Kahaluʻu Beach Park in Kailua-Kona will be temporarily closed from May 1 through May 10 to protect the annual spawning of cauliflower coral. The park will reopen on May 11.

During the closure, The Kohala Centerʻs ReefTeach program and the Division of Land and Natural Resources Division of Aquatic Resources (DLNR-DAR) 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.

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.

DLNR Photo