Our Mission
“To preserve, protect and enhance the coral reefs of Maui Nui”
Founded in 2007, Maui Nui Marine Resource Council is a respected Maui-based nonprofit organization recognized for our ability to work in partnership with the community toward our vision of clean ocean water, healthy coral reefs and thriving native fish.
Celebrating 15 years of making a difference
Maui Nui Marine Resource Council was founded by marine biologist Robin Newbold and community visionary Uncle Ed Lindsey.
Our History
The story of Maui Nui Marine Resource Council begins in 2007. Our beautiful coral reefs were in significant decline. Native fish that once populated our local reefs were becoming scarce. Sediment and pollution clouded our nearshore ocean waters.
Our Unique Approach
Because so many of the problems impacting our reefs begin on land, we work from mountains (mauka) to sea (makai) to enact smart, sustainable solutions.
Our Values
We are guided by these traditional Hawaiian principles in all of our actions and interactions with others.
Meet Our People
Our small staff and more than 100 volunteers work together under the guidance of our all-volunteer Board of Directors.
Our History
The story of Maui Nui Marine Resource Council begins in 2007. Our beautiful coral reefs were in significant decline. Native fish that once populated our local reefs were becoming scarce. Sediment and pollution clouded our nearshore ocean waters.
Marine biologist Robin Newbold and community visionary Uncle Ed Lindsey were alarmed at the deterioration they saw. They recognized that while climate change threatens coral reefs worldwide, many of the other serious problems facing Maui County’s reefs originate on land, including sedimentation, run-off, overfishing and outdated wastewater management methods.
To fight these problems, the two brought local people together to collaborate, create and implement real solutions.
They convened an all-volunteer “council” that included representatives from a wide sector of the community including fishers, scientists, educators, cultural practitioners, ocean tourism business representatives and representatives of federal, state and local management agencies. The council met regularly to discuss and act on issues relating to our near shore ocean environment.
To specifically address issues threatening our reefs, MNMRC created the Maui Coral Reef Recovery Team and the Maui Coral Recovery Plan, the first of its kind in the state.
This approach inspired the formation of Community Managed Maka’i (CMMA) areas, in which local residents work together to manage their marine resources.
It also resulted in the creation of our volunteer citizen-based ocean water quality testing program, Hui O Ka Wai Ola, formed in partnershp with The Nature Conservancy and West Maui Ridge to Reef.
These projects continue today. Many of our original council representatives continue to support our mission as advisors, supporters and members of our Coral Reef Recovery Team.
