Ocean Education Ambassadors: Protecting Pūpūkea Through Education and Community Action

The Ocean Education Ambassador (OEA) program—part of our Makai Watch program—plays a vital role in protecting Hawai‘i’s marine environments through hands-on education, community outreach, and collaboration with state enforcement partners. Guided by the values of kuleana (responsibility) and mālama i ke kai (care for the ocean), our Ambassadors help visitors and residents understand how to enjoy this place in ways that are safe, respectful, and ecologically responsible.

With thousands of people visiting each month, OEAs serve on the front lines of stewardship, especially at Kapo‘o, and they spend time talking story with beachgoers about the rules and regulations that protect the Pūpūkea Marine Life Conservation District (MLCD). Many visitors don’t realize that scoop nets, buckets, collecting, and feeding marine life are prohibited here. When an OEA steps in to educate someone, it helps to prevent harm before it happens.

These conversations matter. This year alone, our ambassadors have conducted over 1,000 educational interventions, each one helping protect marine life, reduce pressure on our reefs, and support the work of enforcement officers. By providing information and guidance, OEAs help ensure that enforcement resources can be focused where they’re truly needed.

Education is especially important in the tidepools, where activities that seem harmless—like kids catching tiny fish or crabs with nets and buckets—can actually cause significant impacts. Many of the animals found in these shallow pools are juveniles that haven’t yet reproduced. When they’re removed from the water, even briefly, they can become stressed, overheated, or injured, and many do not survive. By approaching these situations with kindness and clear information, OEAs help families understand how to explore and learn without harming the fragile life that depends on these habitats.

In addition, OEAs collect human use data, take photos, conduct beach cleanups, and more.

The Ocean Education Ambassador program is powered by volunteers, and you can be part of it.

If you enjoy talking with people, care about Hawai‘i’s ocean resources, or simply want to give back to a place you love, consider joining us. Training is provided, schedules are flexible, and every ambassador makes a meaningful difference.

Come volunteer as an Ocean Education Ambassador and help us mālama Kapo‘o for future generations.