HWF Marine Debris Research Supports International Pacific Eel Trap Fishery Study
HWF team members co-authored a landmark study tracing North Pacific eel trap debris to its source — and pointing toward real, multinational solutions.
HWF team members co-authored a landmark study tracing North Pacific eel trap debris to its source — and pointing toward real, multinational solutions.
In February 2026, we were excited to launched a memorial scholarship for graduate students focusing on Hawaiian wildlife in honor of the late, great Pat Conant. Pat worked tirelessly to battle invasive species and protect native wildlife, and was a friend and cherished HWF volunteer for years. Learn more about the scholarship and Pat's [...]
Meet one of our 2026 Kaʻū Scholarship winners, Kuʻumanu Breithaupt
Check out this essay from our 2025 summer HWF intern, Elizabeth Allen. She supported several critical projects on Hawaiʻi Island, including marine debris removal in Kaʻū, coastline surveys, native seed collection, invasive species control, and anchialine pool restoration projects.
Last month, our team had the exciting opportunity to join researchers, conservationists, and seabird enthusiasts from across the Pacific at the Pacific Seabird Group 2026 Annual Meeting. This year's theme — "Seabirds: Connecting Oceans, Islands, and People" — was a reminder that the health of seabirds is deeply intertwined with the status of our oceans, our islands, and our own communities.
Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund introduces the Patrick Conant Memorial Scholarship — a $4,000 award honoring a beloved conservation entomologist by supporting graduate students and recent graduates pursuing entomology, avian biology, botany, or conservation in Hawaiʻi. Applications open March 1, 2026.
Coconut rhinoceros beetle (CRB) was first detected on Hawaiʻi Island in October 2023 and has since spread to North Kona, with 220 beetles caught near Kona Airport and Keāhole Agricultural Park. The beetle breeds in decaying organic material like green waste and mulch, and detections are appearing farther from the original area, suggesting human-assisted spread through infested materials. Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund and Pōhaku Pelemaka have petitioned the Board of Agriculture to adopt interim rules requiring businesses in the infested area to follow Best Management Practices, including staff training, heat treatment of materials, and regular inspections to prevent further spread.
When SCP Hilo Hotel opened its doors in June 2020, they didn't just welcome guests—they launched a groundbreaking commitment to ocean conservation. Through the Pristine Makai Partnership with Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund, every overnight stay at the hotel directly supports the removal of marine debris from Hawaiʻi Island's remote beaches.
In honor of Sea Turtle Week, our HWF Sea Turtle Recovery Project Coordinator, Alex Aguilar, shares his account of his recent journey to Accra, Ghana to participate in the International Sea Turtle Society Symposium.
Congrats to Sage, a Kaʻū Wildlife Scholarship applicant honoree and mahalo for sharing your essay about ‘Ōhi‘a Lehua with our online community!