The primary purpose of the Hawaii Coral Reef Initiative Research Program (HCRI-RP) is to support monitoring and research activities to build capacity to more effectively manage Hawaii's coral reef ecosystems. HCRI-RP works with county, state, and federal agencies and private organizations to achieve several goals:

• Assess major threats to coral reef ecoystems and advance understanding of biological and physical processes that affect the health of coral reefs.
• Build management capability and provide information for more effective management.
• Develop database and information systems to store and access data and results.
• Conduct public awareness programs on threats to coral reef ecosystems.
• Implement education and training for coral reef scientists and managers.