Protecting Hawaiʻi – What You Need to Know About Hawaiʻi's Marine Wildlife Laws

The waters surrounding the Hawaiian Islands are filled with life, beauty, and a sense of wonder that keeps people coming back time and time again. From the moment you swim below the surface, you enter a world all its own — honu (sea turtles) gliding past you, dolphins dancing in the waves, and Hawaiian monk seals resting peacefully on sun-warmed shores. These are the kinds of moments that stay with you long after you've left the Islands.

But with that privilege comes responsibility. Hawaiʻi is home to some of the most protected marine wildlife in the world, and the laws surrounding them are serious — with penalties that may surprise even the most well-intentioned visitor. Here's what every visitor and local should know before heading to the beach.

Photo credit: NOAA Fisheries

The Laws – What You Need to Know

Hawaiʻi takes the protection of its marine wildlife seriously — and so does the federal government. Two powerful laws form the backbone of that protection: the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) of 1972, which protects all marine mammal species, and the Endangered Species Act (ESA) of 1973, which protects at-risk plants, animals, and the ecosystems they depend on. Several species in the Main Hawaiian Islands fall under both — including the Hawaiian Monk Seal, the False Killer Whale, and the Hawksbill Turtle.

Under these laws, it is illegal to "take" any protected species. And before you think that just means hunting or killing, the legal definition of "take" is much broader than most people realize. It includes "to harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect," according to NOAA Fisheries. In other words, you don't have to touch an animal to break the law. Getting too close counts. Blocking their path counts. Disturbing a resting seal on the beach counts.

The penalties? Up to $50,000 in fines and one year in prison for federal violations. This isn't a slap on the wrist — these are serious consequences for what can feel like an innocent moment of curiosity.

Photo credit: NOAA Fisheries

The Honu – Hawaiian Green Sea Turtle

Few sights in Hawaiʻi stop you in your tracks quite like a Honu. To many Hawaiian families, the Honu is more than just a sea turtle — it is an ʻaumākua, a spiritual guardian, a connection to ancestors and the sea. With lifespans of up to 60-70 years, these gentle creatures have been swimming these waters long before most of us were born.

While Honu populations are slowly increasing, they still face very real threats, including habitat loss, disease, boat strikes, and accidental interaction in coastal fisheries. Every encounter matters.

If you spot a Honu in the water or resting on the beach, give it the space it deserves. NOAA and DLNR recommend always staying at least 10 feet away — on land and in the water. No touching, no chasing, no blocking their path to the ocean. Simply watch, appreciate, and consider yourself lucky to share the water with one of Hawaiʻi's most beloved creatures.

Photo credit: NOAA Fisheries

The Hawaiian Monk Seal

Of all the wildlife you might encounter on a Hawaiian beach, few are as rare as the Hawaiian Monk Seal. With a global population of only around 1,600, approximately 1,200 in the Papahānamokuākea Marine National Monument in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands and just 400 in the main Hawaiian Islands, spotting one resting on the sand is a truly special moment.

And resting is exactly what they're doing. Hawaiian Monk Seals regularly come ashore for long periods of time to sleep and recharge — they are not lost, sick, or in need of rescue. The best thing you can do is admire them from a distance of at least 50 feet, respect any roped-off areas or signage on the beach, and resist the urge to get any closer, no matter how cute they are.

If you spot a Hawaiian Monk Seal, you can help protect them by reporting the sighting to the NOAA Marine Wildlife Hotline at (888) 256-9840 or by emailing pifsc.monksealsighting@noaa.gov. When reporting, try to include the date, time, location, estimated size, any identifying characteristics such as flipper tags or scars, the seal's behavior, and photos, if available. Every sighting reported helps researchers track and protect this incredibly rare species.

Please kōkua (help) and give these beloved animals the space and respect they deserve. They have been part of these Islands long before any of us arrived, and it is our kuleana (our responsibility) to make sure they are still here for generations to come.

Shallow Coral Reefs – The Rainforests of the Sea

Nicknamed the "rainforests of the sea," shallow coral reefs are among the most diverse and vital ecosystems on the planet — home to nearly one quarter of all ocean species. From fish and crabs to seahorses and beyond, these ancient underwater worlds can be thousands of years old, quietly thriving beneath the surface.

But what happens above the water matters deeply to what lives below it. In the fall of 2015, water temperatures around the Hawaiian Islands rose to an average of 88°F — four degrees above normal. In just eight weeks, that heat killed at least 40% of all coral in Hawaiʻi. A loss that took thousands of years to grow, gone in two months.

There are small but meaningful ways we can all help. One of the most impactful is choosing mineral-based sunscreen over chemical-based sunscreen — ingredients like oxybenzone and octinoxate, commonly found in chemical sunscreens, are harmful to coral and have been banned in Hawaiʻi since 2021. Look for reef-safe options with zinc oxide or titanium dioxide instead.

And please — never touch, collect, or intentionally damage coral. Under Hawaiʻi state law, it is illegal to collect, break, or damage coral. Coral may look like rock, but it is a living organism. Even a single touch can cause damage that takes decades to heal.

Mālama – Care for What Makes Hawaiʻi Special

All marine life in Hawaiʻi deserves the utmost respect and mālama — care. This is their home, and we are simply lucky visitors in it. While these beautiful creatures cannot speak for themselves, we have the responsibility to be their voice — to respect their space, follow the laws put in place to protect them, and share what we know with our ʻohana and friends so that awareness continues to spread.

Because the more people who understand these laws and the creatures they protect, the safer Hawaiʻi's waters become for everyone.

At Maui Divers Jewelry, our love for the ocean and its incredible wildlife runs deep — it is the very heart of what inspires us. Every piece we craft here in Hawaiʻi is a small celebration of this extraordinary place and the responsibility we all share to protect it. Wear it as a reminder of the beauty that awaits beneath these waters — and the promise to always mālama.

If you witness marine wildlife being harassed, please report it to the NOAA Marine Wildlife Hotline at (888) 256-9840.

Explore our ocean-inspired jewelry collection here.

Sources
NOAA Fisheries — fisheries.noaa.gov
Marine Mammal Protection Act — fisheries.noaa.gov
Hawaiʻi DLNR — dlnr.hawaii.gov
Coral Reef Resource, Ahihi-Kīnaʻu — Hawaiʻi DLNR. dlnr.hawaii.gov