Critical research on the green sea turtle population has earned University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� marine biology PhD candidate Josefa Muñoz, the 2025–26 Dr. Clifford K. Mirikitani, MD, JD & John M. Mirikitani, JD, PhD Outstanding Dissertation Award from the .

Using field observations, satellite tracking and genetic analysis, Muñoz followed green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) from nesting and mating sites in the Mariana Archipelago to feeding grounds up to 2,500 kilometers away across the Pacific Ocean. Her dissertation provides some of the first detailed information about the little-studied population of green sea turtles that nest in the Mariana Archipelago.

Filling knowledge gaps

Muñoz’s studies are the first to document the mating patterns, movements and migrations of the estimated 100 green turtles that nest in the Mariana Archipelago. Her work fills knowledge gaps for the endangered Central West Pacific green turtle population, which has been classified as “data deficient” for over a decade.

“Sefa identified a major gap in the scientific understanding of green sea turtles that inhabit the Central-West Pacific,” said Brian Bowen, Muñoz’s advisor and researcher at the . “She used a combination of field work, advanced genetics, and satellite telemetry to resolve the nesting biology and migratory habits of Guam’s turtle population. She met the turtles on the beach, and then went from their inner cells to outer space in a quest to resolve the scientific facts about these sea turtles.”

Critical conservation framework

This research provides the framework needed for conservation efforts to protect vulnerable sea turtles from climate impacts and local threats.

“Receiving the Mirikitani Outstanding Dissertation Award is a profound honor that represents stewardship for my home islands in the Marianas and a tribute to the many mentors who guided and supported me along the way,” Muñoz said. “Overcoming a pandemic, typhoons, and remote fieldwork to build this dataset was a monumental challenge, but the effort was entirely worth it to help learn more about and better protect this small population of sea turtles.”

The Dr. Clifford K. Mirikitani, MD, JD & John M. Mirikitani, JD, PhD Outstanding Dissertation Award is given annually to one UH ����ԴDz� PhD student whose dissertation demonstrates exceptional originality, significance and scholarly achievement. Nominations for the 2026–27 award will open in early fall with the deadline of October 15. More information can be obtained on the .

Marine mammal research has attained new heights as scientists at the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� are deploying noninvasive suction-cup tags onto humpback whales using drones. Traditionally, researchers from the (MMRP) in the approached animals closely via boats, deploying tags using a seven-meter carbon fiber pole. Now, technological advances are allowing the team to tag whales from the sky, dramatically shifting how marine data is collected.

During their February 2026 field season off the coast of Maui, the MMRP team successfully utilized drones to deploy Customized Animal Tracking Solution (CATS) accelerometer tags. This innovative method provides a safer, less invasive tag deployment system for both the marine mammals and the human researchers. The team can deploy tags from several hundred meters away from their research vessel—greatly minimizing human intrusion.

“We do not need to get close to the whales to tag them, so we don’t disturb them,” said Lars Bejder, MMRP researcher. “Additionally, we are able to tag whales that we previously were not able to approach and get close to. This opens up many new opportunities for low-impact research on whales and dolphins to inform on their conservation and management.”

A prime example of this success occurred when the team successfully drone-tagged a skittish, singing male humpback whale during its final surfacing bout—a feat that would have been impossible using traditional pole-tagging methods.

Critical data collection

In total, the expedition deployed 22 tags on lactating females, a calf and adult males.

The high-resolution data collected—including fine-scale movements and energy expenditures—is critical for wildlife management. It allows researchers to quantify the biological consequences of disturbances, such as changing climatic events, vessel traffic or military activities, ultimately helping forecast population trajectories and establish vital evidence-based mitigation strategies to protect these marine species.

The fieldwork was supported by the Office of Naval Research, the U.S. Navy’s Living Marine Resources program, Dolphin Quest and philanthropic donations.

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This week’s UH News Image of the Week is from UH ����ԴDz� undergraduate and Office of Communications student worker Natasha Maafala during a visit to (HIMB) on Moku o Loʻe in ����Ա�ʻ�dz�� Bay.

Maafala and fellow Office of Communications student workers Liliana Okimoto and Emili Phomsouvanh had the opportunity to experience some of HIMB research—including young hammerhead shark—and educational outreach.

From the “living laboratory” of �鶹��ý, HIMB advances fundamental research and develops new technologies to address the challenges facing �鶹��ý, the Pacific, and the world’s oceans.

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Human activities are fundamentally altering the chemical makeup of local coral reefs, according to a study led by the University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa and published in . The research team discovered that 25 contaminants from agricultural, industrial and pharmaceutical sources accumulated in the soft tissues of coral around Maui. Additionally, in areas impacted by human activities, the energy and nutrient availability within the coral’s tissue decreases, making them significantly less resilient to environmental stressors such as warmer or acidic waters.

“Our findings suggest that monitoring the pool of chemicals within the coral tissues, called metabolomes, can serve as a powerful tool for tracking the hidden impacts of anthropogenic [human induced] disturbance on marine life,” said Zach Quinlan, lead author and research biologist at the (HIMB) in the UH Mānoa .

Quinlan and an international team of researchers tested the metabolomes of 380 lobe corals (Porites lobata) and rice corals (Montipora capitata) from 16 sites off west and south Maui. They found that human activities both within the adjacent watershed and in the marine ecosystem altered the composition of the corals’ metabolomes. In areas with more ecosystem disturbance, there was increased accumulation of contaminants and a decrease of nutrient and energy reserves in the coral tissues.

