In 1990, Malama Kai Foundation was formed as a nonprofit to foster a partnership of Hawaii’s ocean users and businesses, the university and government to take responsibility for installing and maintaining the statewide day-use mooring buoy system, which protects our coral reefs from the crushing destruction of falling anchors. Today, there are approximately 200 buoys installed around all the main Hawaiian Islands. In partnership with the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Malama Kai Foundation is:

Updating the mooring buoy maintenance database for the statewide system,
Developing guidebooks for the mooring buoys on each island,
Developing training manuals for installation and maintenance of the buoys, and
Assisting the state in getting a permit renewed to allow installation of additional buoys.


The coral polyps that make up a coral reef are very delicate animals. Anchor damage is one of the most important physical threats to corals.

Day-use mooring buoys have proven to be an effective tool around the world in reducing the damage to coral reefs caused by anchors. They eliminate the need to drop anchor on coral reefs by providing boaters with a convenient means of securing their boats... read more

Anchor damage is a key threat to coral reefs according to the International Coral Reef Initiative, the US Coral Reef Task Force, and the State of Hawaii. The day-use mooring pin technology was developed in 1981 by John Halas and others at the Key Largo National Marine Sanctuary and has been used with success at coral reef sites around the world... read more

The Malama Kai Foundation, in partnership with the Hawaii Departments of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) and Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT), has sponsored the Adopt-a-Buoy Program since 1991... read more

Through a grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) the Malama Kai Foundation has contracted a part-time project coordinator to manage and coordinate all activities associated with reducing anchor damage to coral reefs and enhancing the State’s day-use mooring buoy system... read more

Half a centimeter of coral broken off in a matter of seconds can take up to 25 years to grow back.




Malama Kai co-sponsors REEFTALK, a monthly public presentation series on the marine and coastal environment in Kona and Kohala...


Community involvement and cooperation is the key to successful management of coral reef resources.