Hawaii Beach Closes for a Week as Cauliflower Coral Spawning Season Starts

As the season for spawning cauliflower corals begins, authorities in Hawaii have decided to close a beach for a week.

From May 5 through May 12, Kahalu'u Beach Park on the Kona coast of the Big Island will be closed due to coral spawning.

Cauliflower Coral Spawning Season

The purpose of the closure is to facilitate cauliflower coral spawning, which is essential for regenerating the coral reef ecosystem. For the duration of the closure, the public is voluntarily asked to refrain from swimming and snorkeling in Kahalu'u Bay by the State of Hawaii Division of Land and Natural Resources and the Kahalu'u Bay Education Center. This is being done to promote the spawning of cauliflower coral.

If given the chance to settle without being disturbed by human activity and/or pollutants, coral gametes will have a better chance of finding suitable reef areas to repopulate within the bay. To lessen unfavorable human effects on coral reef ecosystems, the Kahalu'u Bay Education Center and its ReefTeach program promote proper reef behavior.

The public's awareness of and respect for this crucial coral recovery and replenishment process is greatly appreciated by the Department of Parks and Recreation and the Kahalu'u Bay Education Center, Big Island Now reports.

Hawaii Beach Closure

The closure of the beach was also previously announced a month ago in a KHON2 news article.

The Hawaiian archipelago should allow coral colonies to rest during their brief spawning windows during that time, according to the Department of Land and Natural Resources. On Hawaii Island, it is a tradition to observe this ritual in the coastal waters.

According to officials, the closure will facilitate cauliflower coral spawning. The restoration of the coral reef ecosystem depends on this kind of coral.

The mayor expressed her gratitude to the group of professionals in charge of the city's conservation efforts. Roth noted that the natural marine life in Kahalu'u Bay has experienced a notable resurgence. She expressed her hope that the community will support the local government in protecting the area during the critical coral spawning season.

Also Read: Luxury Yacht Severely Damages Coral Reefs Off-Coast Hawaii

Cauliflower Coral

The cauliflower coral is one of the four most common species of Hawaiian reef-building corals. It lives along the exposed coastlines and the surge zone of reef slopes. It can withstand the moderate wave action found close to the surface thanks to its dense skeleton, strong branches, and symmetrical head formation.

The head coral also referred to as cauliflower coral, is pink to golden brown. Crabs and small fish among many other organisms, find shelter in its branches.

The hard skeleton of cauliflower coral was used for a variety of purposes by early Hawaiians. The skeleton's rough surface made it the perfect abrasive, and pieces of it were used to file or sand wooden objects in the same way as sandpaper. Hawaiian for cauliflower coral, ko'a, was also crucial in the construction of heiau (temples) devoted to fishing.

Cauliflower coral underwent severe bleaching in Hawai'i from 2014 to 2017, according to Waikiki Aquarium, so the Center for Biological Diversity petitioned the National Marine to the Fisheries Service (NMFS) to list it as an endangered species in 2018.