About REEFrame

REEFrame is a three-year coral reef restoration project on O‘ahu, Hawai‘i. NOAA awarded this Cooperative Agreement to Conservation International Hawai‘i to manage the work of the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa and Natrx, an ocean technology firm. Oceanit, a marine engineering company, and the Hawai‘i Division of Aquatic Resources are supporting the effort. ClimbHI, a workforce development nonprofit, will facilitate hospitality industry engagement, outreach, and educational efforts. NOAA’s Office of Habitat Conservation (OHC) will provide technical and environmental compliance assistance.

Hawai‘i’s coral reefs are endangered due to sediment runoff, leeching sewage, excess fertilizers, and ocean warming. Funded by a $9 million grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Office of Habitat Conservation, REEFrame seeks to foster coral growth by building two permanent coral nurseries off Waikīkī Beach. The natural shapes of these stacked 3D-printed concrete modules create an ideal habitat for naturally growing coral and other reef life.

The modules will be designed to mimic the natural habitat of the coral reef ecosystems.

Credit: Natrx

The nurseries – each about 100 feet by 100 feet and about 6 feet tall – are proposed for an area of rock seafloor 60 feet deep approximately ¾ mile offshore near the existing natural reef.

They will initially store corals-of- opportunity (living coral colonies dislodged from other locations by storms or other disturbances) for
a variety of coral restoration projects, gradually becoming permanent natural reefs following colonization by coral larvae and other sea life.
During the design phase, REEFrame is completing a detailed permitting process at the city, county, state, and federal levels and is working closely with local stakeholders in recognition of the vital cultural, economic, and environmental value of the Waikīkī region.

Our Logo

REEFrame was born out of the shared desire to mālama (care for) our beloved island home and protect the ocean reefs that protect us. The hoe (paddlers), wa‘a (canoe), i’a (fish), and makau (fish hook) petroglyphs (kiʻi pōhaku) illustrate our
commitment to e hāpai waʻa kākou — if we all help to lift and carry the canoe, we can move
it forward.

Just as the number four has traditionally represented a sustainable harvest from the sea, with each fish tail fitting between the fingers on one hand, REEFrame’s four petroglyphs reflect a deeply rooted passion and kuleana (responsibility) for sustaining the ocean, sea life, the land, and its people for generations to come.

Mahalo to Waikīkī cultural advisor Aunty Ku‘uipo Kumukahi and artist Rosalind Leolani Solomon of the Hawaiian Music Perpetuation Society for the inspiration provided by their music, as well as their guidance and continued collaboration.