“It was extremely surprising that the metabolomes of both coral species had almost identical trends,” said Quinlan. “These corals have very different life strategies, and we wouldnʻt normally expect them to accumulate contaminants the same or even necessarily respond the same to disturbances.”

Clues from 2016 bleaching event

Using historical trends in coral from five of the sites they sampled, the team found that sites that had the most severe declines in coral cover after the 2016 bleaching event are the sites with the most impacted metabolomes. At more impacted sites, nitrogen and energy reserves were reduced, while stress chemicals were enriched.

The research team proposed two potential mechanisms by which human activities and contamination of marine environments lead to decreased coral resilience: 1) accumulation of anthropogenic molecules such as pharmaceuticals and industrial byproducts, and 2) increased pressure from anthropogenic activities requires coral to utilize portions of their nitrogen and energetic reserves.

Tracing contaminants through the ecosystem

The researchers propose that monitoring the metabolomes of coral or other coastal seafloor species can be used as a powerful tool to track human impacts on natural ecosystems.

“Beyond the implications for coral health and resilience, this study demonstrates how many anthropogenic contaminants are escaping into marine ecosystems,” Megan Donahue, senior author on the paper and HIMB director. “We see increasing evidence that anthropogenic contaminants have broad cumulative impacts that can undermine the resilience of coastal ecosystems.”

Looking ahead, Quinlan and team are searching for ways to enrich coral tissue nitrogen and energy reserves in controlled experiments to determine whether those increases lead to more resilient corals.

Additional co-authors include researchers from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, University of Newcastle (Australia), University of New South Wales (Australia), Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute (Australia), The Nature Conservancy, University of California Merced, Princeton University and James Cook University (Australia).

For 29 high school and transfer counselors, the first University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� Summer Counseling Institute was an unforgettable, immersive experience. Held July 12–15, the program invited 27 local counselors and two from Northern California to step into the shoes of a college student and explore the incredible opportunities awaiting future Rainbow Warriors.

Instead of a standard campus tour, participants spent three and a half days diving deeply into the heart of what UH ����ԴDz� has to offer. They toured the world-renowned �鶹��ý Institute of Marine Biology at Moku O Loʻe in Kāneʻohe Bay, went behind the scenes with UH Athletics, and experienced hands-on sample classes. Participants stepped into nursing simulation labs, explored the Walter Dods, Jr. RISE Center for innovation, and enjoyed a closing dinner at the Waikīkī Aquarium.

Steve Morales, a counselor at Kamehameha Schools Kapālama, was blown away by the depth of the research facilities and the university’s strong focus on community building.

“Think of it as a world-class education that you are getting,” Morales said. “It’s a gem and I think students should—no matter what high school they’re at—really look at it. This is a great university to come to.”

Limitless possiblities

The event was intentionally designed to showcase the authentic, vibrant life on campus. Nikki Chun, UH ����ԴDz� vice provost for enrollment management, proposed the institute to highlight the university’s limitless possibilities.

“What amazes me is that there’s so much here, so much richness,” Chun said. “You can spend years here, and there are things you never get to discover.”

Ultimately, the university hopes to inspire more local talent to thrive in �鶹��ý. Malia Kau, a college and career counselor at Radford High School, said the immersive event changed some counseling colleagues’ perceptions.

“I think our local students can look to ����ԴDz� as a place where they can meet all of the needs that they’re looking for in higher education,” Kau said. “They don’t have to go to the mainland… ����ԴDz� has a lot of things that will help them be successful here.”

Unexpectedly low calf numbers within the spinner dolphin population off �鶹��ý Island were revealed in a study led by scientists with the (MMRP) at the University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa along with national and international collaborators. Their research, published in , determined that calves make up only about 9% of the population, a stark contrast to the 17% expected in a healthy, stable population, raising urgent concerns about the long-term survival of this isolated population.

Viewing spinner dolphins is an attraction of the tourism industry in �鶹��ý, however, those activities put pressure on the marine species. Previous research has shown that this population of dolphins experiences the highest levels of disturbance exposure recorded for dolphins worldwide.

“The evidence suggests chronic human disturbance—especially tourism and recreational-related interactions during critical dolphin resting periods—as a likely contributing factor affecting reproductive success and calf survival,” said lead author Fabien Vivier, who was a doctoral student at the in the UH Mānoa at the time of this work. “The findings support stronger conservation actions, such as time-area closures for human activities, alongside continued long-term monitoring—actions that have long been called for.”

Drone surveys reveal population trends

To reach these conclusions, scientists utilized drone photography to measure the body length of free-swimming dolphins. By combining these aerial measurements with age-length data from stranded spinner dolphins collected by Kristi West, study co-author and researcher with the UH Health and Stranding Lab at the UH Mānoa , the team created the first age-length growth curve for this specific population. This allowed them to accurately categorize individuals into calves (under 2 years), juveniles (2–9 years), and adults (over 9 years).

Age structure is an early indicator of population health and long-term viability. The documented low proportion of calves suggests the spinner dolphin population off �鶹��ý Island may not be replacing itself fast enough, which could lead to future population decline.

Highly valuable and vulnerable population

In �鶹��ý, spinner dolphins are culturally, ecologically and economically important. Research from 2013 estimated that each individual dolphin is valued at more than $3.3 million over its lifetime and collectively, dolphin tourism generates more than $100 million annually for the state’s economy.

