Molokini Marine Life Conservation District is a treasured marine reserve off the coast of Maui.

It has been in conservation since 1977 and has some of the healthiest and most vibrant coral reefs in the state. With reefs worldwide declining at an alarming rate from man-made activities, we need to preserve and protect every bit of coral reef eco-system that is left.

During WWII Molokini was used for target practice by the military both from air and sea. Some of those pieces of ordnance were detonated by the Navy in the 1970s and 80s causing destruction to coral reef and the deaths of thousands of fish. When more detonations were announced, local divers towed some pieces out to sea and dropped them in very deep water to prevent the destruction from happening again.

Recently two new pieces of unexploded ordnance were reported to state officials, who contracted with the Navy to “remediate” them. Shockingly, the Navy had firm plans to use detonation as the solution again! The plan to detonate was so firm that state officials from three different agencies all said verbally and in emails to inquiring citizens that there was nothing they could do about it. When the Navy's plan was exposed in the media on June 26, 2020, their story changed to "no firm dates or final plans" as quoted by a DLNR spokesperson.  And now, July 1, 2020 we have received official communication "that plans to detonate UXOs at Molokini are on hold." 

On Hold is not an option. We must send them our collective voices to give them the will to stop this, no matter what it takes. Non-destructive and safe removal is the only acceptable option.