In the 1970s, a researcher at the Hawai’i Institute of Marine Biology plopped some new, non-Hawaiian species of algae into the waters of Kāne’ohe Bay, on Oahu. He thought the new species might be hardy, fast growers good for aquaculture businesses. But it quickly became apparent that they were far too successful: They spread far beyond their initial planting sites, smothering the colorful corals that lined the bay's floor.



Since then, the floor of the bay has been clogged with the algal fronds. Many clean-ups have been attempted, but none were particularly successful. But now, researchers think they've found a strategy that works, providing a dose of hope for the coral reefs of this ecologically and culturally