With spinner dolphins following a predictable daily cycle—foraging offshore at night and returning to shallow coastal bays during the day to rest and socialize—they are especially vulnerable to tourism activities in these nearshore habitats.

“This study provides one of the first population-level demographic signals suggesting those long-term disturbances may now be affecting reproduction and calf survival,” said Professor Lars Bejder, co-author on the study and MMRP director.

A call for stronger protections

While a 2021 federal rule requires people and vessels to remain at least 50 yards away from the dolphins, experts from the U.S. Marine Mammal Commission and the Pacific Scientific Review Group have argued that this measure is insufficient. The study authors are calling for stronger conservation actions, specifically time-area closures that would restrict human access to critical resting bays during the day.

“Understanding these impacts is critical for protecting an isolated local population before declines become irreversible,” Randall Wells, study co-author and director of Brookfield Zoo Chicago’s . “We hope this work provides the science-based evidence needed to develop effective protections for spinner dolphins while helping balance marine tourism, cultural stewardship, and long-term ecosystem health in �鶹��ý.”

Future research and monitoring will depend on available funding, with scientists aiming to track long-term changes in age structure, reproduction, and population and further refine non-invasive drone-based methods.

The University of �鶹��ý is set to play a pivotal role in a new national effort to strengthen America’s seafood supply and expand sustainable aquaculture. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced the creation of the Cooperative Institute Fostering Aquaculture Research and Markets (CIFARM).

Funded by an initial $13.5 million investment for its first year, this five-year cooperative institute aims to harness partnerships with researchers to unlock the potential of U.S. marine aquaculture. The University of New Hampshire will serve as the host institution, with UH participating as one of five core consortium members in this competitive national program.

The UH research team is being led by Associate Professor Chatham Callan out of the UH Hilo (PACRC). Callan is joined by co-investigators Professor Maria Haws of PACRC, Associate Research Professor Erik Franklin of the in the School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology at UH Mānoa, and �鶹��ý Sea Grant Associate Director for Extension Darren Okimoto and several other UH Faculty partners.

“Being selected as a core member of CIFARM is a testament to the decades of world-class aquaculture research happening right here in �鶹��ý,” said Callan. “Through our partnerships with Native Hawaiian communities, we draw on a tradition of ocean stewardship and fishpond engineering that stretches back centuries. Our UH team is excited to bring that unique Pacific perspective and expertise to the national stage. By focusing on cutting-edge tech, environmental forecasting, and real-world marine demonstration projects, we are actively building the blueprint for a more resilient, self-sufficient seafood industry.”

$24B in imported seafood annually

CIFARM‘s core mission is to solve real-world challenges affecting seafood producers and consumers while reducing the nation’s reliance on imported seafood. Currently, Americans consume more than $24 billion in imported seafood annually, with approximately half estimated to be farmed overseas. By advancing domestic aquaculture, CIFARM aims to bolster national food security, create jobs and uplift coastal economies in complement to wild-capture fisheries.

The UH team will contribute to a broad range of research priorities. CIFARM researchers will investigate scientific solutions that can be leveraged for industry advancement. Key focus areas include engineering and technology development, artificial intelligence for aquaculture, environmental observations and forecasting, and marine aquaculture demonstration projects. The consortium will also conduct critical risk management, vulnerability analyses and seafood market research. The Hawaii team will also partner with USAPI researchers, including University of Guam Sea Grant and the in FSM to extend CIFARM’s reach throughout the Pacific.

“This partnership underscores the University of �Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ��’s vital role in advancing sustainable aquaculture systems that directly impact our global food supply,” said Norman Arancon, director of the UH Hilo College of Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resource Management. “We have always championed practical, impactful science. Through CIFARM, our researchers and students will be at the forefront of a $13.5 million national effort, utilizing �Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ��’s unique seascape to drive economic growth, bolster food security, and train the next generation of leaders in sustainable marine aquaculture.”

�鶹��ý is uniquely positioned for this work. The state is already home to Blue Ocean Mariculture in Kona, currently the only offshore fish farm in the U.S., providing a vital real-world connection to the consortium’s demonstration and commercialization goals.

In addition to University of New Hampshire and UH, the network includes �鶹��ý Sea Grant, New Hampshire Sea Grant, the University of Miami, Florida Sea Grant, the University of Southern Mississippi, the Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium, Hubbs-Sea World Research Institute and California Sea Grant.

Some of �Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ��’s endangered false killer whales are rapidly losing weight, a warning sign that warming oceans and limited prey may be pushing one of the nation’s smallest whale populations closer to extinction, according to research by a team including scientists from the University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa.

The findings provide the first quantitative evidence that nutritional stress and competition with fisheries may be accelerating the decline of this iconic population, which now numbers fewer than 140 individuals.

The research—a partnership between the (PWF), (MMRP) at UH Mānoa and —utilized high-resolution drone photogrammetry to track 68 whales (roughly half the remaining population) between 2019 and 2025.

Rapid declines and climate links

The study documented extreme physiological shifts, including one individual that lost an estimated 28% of its body mass—approximately 500 pounds—over a 10-week period. Researchers also found that the population’s overall Body Condition Index hit a record low in 2020. This decline coincided with a severe marine heatwave and the largest single-year population drop in recent history, suggesting that rising ocean temperatures could be impacting the whales’ ability to maintain necessary energy reserves.

