The study describes how researchers observed mature male and female tiger sharks showing physical signs consistent with mating at Olowalu, Maui. Even more compelling, long-term tracking revealed a strong and predictable seasonal pattern: adult sharks repeatedly gathered in the same place at the same time of year.

That kind of consistency strongly suggests this is not random. A co-author of the study, Carl Meyer, believes that it is the first group mating site for tiger sharks ever identified. 

A new study led by scientists from the University of Hawaiʻi reveals how this seasonal pulse of seabirds triggers what can only be described as “shark turf wars”. The fledgling seabirds at French Frigate Shoals concentrate tiger sharks in specific areas, forcing other shark species to change where and when they roam.

The divers became separated from their boat during an excursion, leading them to cling to each other for survival. Camila Storchi and her husband were sailing from Kaneohe to Honolulu when they heard the desperate cries. Storchi recounted to local station Hawaii News Now, “We were passing Hanauma and going around China Walls. He heard screaming for help and he started scanning the ocean and we saw five little dots.”

Lyle Krannichfeld and Brandi Romano observed two whales circling near their boat before joining in sexual activity about five metres below their vessel, off the Molokini crater near Maui. They were able to photograph them, providing an unprecedented glimpse into the intimate lives of these marine giants. Dr. Stephanie H. Stack, marine mammal researcher in Hawaii, published the observations in a study.

Steven Minaglia, a faculty member from the University of Hawaiʻi with a passion for channel swimming has published a study that sheds light on the rare interactions between cookiecutter sharks (Isistius brasiliensis) and humans. Minaglia is an associate professor of obstetrics, gynaecology, and women’s health at the John A. Burns School of Medicine, and reveals how environmental factors can elevate the chances of being bitten. 

In 2015, amidst a marine heatwave, Barott’s team tagged numerous coral colonies, initiating a study on coral adaptability. Their focus: the rice coral (Montipora capitata) and finger coral (Porites compressa), two dominant species in the region. Over the years, multiple heatwaves provided a unique opportunity to observe coral responses, revealing both resilience and vulnerability.

The ban does not apply to people with permits issued by the state Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), shark fishing for public safety, sharks captured for self-defence, or sharks taken outside of state marine waters with required documentation.

According to Act 51, the conditions of non-commercial permits for the take of sharks “shall include native Hawaiian cultural protocol, size and species restrictions, and a prohibition on species listed as endangered or threatened.”

Using advanced diving technology to survey coral reefs at depths up to 300 feet, scientists could observe rarely seen ecosystems, during the expedition that took place aboard NOAA Ship Hi'ialakai within Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument in the northwestern Hawaiian Islands.

The fish surveys at these depths revealed an extremely high abundance of species found only in the Hawaiian Islands. At some of the deep reefs surveyed, 100 percent of the fishes recorded were endemic.