Hawaii County closed Kahaluu Beach Park, a popular snorkeling spot on Hawaii island, from 7 a.m. to noon today as well as Tuesday due to anticipated coral spawning events. The beach park is also scheduled for closure during the same hours on May 31 and June 1.

The county’s Department of Parks and Recreation initiated the closure so that Cauliflower coral (Pocillopora meandrina), which was once abundant on shallow coral reefs along West Hawaii, can recover.

The department said in a news release that high ocean temperatures struck West Hawaii in the fall of 2015, causing “catastrophic bleaching” and mortality for more than 90 percent of the cauliflower coral in the area, and that to recover, natural reproductive and replenishment activities of corals are critically important.

Researchers who have observed annual broadcast spawning events for cauliflower corals for decades can now accurately predict when they will likely occur based on season, solar, tidal and lunar cycles. During these events, the corals emit reproductive gametes into the water column, which are carried by the tides to mix and generate planktonic coral larvae.

“During this time, physical disturbance of corals and pollutants in the water (e.g. oxybenzone in many sunscreens) must be minimized to help ensure that corals are successful,” the county said in its press release. “The Department of Parks and Recreation and the Kahalu‘u Bay Education Center appreciates the public’s understanding and respect of this important coral recovery and replenishment process at Kahaluu Bay. We also apologize for any inconvenience with closure may cause.”

The public may contact Kahalu‘u Bay Education Center at 887-6411 for more information.