“This study is a critical step in understanding whether prey limitation is driving the extinction risk for these whales,” explains Jens Currie, Chief Scientist at PWF, PhD candidate in the , and lead author of the study. “Our findings suggest that many individuals are living on a thin metabolic margin. We are now examining how competition with fisheries for high-energy prey like ‘ahi (yellowfin tuna) and mahimahi may be forcing these whales into a state of chronic nutritional stress.”

Mapping health across the archipelago

The research highlights that health is not distributed equally across the population. Whales in “Cluster 1,” known for traveling broad distances across the islands, showed significant variability in their physical condition. This suggests that the high energetic cost of moving long distances to find prey may be taking a heavier physical toll on certain social groups than others.

To ensure the highest level of accuracy, the research team validated their drone measurements against 3D scans of whales in human care at the Okinawa Churashima Foundation in Japan. This calibration provided the foundational data needed to convert aerial images into precise weight and volume estimates, confirming that the study’s measurements are accurate to within 3%.

“This level of precision allows us to pinpoint exactly when and where these whales are struggling, which is key for directing conservation efforts,” said Lars Bejder, MMRP director, title=”�鶹��ý Institute of Marine Biology”>HIMB professor, and co-author of the study.

The whales found in �鶹��ý are a distinct, island-resident population adapted to the region’s coastal ecosystems and dependent on these waters for survival. They represent one of the smallest and most endangered whale populations in the United States, where the loss of even a few animals can have consequences for the entire population.

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U.S. Department of Education Under Secretary Nicholas Kent visited the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� on May 27, meeting with UH President Wendy Hensel and UH leaders to learn more about the university’s student success initiatives, workforce development efforts and research enterprise.

The visit also included tours of two of UH ����ԴDz�’s world-class research facilities: the (HSFL) and the (HIMB).

Kent was joined by Deputy Under Secretary James Bergeron, Special Assistant Cristian Clementi, Press Secretary for Higher Education Ellen Keast and Special Advisor Ethan Good.

Hensel welcomed the delegation with Debora Halbert, UH vice president for academic strategy; Chad Walton, UH interim vice president for research and innovation; Vassilis Syrmos, UH ����ԴDz� interim provost; and Rob Wright, UH ����ԴDz� interim vice provost for research and scholarship.

“We are trying together to make it the best environment possible for student achievement, and wherever we can partner to make that happen, we are happy to do so,” said Hensel. “Higher education, K–12, it all works together as an ecosystem, and when we collaborate and strengthen those connections, we succeed for our students. When it becomes fragmented, we lose the ability to reach their full potential.”

Showcasing innovation and student success

During the visit, university leaders provided an overview of the UH system, including student success efforts, workforce development initiatives, affordability, financial aid, enrollment trends and the university’s role as �鶹��ý’s sole public provider of higher education. The discussion also highlighted UH’s research enterprise, which secured a record $734 million in extramural awards in fiscal year 2025, including more than $60 million from the U.S. Department of Education across 115 projects.

“We’re very excited to be here talking with President Hensel and her leadership team about the opportunities for higher education in �鶹��ý and how they are so distinct from those on the mainland,” said Kent. “We still see some of the same challenges here in �鶹��ý with the affordability of higher education, but the president and her leadership team are focused on how to get costs down, how to ensure outcomes translate into earnings and workforce pathways, and how to work with local communities and employers to make sure students are getting good-paying jobs.”

The delegation toured the HSFL clean room at UH ����ԴDz�, where university researchers design and build SmallSats for science and educational missions. The tour was led by Wright and Lance Yoneshige, integration and launch specialist engineer. The clean room is primarily used for the integration, assembly and testing of satellites.

Federal officials also traveled to the HIMB on Moku o Loʻe (Coconut Island) in Kāneʻohe Bay for a tour led by HIMB Director Megan Donahue. An organized research unit of UH ����ԴDz�, HIMB is internationally recognized for research on coral reefs, marine ecosystems, climate resilience and ocean health.

The University of �鶹��ý has been designated as a new Pacific Reef Research Coordination Institute (Pacific RRCI) by the (NOAA) to support coral reef conservation in the Pacific through research, collaboration and public education.

The Pacific RRCI will be housed in UH’s , under the aegis of the , and will perform the following critical functions: conduct federally directed research to fill national and regional gaps; collaborate with relevant states and territories, Indigenous groups, coral reef managers, non-governmental organizations, and other coral reef research centers; assist in the implementation of the NOAA’s National Coral Reef Resilience Strategy and coral reef action plans; build non-federal capacity for management and restoration practices; and conduct public education and awareness programs.

“This new institute combines UH’s strengths in cutting-edge, ocean-related research and our collaborative, place-based approach to working with resource managers throughout �鶹��ý and the Pacific to protect our vital coral reefs,” said Chad B. Walton, UH interim vice president for research and innovation. “At the same time, it provides us with further opportunities to develop our region’s next generation of researchers and managers in the field of conservation futures.”

To restore and preserve coral reef ecosystems in the U.S. from natural and human-related effects, the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000 was reauthorized and modernized by the Restoring Resilient Reefs Act of 2021, which was included in the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act that became law in 2022. The reauthorized law required the designation of two RRCIs, one each in the Atlantic and Pacific basins, was required. The RRCIs were chosen from 32 preselected coral reef research centers and were designated based on the results of technical merit and panel reviews. The Restoring Resilient Reefs Act of 2021 was introduced and sponsored by �鶹��ý Senators Brian Schatz and Mazie K. Hirono, and Congressman Ed Case.

