The owner of the “Hula Girl” catamaran will be fined $30,448 for damages caused by its grounding at Honolua Bay, according to the Hawaii Board of Land and Natural Resources.

The board on Friday approved the settlement with Kapalua Kai Sailing, Inc., for the Jan. 31st grounding of the 65-foot catamaran inside Maui’s Honolua-Mokuleia Bay Marine Life Conservation District.

This amount compensates the state for damage to 36 specimens of stony corals and 48 square meters of live rock, along with the cost of restoration work and the investigation. The Division of Aquatic Resources estimated the value of the corals and live rocks at about $22,500, and administrative costs at about $8,000.

BLNR Chair Dawn Chang said the board decided not to pursue the maximum authorized penalties against Kapalu

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