KAANAPALI – This month marks the four-year anniversary of the Kahekili Herbivore Fisheries Management Area (KHFMA). To celebrate, a Birthday Bash and Ridge to Reef Celebration will take place Sunday, July 28, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Kahekili Beach Park.

Open to all, this jam-packed family-friendly event will feature complimentary barbecue, a ridge to reef-themed culinary contest, Hawaii’s first-ever Seaweed Eating Competition, a reef snorkel tour with ocean experts, the Great Annual Fish Count and a Savvy Shopper Relay

Race.

Prizes include accommodation stays and meals at Kaanapali Beach Hotel, Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa and Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua,

The KHFMA was designed to enhance the population of herbivores – animals that eat seaweed, such as surgeonfish, parrotfish and sea urchins – in the area to reduce excess algae and improve coral health.

This year’s event has a “Ridge to Reef” theme, which aims to highlight the actions that individuals can take on land and in the water to reduce threats to Maui’s reefs.

To learn about additional event activities and how to enter contests, visit www.facebook.com/KHFMA or contact Liz Foote at 669-9062 or Lfoote@ coral.org.