Marine Conservation

Finding the Best Fit for Our Marine Conservation Efforts

The Harold K.L. Castle Foundation loves the ocean.

As a result, the Foundation directs much of its grantmaking to improving ocean governance and management through a community-based approach ensuring healthier, more resilient and more sustainable nearshore marine ecosystems. The Foundation defines the community-based approach as inclusive— via broad-based, cross-sectoral collaboration. There is so much to be done to protect our precious nearshore ocean environment and fisheries that the Foundation has to ensure that its grants are leveraged through partnerships with other organizations in order to accomplish as much as possible.

The Foundation’s board of directors recently approved grants totaling $535,000 for three major marine conservation initiatives that fit the Foundation’s mission perfectly. These grants will (1) support state and local marine resource management in at least 15 coastal communities, (2) help reduce Maui’s land-based ocean pollution and (3) enhance college-level fisheries education in partnership with the Hawai‘i Seafood Council.

“We are proud to partner with great organizations that share our interests and concerns about the marine ecosystem,” said Terry George, Harold K.L. Castle Foundation president and CEO. “The largest grant, $400,000 to The Nature Conservancy of Hawai‘i, addresses six out of seven thematic areas of our nearshore conservation strategy: community-driven work, fishpond restoration and aquaculture, community water-quality monitoring, working with the fishing industry, community-based marine management area designations, and rearing a fishpond seafood product that compensates for the potential kapu (prohibition) on fishing in the Kaupulehu area on the west side of the Big Island.”

This grant to the Nature Conservancy of Hawai‘i will help build state and local marine resource management in at least 15 coastal communities. It will include Kiholo fishpond restoration, community water-quality monitoring, protocol development and training and support. It will also measure the effectiveness of the communities’ conservation efforts.

An $80,000 grant will go to Tri-Isle Resource Conservation & Development Council, Inc. to be used over one year to improve the health of West Maui’s marine ecosystem by reducing land-based pollution.

The Hawai‘i Seafood Council will receive $55,000 to be used over one year to develop seven training programs that include covering the cost of tours of the fish auction at Pier 38 by nearly every high school, college and graduate-level class on O‘ahu having anything to do with fisheries and marine biology.

“Supporting fish auction tours is an important way to partner with the fishing industry in conservation efforts, particularly because some misconstrue conservation to mean anti-ocean harvest when it really means pro-sustainable harvest” George said. “Visiting the auction is a great way to help educate and engage future scientists and marine resource managers in sustainable fisheries practices.”