(BIVN) – Kahaluʻu Beach Park in Kona will close for ten days to start the month of May, in order to protect spawning of cauliflower coral. 

The County of Hawaiʻi Department of Parks and Recreation will close the park from May 1st through May 10th, coinciding with the annual spawning event. The park will reopen on May 11th. 

County officials say that during the closure, The Kohala Center’s ReefTeach program and the Division of Land and Natural Resources Division of Aquatic Resources “ask the public to refrain from swimming, snorkeling and surfing in Kahaluʻu Bay to support the successful reproduction, settlement and recruitment of new cauliflower coral (Pocillopora meandrina) and to give Kahaluʻu a brief yet essential time for rejuvenation.” 

photo courtesy Hawaiʻi County

“Kahaluʻu is home to a unique and vital nearshore coral reef ecosystem that requires careful stewardship,” said Mayor Kimo Alameda in a news release. “By taking time to let this special place rest, we can do our part to ensure its recovery and protection for future generations.”

From the Hawaiʻi County news release:

Cauliflower coral – an essential species for Hawaiian reefs – once thrived in the shallow waters of West Hawaiʻi, including Kahaluʻu Bay, according to DAR and the Eyes of the Reef Network.

Catastrophic marine heatwaves in 2015 and 2019 caused severe bleaching, resulting in the loss of more than 90 percent of the cauliflower coral population in the bay. In response, annual rest periods were established in 2018 to support the reef’s recovery.

Since then, The Kohala Center’s ReefTeach program has documented steady progress: in 2021, dozens of new corals were observed, and by 2025, thousands of juvenile corals have been found repopulating the area, with some even spawning for the first time. While these signs of recovery are encouraging, continued vigilance and stewardship are essential as the reef remains in a fragile state.

“Witnessing our community unite to care for Kahaluʻu over the past nine years has been truly inspiring,” said Cindi Punihaole, Director of ʻĀina Advocacy at The Kohala Center. “Seeing the bay at rest and new corals thriving is a testament to the power of collective stewardship for our ʻāina.” 

The Department of Parks and Recreation and its partners extend their gratitude to the community for supporting this essential period of coral recovery and renewal.