropic program, has also provided funding to help scale up restoration work, ensuring Molokai’s residents have the tools and resources needed to protect their reefs for future generations.
A Model for Reef Conservation
By blending traditional Hawaiian knowledge with modern science, the work in Molokai is setting an example for reef conservation worldwide. The success of this initiative demonstrates that when local communities lead restoration efforts, ecosystems and people thrive together.
As climate change and environmental pressures continue to threaten coral reefs, Molokai’s approach offers a hopeful and replicable solution—one rooted in culture, collaboration, and a deep respect for the land and sea.
