Governor Josh Green and participants with the newly-signed blue economy legislation.
Photo: Office of the Governor of Hawaii.
Hawaiʻi has declared itself an ocean cluster and established a new Office of Marine Affairs as part of a wider move to strengthen the state’s blue economy and improve coordination across ocean-related industries and policy areas.
Governor Josh Green signed the new legislation into law on 6 July 2026, establishing the Office of Marine Affairs, a Marine Affairs Governing Board and a Marine Affairs Coordinator position within the Hawaiʻi Technology Development Corporation.
By specifically identifying Hawaiʻi as an "ocean cluster", the legislation argues the island can be viewed as a hub for ocean-related culture, stewardship, economic opportunity and innovation. The text of the new legislation emphasises the state’s location in the Pacific, its status as the only US island state, and Native Hawaiian knowledge in ocean navigation, regenerative marine resource management, ecosystem monitoring and coastal resilience.
According to the state government, the legislation aims to provide a more centralised framework for marine affairs, replacing what it described as a "fragmented" approach to ocean-related policy and development.
Under the legislation, the new office will be responsible for developing a statewide marine affairs strategy covering areas including research and education, ecosystem management, coastal resilience, fisheries and ocean-based food systems, marine tourism, conservation, and marine transportation and logistics.
The marine affairs office will also work on an ocean technology and innovation strategy, including value-chain assessments in areas such as aquaculture, maritime industries, coastal resilience and ocean observation data, Hawaiian government said.
“The legislative measures signed into law today demonstrate the future of Hawai‘i, helping to diversify our local economy, protect our environment and put our people on an international stage,” said Governor Green.
Green said the ocean’s importance to Hawaiʻi made sustainable management a long-term priority for the state.
“It’s difficult to articulate just how important the ocean is to our people,” he said. “That relationship is at the heart of Hawai‘i’s identity, shaping our communities in every way. Protecting marine health and utilizing resources sustainably and with intention is a necessary commitment to our past and our future.”
Representative Kirstin Kahaloa, majority caucus leader, said the new law would bring together public agencies, industry, researchers and Native Hawaiian knowledge.
“For generations, Native Hawaiians have understood that the health of our ocean and the well-being of our communities are deeply connected,” Kahaloa said. “SB 2907 strengthens Hawaiʻi’s blue economy by bringing together government, industry, research and Native Hawaiian knowledge to create good local jobs while protecting the ocean that sustains us.”