The UH-led institute will be guided by experienced reef researchers from UH Mānoa’s Kewalo Marine Laboratory and the �鶹��ý Institute of Marine Biology, UH Hilo’s Marine Sciences program, and the University of Guam’s Marine Laboratory. It will support research, monitoring, capacity building and outreach for coral reef management throughout the U.S states and territories of American Samoa, Guam, �鶹��ý, and the Northern Marianas Islands and with the Freely Associated States of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of Palau and the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

“Many people worked many years to make this vision for collaborative reef research across the Pacific a reality,” said Suzanne Case, director of the Office of Land and Ocean Conservation Futures. “We’re excited to jump in with scientists and communities and agencies across the region to take it forward.”

The , a beacon of marine education and conservation for over a century, is marking its 122nd anniversary in March. Under the new leadership of Interim Director Judy Lemus, the institution is embarking on a period of revitalization, with innovative exhibits, strategic collaborations, and a continued commitment to the unique aquatic ecosystems of �鶹��ý and the tropical Pacific.

The aquarium will host a 122nd birthday celebration on March 19, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The day kicks off with a community coastal cleanup followed by a suite of family-friendly activities.

A new chapter

Lemus brings a wealth of experience in marine facility management, research, and education. Lemus served for four years as the interim director of the (HIMB) within the University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa (SOEST) and is currently the interim associate dean for academic affairs in SOEST. Her primary focus at the aquarium is on operational improvements and enhancing the institutionʻs role in education, marine conservation, collaborative research, and community engagement.

“Managing the Waikīkī Aquarium is about more than just animal husbandry; it’s also about our engagement with the public and contribution to conservation of Pacific species, and our role as a public outlet for UH research,” said Lemus. “As we celebrate 122 years, we are not just honoring our history, but building the systems, facilities, and stories that will carry us through the next century.”

One major accomplishment under her leadership has been the successful return of Hōʻailona, the beloved Hawaiian monk seal, to his refurbished enclosure.

New and upcoming exhibits:

• The Aquaculture Tank: In partnership with Biota, a local aquaculture company, this exhibit will feature fish and coral raised entirely in aquaculture facilities at the Oceanic Institute and Waikīkī Aquarium. This “no-collection” model highlights sustainable trade and will also showcase 3-D structures from HIMB researcher Josh Madin’s Lab that facilitate coral growth.
• The Edge of Reef Redesign: Formerly an iconic outdoor exhibit, the Edge of Reef was dismantled to make way for a critical infrastructure project. A redesign is planned for this exhibit with support from UH, the �鶹��ýFoundation, and the Friends of the Waikīkī Aquarium.
• New Tank for Mullet and More: The large tank that previously featured mullet, a species revered in �鶹��ý as a staple food and in loko ʻia (Hawaiian fishpond) aquaculture, is being dismantled to make way for a modern habitat. The new enclosure may house mullet and possibly other compatible species such as rays or sea turtles.
• The aquarium is planning new collaborations with a variety of UH faculty and labs to help bring their work to broader audiences.
• AZA Accreditation: The aquarium is starting a Pathway Toward Membership program with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the gold standard in accreditation for zoos and aquariums, with the goal of achieving AZA accreditation for Waikīkī Aquarium in about 5 years.

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This week’s UH News Image of the Week is from the UH ����ԴDz� �鶹��ý Institute of Marine Biology (HIMB).

From Maria Frostic, HIMB communications coordinator: The HIMB Shark Lab recently celebrated a historic ‘Personal Best’ with the capture and tagging of a 470 cm (15’ 5”) female tiger shark—the longest in the lab’s 30-year history.

Initially tagged on October 7, 2025, near Kapapa Island by a team including Edward Cardona, Molly Deppmeier, Michaela Johnson, and David Itano, the shark was remarkably recaptured seven weeks later within Kāneʻohe Bay. This second interaction enabled visiting researcher Takuya Fukuoka to deploy a short-term biologging tag that was successfully recovered at Penguin Bank. Data from her satellite transmitter now shows the shark frequently traveling between the bay and the bank, providing researchers with invaluable oceanographic insights.

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Following a competitive proposal process initiated in October 2025, the (�鶹��ý Sea Grant) announced five organizations to establish the first–of–its–kind Community Funding Hubs for Resilience and ʻĀina Stewardship. The five regional hubs are across the moku/hui moku (districts) of West Kauaʻi, Waiʻanae (Oʻahu), Molokaʻi, Central Maui and Kohala (�鶹��ý Island).

Each hub will receive up to $300,000 over three years to strengthen its administrative, financial and relationship–building capacities needed to support future community–led projects. Aligned with the cooperative vision of the project, these hubs will serve as central resources for managing and distributing funding on behalf of community–based organizations, effectively lowering the barriers to local stewardship.

“In �鶹��ý, we know the health of our families and our communities is inextricably tied to the health of our lands and our waters, and we benefit from ʻIke �鶹��ý (Hawaiian Knowledge) that teaches us how humans and nature can thrive together in our island systems,” said Kawika Winter, associate professor at and director of the Heʻeia National Estuarine Research Reserve. “The Moku System provides us a framework to not only address the problems we face today, but to do so while honoring our ancestors and ensuring that our descendants will be better off than we are today.”

