New moorings to 'provide significant coral protection value to this high-use site' on Kona coast

Lifestyle
Manta ray pixabay
Manta rays, also known as devil rays, average 22 feet in width and can weigh up to 3,000 pounds. | Pixabay

In the 1970s, the Kona Surf Hotel at Kaukalaelae Point directed bright lights into the surf at night.

The lighting attracted zooplankton and, in turn, brought in feeding mantas. The hotel was closed in 2000, but divers found a new location and termed it "Manta Heaven."

In 2004, the Keauhou hotel reopened as the Sheraton Kona Resort & Spa at Keauhou Bay. With the return of a hotel, the lights were turned back toward the surf and the mantas also returned. A draft environmental assessment to estimate the environmental impact of new mooring buoys to deal with overcrowding found no expected environmental impact, according to AP News.

“Due to budgetary constraints, the program would install five priority moorings at Kaukalaelae Point where studies have consistently documented the highest levels of crowding" said the draft environmental assessment, according to West Hawaii Today.

The new moorings were expected to help protect the coral. 

“While nine moorings will not accommodate the average number of companies documented to offer tours prior to 2020, nine moorings will provide significant coral protection value to this high-use site," said the draft environmental assessment.

The document also discussed the future of the project. 

“The details of Phase 2 are provided here for the purposes of providing the long-term cumulative impact perspective that is critical to an environmental assessment, but the project intends to install only five moorings at this time. Should budgetary circumstances become more favorable for additional mooring installations at the manta ray viewing sites, the division will install up to 13 moorings at either site, according to the specifications outlined in this document," said the draft environmental assessment.

According to a study by DLNR (Department of Land and Natural Resources) and DOBOR (Division of Boating and Ocean Regulation), over 60 manta ray tour companies have set up shop. The two locations are Makako Bay, also known as Garden Eel Cove or Manta Heaven, and Kaukalaelae Point, also known as Keauhou Bay or Manta Village.