Hawaii's coral reefs cover just a fraction of the ocean floor, yet they support an estimated 25% of all marine life. For Oahu in particular, the reefs at Kewalo Basin and Maunalua Bay are living nurseries — but they're under pressure from rising ocean temperatures, pollution, and human activity.

That's where coral restoration comes in. Through a partnership with DLNR DAR (Division of Aquatic Resources), Hawaii Dive Center actively participates in coral outplanting projects — physically placing lab-grown coral fragments onto degraded reef structures so they can attach, grow, and repopulate.

What Does a Restoration Dive Look Like?

Every dive we run includes direct participation in an active restoration task:

• Coral fragment assessment — checking the health and growth of previously planted corals
• Outplanting — carefully attaching new coral fragments to substrate using marine epoxy
• Survey transects — recording data on reef health, fish populations, and coral coverage
• Debris removal — clearing fishing line, nets, and trash that smother reef growth

Why Citizen Science Matters

Professional marine biologists can only cover so much ground. By training recreational divers in proper scientific observation techniques, programs like ours multiply the data-gathering capacity of government agencies like DLNR DAR tenfold.

Every diver who logs a survey through the Hawaii Dive Center app contributes to a growing dataset that informs state-level conservation policy.

How You Can Help

You don't need to be a marine biologist — you need to be a certified diver with a passion for Hawai'i's ocean. Book one of our Coral Restoration Experience dives and become an active steward of the reef. Every dive counts.