The 5 organizations and their projects

• Kauaʻi Economic Development Board—Strengthening West Kauaʻi: A Funding Hub for Community–Led ʻĀina Restoration & Climate Resilience
• ‘Elepaio Social Services—The Waiʻanae Kaiāulu Funding Hub
• Molokai Heritage Trust—Ka Lāhui Hoʻolako
• Living Pono Project—Central Maui Resilience Funding Hub: Expanding Access, Equity, and Administrative Support
• Vibrant �鶹��ý—Kākoʻo Kohala

Empowering community-led stewardship

The hubs act as trusted intermediaries, forging direct partnerships between funders and local communities. By providing guidance with proposal development and budget management, these hubs help local organizations overcome technical barriers that often prevent small, grassroots groups from accessing vital funding for ʻāina (land) stewardship.

“These hubs are critical for a number of reasons,” said Eric Co, chief executive officer of the Harold K.L. Castle Foundation. “During COVID, we learned how difficult it was to get support to where trust was greatest and activities were most meaningful—at the grassroots level. These hubs build the equitable capacity needed to do so efficiently across the islands.”

Later this year, �鶹��ý Sea Grant will launch a separate round of adaptation and resilience project funding. These future opportunities will allow smaller community–based organizations to collaborate with their local Community Funding Hub to develop and manage projects.

This effort was made possible through funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office for Coastal Management awarded in 2024.

A PhD candidate at the University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa was selected as one of five 2025 NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)–Sea Grant Joint Fellows across the U.S. Leon Tran is representing the and joins four other fellows who are pursuing doctoral degrees at universities in other states.

The research projects span topics related to modeling and managing systems of living marine resources and fisheries, as well as the economics of their conservation and management.

“I’m honored to be selected for such an exciting opportunity and to contribute to the program’s legacy of conserving our oceans,” said Tran. “Through the fellowship, I’ll be able to move my experimental work in the lab into the conservation sphere, and help me advance my career as a marine conservation biologist and ocean steward.”

Under the guidance of �鶹��ý–based fisheries researchers Jacob Johansen, Erik Franklin, Tye Kindinger and Lisa McManus, Tran is developing a tool to forecast how future changes impact habitat suitability for important subsistence fisheries. By integrating laboratory studies on the metabolism of the convict tang (manini) and day octopus (heʻe mauli) with computer–based habitat models, he is exploring where these species can thrive across the Pacific. As coral reefs change under local and global pressures, this work helps reveal how animal physiology shapes where it can live, providing essential insight into how coral reef ecosystems can shift in the future.

Former NMFS–Sea Grant Joint Fellows have gone on to serve in key roles within NOAA Fisheries, other agencies, academic institutions and fishery management councils, making substantial contributions to the management and conservation of marine ecosystems.

Since 1999, this fellowship program has supported more than 134 population dynamics fellows and 42 marine resource economics fellows.

–By Cindy Knapman

From the coral reefs of the tropics to the oyster reefs of temperate estuaries, nature’s most diverse ecosystems are built by “master architects.” A study revealed that the complex shapes of these reefs are not random—they follow precise geometric rules that maximize survival.

The collaborative research of the University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa (HIMB) and Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia, offers a proven guide for reviving damaged marine habitats and protecting the vital seafood sources that communities depend on.

“This work shows that there are universal architectural rules for reef persistence,” said Joshua Madin, a senior author of the study, HIMB research professor, and a principal investigator of the HIMB Conservation Innovation Group. “Nature has already solved the design problem. Our job is to read that blueprint and scale it up to help reefs grow faster and survive longer.”

Geometry of survival

Using high-resolution 3D mapping and field experiments in Australia, the team engineered concrete structures spanning a wide range of surface complexities. They discovered that while simple structures left juvenile oysters exposed to predators, and overly complex structures offered diminishing returns, survival peaked at a specific, optimal combination of height and fractal dimension—exactly the geometry found in thriving natural reefs.

“Reefs are not just piles of skeletons or shells,” said Juan Esquivel-Muelbert, the study’s lead author from Macquarie University. “They are finely tuned three-dimensional machines. Their shape controls who lives, who dies, and how fast the reef grows.”

While the fieldwork focused on oysters, the theoretical principles were developed at HIMB and apply directly to coral reefs.

R3D project

The study provides the biological validation for cutting-edge restoration work currently underway in �鶹��ý. The geometric principles utilized in this paper are a driving force behind the UH project Rapid Resilient Reefs for Coastal Defense (R3D), a project funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency that is deploying immense, geometric reef modules off the coast of Oʻahu.

By mimicking the “optimal geometry” of coral reef, using the same principles identified in the study, these artificial structures are designed to do more than just break waves—they are engineered to attract coral larvae, protect them from predators and grow into a thriving coral reef.

“We are applying these exact principles to coral restoration here in �鶹��ý,” said Madin. “Recent work at HIMB testing these 3D-printed designs showed we could increase the settlement and survival of corals by 80-fold compared to natural reef surfaces. By building with the right geometry, we can jump-start the feedback loops that allow reefs to build themselves.”

A group of colorful hexacorals (aquatic organisms in the group of stony corals and anemones), known as “zoantharians” is defying the traditional laws of evolution by remaining virtually identical across the Atlantic and Indo-Pacific oceans, according to a led by researchers at the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz�.

The study, led by Maria “Duda” Santos of UH ����ԴDz�’s (HIMB) ToBo Lab and the University of the Ryukyus, began with a moment of “déjà vu” underwater.

