MOC Marine Institute

MOC Marine Institute Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from MOC Marine Institute, Nonprofit Organization, Wailuku, HI.

MOC Marine Institute is a nonprofit located on Maui, HI with a mission to inspire lifelong environmental stewardship and ensure the survival of coral reefs and sea turtles in Hawai'i through science-based conservation efforts, education, and outreach.

06/11/2026

Your drink order is doing conservation workđŸč🌊We’ve partnered with and $1 from every featured drink sold today goes directly to The Marine Institute’s conservation programs — sea turtle rescue, coral restoration, and Hawaiian monk seal response on Maui.

All day.
Every featured drink.
Just ask your server.

It’s genuinely the easiest conservation contribution you’ll make all year.

Come out to the Kiehi location, have a great time, and know the ocean benefits too.

POV: you’re a coral looking for love đŸȘžđŸ’˜Swipe to meet some of the coral species we work with here on Maui — each one with...
06/10/2026

POV: you’re a coral looking for love đŸȘžđŸ’˜Swipe to meet some of the coral species we work with here on Maui — each one with a very distinct personality, a very real scientific profile, and honestly, some valid preferences.

These aren’t just profiles from our nursery — they’re the species we encounter, study, and fight for on Maui’s reefs every single day.

Some are thermally tolerant (stay away if you can’t handle their energy).

Some are sensitive (they will go pale, and yes it’s documented).

All of them deserve a reef worth living on.

Want to help? You can symbolically adopt a coral and support reef restoration on Maui. Link in bio. đŸȘž

*All work is conducted under DLNR DAR Special Activities Permits.

06/09/2026

Hawaiian monk seals don’t mess around when it comes to their space. What looks intense is actually a critical part of how this species survives — and why protecting their space on Maui’s beaches matters.

There is estimated to be less than 1,600 Hawaiian monk seals left on Earth. Our team monitors and responds to sightings across Maui to make sure every haul-out stays safe — for the seals, and for the people who share the beach.

If you see a monk seal on a Maui beach, call our hotline: 808-292-2372.

*All work related to Hawaiian Monk Seals is conducted under a cooperative agreement with NOAA



PC: Sara Honeycutt

06/08/2026

Most people have never seen this. 🔬đŸȘžThis is Pocillopora meandrina — cauliflower coral — actively feeding under the microscope (at 6X speed).

Those tiny extended polyps aren’t just for show. They’re hunting. And that larger particle you can see being captured? That’s artemia — brine shrimp — one of the food sources we use in our land-based coral nursery on Maui.

This is the World Oceans Day 2026 theme of REIMAGINE in its most literal form.

Reimagining what a reef looks like.

Reimagining how we care for it, starting at the microscopic level, one polyp at a time in Maui’s only land-based coral nursery. What we learn here shapes how reef restoration happens!

Have you ever seen a coral feed before? Drop your story in the comments!

**All work is conducted under DLNR DAR Special Activities Permits.

Every bottle, every line, every piece of plastic that comes off the beach is something that won’t wrap around a sea turt...
06/06/2026

Every bottle, every line, every piece of plastic that comes off the beach is something that won’t wrap around a sea turtle, wash into a coral reef, or be mistaken for food by a monk seal.

If you were wondering WHY cleanups matter, here’s a glimpse of what our team hauled out in May!

Mahalo to everyone who is heading out for the DLNR statewide cleanup today. You’re showing up for Maui’s ocean — and it’s going to notice.

Are you ready for a new challenge?🌊We’re looking for a passionate social media & marketing intern to help us tell the st...
06/03/2026

Are you ready for a new challenge?🌊

We’re looking for a passionate social media & marketing intern to help us tell the story of honu rescue, coral reef restoration, and monk seal response right here on Maui.

If you care about the ocean, want real-world conservation experience, and know your way around a camera or caption, we want to hear from you!

Find the details & application at the link in bio.

The DLNR statewide cleanup is in 4 days — and your Honu Hero bucket is the only thing missing. đŸȘŁKit includes: 5-gallon b...
06/02/2026

The DLNR statewide cleanup is in 4 days — and your Honu Hero bucket is the only thing missing. đŸȘŁ

Kit includes: 5-gallon bucket, data collection sheet, clipboard & pencils, gloves

Join us June 6th as part of the statewide effort to protect Maui’s coastlines. Grab your bucket at the link in bio, show up, and tag us in your cleanup using .

Every piece of debris you pull from the beach is a piece that won’t end up in the ocean. That matters.

See you on the beach!

Maui

06/01/2026

This is what direct impact looks like.

Star, a sub-adult honu, was found with a barbed ulna hook embedded in the left shoulder. Thanks to rapid field response, that injury became a rescue story instead of something far worse.

Conservation isn’t abstract. It happens in moments like this, with trained responders, immediate action, and a community that chooses to care. Donate to help fund real-time response efforts. Link in bio!

*All MOC Marine Institute sea turtle stranding response, rehabilitation, and research is authorized under USFWS and NOAA permits.

A quick look at the daily snorkel conditions can help you plan a safer, better experience in the water, and while you’re...
05/28/2026

A quick look at the daily snorkel conditions can help you plan a safer, better experience in the water, and while you’re gearing up, there’s also a chance to make that outing count for local marine life.

Through our partners at The Snorkel Store, you can symbolically adopt a sea turtle in-shop, with proceeds supporting honu rescue and rehabilitation efforts here at the marine institute. 🐱🌊

Visit The Snorkel Store. Get turtle ready. Adopt a honu.

05/25/2026

Rewind this rescue and you’ll find the reality many honu face beneath the surface.

Maluaka, a juvenile honu, was found with monofilament line tightly wrapped around both front flippers and had also ingested line.

Not every entanglement is visible at first glance, and not every turtle is found in time.

That’s why rapid response matters. Share this to help more people recognize the impact of improperly discarded fishing gear!

*All MOC Marine Institute sea turtle stranding response, rehabilitation, and research is authorized under USFWS and NOAA permits.


PC: Bruce, Alan & Robin

Address

Wailuku, HI

Telephone

+18082862549

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