Miloliʻi Community-based Subsistence Fishing Area rules signed into law by Governor David Ige on August 2, 2022

The Hawaiʻi Marine Education and Research Center was co-founded by kamaʻaina resident scientists, Dr. Robin Martin and Dr. Greg Asner, in 2017 with initial funding from grants, trusts, and the Heinz Award for the Environment. Robin has worked as a conservation scientist in Hawaiʻi since 2003, generating ties to both coastal land and coral reef ecosystems and people. Greg has lived and worked on Oʻahu, Molokaʻi, and Hawaiʻi Islands since 1987, focusing on connecting communities and government to address coastal and coral reef challenges.

Hawaiʻi MERC staff come from a range of backgrounds including cultural practitioners, maritime operations, marine science, education, and law enforcement. Diverse backgrounds and perspectives fuse at Hawaiʻi MERC in support of communities in Hawaiʻi and around the Pacific.

Hawaiʻi MERC Board of Directors includes individuals with deep knowledge in conservation, Indigenous practice, community engagement, and law enforcement. Their dedication to the Hawaiʻi MERC mission provides a compass for the program’s goals and initiatives.

Hawaiʻi MERC relies on the dedicated actions of its volunteers and contractors. Team members participate in a wide range of activities including coastal and reef cleanups, rejuvenation of native coastal vegetation, law enforcement support, training of the next generation of scientists and community leaders, and more. Volunteers also receive training in first responder techniques, safe ocean practices, coastal and marine ecology, and reporting to law enforcement.