“During my first dive in Okinawa, I was surrounded by a multitude of species I had never seen in my homeland of Brazil,” said Santos. “But then I saw the zoantharians. They looked exactly like the ones back home—the same colors, shapes and sizes. It was striking.”

While the Indo-Pacific typically hosts 10 times the species diversity of the Atlantic for most reef animals, this research found that the genetic and morphological divergence between oceans for these creatures is surprisingly narrow.

By combining DNA data and records from Mexico to the Philippines, the team has provided the first-ever global “atlas” for a group of animals that has remained in the shadows for decades. This map of the past and present provides a vital baseline for monitoring how marine life will navigate climate change.

Secrets of the ultimate travelers

The researchers suggest that zoantharians may be the ultimate oceanic travelers. Their secret likely lies in high dispersal via an “epic” larval phase, where young zoantharians can survive in open water for more than 100 days, paired with an ability to “raft” across ocean basins by hitchhiking on floating objects. In addition, an unusually slow evolutionary rate appears to keep distant populations looking and acting like siblings, even after long time of separation.

As climate change stresses traditional stony corals, zoantharians are increasingly moving in to fill the void.

“In some habitats impacted by stress, some zoantharian species can outcompete stony corals,” said Santos. “We are seeing ‘phase shifts’ where reefs once dominated by corals are being taken over by zoantharians. Understanding how they spread helps us forecast what the reefs of the future will look like.”

This study represents an international effort, uniting a team from �鶹��ý, Okinawa, Russia, Brazil, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Indonesia.

New University of �鶹��ý research confirms that “Sharktober” is real, revealing a statistically significant spike in shark bite incidents in Hawaiian waters every October. The study, which analyzed 30 years of data (1995–2024), found that about 20% of all recorded bites occurred in that single month, a frequency far exceeding any other time of the year. Researchers at UH ����ԴDz�’s (HIMB) Shark Lab .

The research, led by HIMB Professor Carl G. Meyer, determined that this pronounced pattern, informally known as “Sharktober,” is primarily driven by the seasonal movements and biological needs of tiger sharks (Galeocerdo cuvier), which account for at least 63% of the incidents during this month.

“The October spike is real and statistically significant, but the overall risk remains very low,” said Meyer. “This pattern appears to be driven by tiger shark biology, not by more people being in the water.”

Extra caution advised

The study uses �鶹��ý-specific data to provide science-based information that allows residents and visitors to make informed decisions about ocean use during this time of year, supporting awareness and coexistence without sensationalism.

“Understanding when risk is slightly elevated helps people make informed choices, not fearful ones,” said Meyer.

Ocean users are advised to be aware that tiger sharks are more likely to be present in the nearshore waters of the main Hawaiian Islands during October, and extra caution is advised during this month, particularly for high-risk, solo activities such as surfing or swimming in coastal areas.

Postpartum tiger sharks

The findings suggest a strong link between the October spike and the tiger shark’s reproductive cycle, specifically parturition (giving birth), which occurs during the months of September and October. The evidence indicates two primary mechanisms acting together.

First, there is a temporary increase in the abundance of large adult females in nearshore habitats, including a partial migration of mature females from the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands to the main Hawaiian Islands.

Second, giving birth to a large litter is energetically taxing, likely leaving postpartum females in a state of poor nutritional condition and increasing their motivation to forage actively to recover energy reserves.

This conclusion is supported by multiple independent lines of evidence, including the peak in tiger shark sightings at ecotourism sites that aligns precisely with the pupping season.

Future research will focus on directly studying adult female tiger sharks during the pupping season, including tracking their movements and using non-invasive tools to assess their reproductive status and body condition. The work was conducted as part of the HIMB Shark Lab program at UH ����ԴDz�, utilizing publicly available shark incident data compiled by the �鶹��ý Department of Land and Natural Resources.

A team of shark researchers from the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� has solved a long-standing mystery, identifying the first-ever documented mating hub for tiger sharks. , led by the (HIMB) Shark Lab, utilized six years of acoustic tracking data to pinpoint Olowalu, Maui and the nature of tiger shark mating.

This challenges the conventional understanding of tiger sharks as purely solitary animals, revealing a predictable seasonal convergence of mature males and females that coincides with the humpback whale calving season in �鶹��ý.

Solving the mating mystery

For years, it was unclear how tiger sharks, which are typically solitary wanderers, came together to reproduce, or if mating was simply a result of random encounters.

“Tiger sharks typically roam widely in what can seem like random patterns, so finding such a strong and consistent seasonal trend in their movements around Maui was unexpected,” said Paige Wernli, lead author of the study and a graduate student in the HIMB Shark Lab.

The long-term tracking data revealed a strong, predictable seasonal presence and high overlap of both mature male and female sharks at Olowalu, with both sexes exhibiting physical signs of mating activity.

“To our knowledge, no group mating site for tiger sharks has ever been identified. This paper adds an important piece to the puzzle of tiger shark reproduction,” said Carl Meyer, co-author of the paper and principal investigator of the HIMB Shark Lab.

Dual motivations

The timing of the sharks’ convergence also aligns with the arrival of humpback whale mothers and newborn calves in the area. This unique ecological overlap indicates that the sharks may be positioning themselves to take advantage of foraging opportunities, such as vulnerable calves or placental falls.

“Mating and foraging on humpback whales may not be mutually exclusive,” said Wernli, “and both could influence tiger shark movement patterns in Hawaiʻi.”

The researchers noted that these gatherings are not dense but rather diffuse, spanning multiple months and several kilometers.

.

Challenging a 50-year-old narrative about �鶹��ý’s native birds, a new study from the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� found no scientific evidence that Indigenous People hunted waterbird species to extinction. , the research debunks this long-held myth and offers a new, integrated theory to explain the disappearances.

Researchers found no evidence that Indigenous People over-hunted birds to extinction. Instead, the authors suggest a new theory: the birds died out because of a combination of climate change, invasive species and changes in how the land was used—most of which happened either prior to Polynesian arrival, or after the suppression of Indigenous stewardship. The study also noted that now-endangered waterbirds were probably most abundant just before Europeans arrived, when wetland management was a core aspect of Kānaka ʻŌ���ɾ� (Native Hawaiian) society.

Refuting conservation theories

“So much of science is biased by the notion that humans are inevitable agents of ecocide, and we destroy nature wherever we go. This idea has shaped the dominant narrative in conservation, which automatically places the blame for extinctions on the first people—the Indigenous People—of a place. Even where there is zero scientific evidence to support it, the myth of Hawaiians hunting birds to extinctions took root in �鶹��ý and for decades has been taught as if it was a scientific fact,” said Kawika Winter, associate professor at (HIMB) and co-author of the paper. “Our study not only dispels this myth, but also contributes to a growing body of evidence that Indigenous stewardship represents the best ways for native birds to thrive in a world where humans are not going away.”

This study re-examines existing evidence without the bias that the discipline has increasingly been criticized for—the idea that people are separate from and inherently bad for nature. The research provides a more nuanced understanding of history, paving the way for an increasingly robust approach to conservation research.

“Science has matured to a point where graduate students are being trained to challenge its own long-standing world view,” said Kristen Harmon, lead author on the paper who recently earned a PhD from the (CTAHR) Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management. “Our interpretation of historical ecology, how ecological systems change over time, influences our approaches to solving global-scale ecological problems. Bringing together information from different disciplines and knowledge systems can yield a more accurate picture of reality, which is ultimately the goal of every scientist.”

Empowering Indigenous stewardship

The study’s conclusions are expected to help transform conservation actions in �鶹��ý, particularly for the recovery of endangered waterbird populations, such as ʻalae ʻula (Gallinula chloropus) and ʻaeʻo (Himantopus mexicanus knudseni).

“Recent studies support what Hawaiians have always known—that restoration of loʻi (wetland agro-ecosystems) is critically important to bring these waterbirds into abundance again,” said Melissa Price, an associate professor who runs the Wildlife Ecology Lab at CTAHR. “If we wish to transform our islands from the ‘Extinction Capital of the World’ into the ‘Recovery Capital of the World’ we need to restore relationships between nature and communities.”

This new understanding could help change how we protect these birds and mend long-standing disagreements in the community.

Ulalia Woodside Lee, who was not a part of this research project, offered some reflections as the �鶹��ý and Palmyra Executive Director for The Nature Conservancy, “For generations, Native Hawaiians have been criticized for causing the extinctions of our precious native birds. This has contributed to a breakdown in trust between the Hawaiian community and conservationists, and the exclusion of Native Hawaiians from important conservation decisions. This study will help us to move past those untruths, so that we can all move together into a brighter future where our native species are thriving again.”

In a monumental achievement, members of the University of �鶹��ý community joined forces with more than 2,000 volunteers to celebrate the historic completion of the Heʻeia Fishpond wall on December 13. The event at the Loko Iʻa o Heʻeia in Koʻolaupoko, Oʻahu, marked the culmination of a 25-year restoration of the ancient kuapā (fishpond wall).

Volunteers mobilized for “�Ѱ�ʻ����������Ā,” employing traditional methods such as halihali to pass coral and rock to complete the final 300 feet of the 7,000-foot circular wall. Paepae o Heʻeia, the nonprofit established in 2001 by Native Hawaiians to mālama (care for/steward) the fishpond, spearheaded this monumental undertaking.

“We are connecting the past to the present with a promise of 800 more years of abundance in this community, just like our kūpuna did 800 years ago,” said Executive Director Hiʻilei Kawelo, a UH ����ԴDz� alumna.

The wall’s completion secured the future of this vital cultural landmark and critical living laboratory. As the site of the Heʻeia National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR), the 88-acre fishpond is intrinsically linked to UH‘s research community. Paepae o Heʻeia, which manages the site in partnership with Kamehameha Schools, uses the fishpond as a place of learning, weaving ancestral knowledge with contemporary research methodologies. UH scientists work closely with community members to develop studies aimed at restoring the system’s ecological function and productivity.

“Faculty, staff, and students have been giving sweat to the fishpond monthly at our NERR Laulima workdays, and it showed on this day. Paepae o Heʻeia trusted these select researchers enough to stand alongside longtime ʻāina stewards and help lead the 2,000 volunteers,” said Aimee Sato, Indigenous Stewardship Coordinator with the Heʻeia NERR and the UH ����ԴDz� . “Once we were all in the maroon alakaʻi (group leader) shirts, we were all one, and there was no distinction between researcher or mālama ʻ�徱�Բ� steward. There is still work to do in strengthening restoration projects and relationships, but I am hopeful we see more of this across �鶹��ý.”