It’s no secret that Maunalua Bay is in dire need of help as its marine life struggles to thrive in silt-laden waters. So we applaud the initiative by community groups to launch a two-year effort, dubbed Imua Maunalua, to draft a plan for a healthier, sustainable bay for all users.

But as stakeholders arrive to the table, looming in the background are plans by the federal government to expand the focus of the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary to include all the marine species within its boundaries, creating an ecosystem-based entity. That plan includes designating Maunalua Bay as a “special sanctuary management area,” which has drawn ire among some bay users who complained the proposal seemed to appear out of thin air earlier this year.

Several bay users took to sign-waving to protest the proposal, which would no doubt restrict certain uses within Maunalua Bay. Yet Sanctuary Superintendent Malia Chow has steered clear of pinpointing which activities might be restricted, saying compatible recreational and commercial activities are found in national marine sanctuaries. Officials will need to produce specifics on how the special management area will affect bay users, hopefully sooner than later.

The whale sanctuary, established in 1992 and managed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, lies within the shallow waters surrounding the main Hawaiian Islands. The state Department of Land and Natural Resources said in July that its review of the NOAA proposal would take six months to a year. And there is a lot to consider in trying to balance both the needs of humans and marine life.

In the meantime, community members are launching their own plans and last week announced the creation of Imua Maunalua, a community-led marine planning project. The project will be a two-year, science-based undertaking, followed by a third year of implementation, organizers say.

The intent is to “build a proposal from the ground up” from a diverse set of interests that focuses on restoring the bay, said Frazer McGilvray, executive director of Malama Maunalua and a member of the Imua Maunalua advisory council.

The goal of Imua Maunalua is commendable, but we wonder if it was born out of the pushback and protests after the NOAA proposal emerged. Malama Maunalua has had its finger on the pulse of the NOAA plan and was aware of the proposed federal changes long before the general public caught wind of them.

McGilvray said the pushback helped identify the people Imua Maunalua needed to include. That means commercial operators, from thrill craft to scuba, will be at the Imua Maunalua table, making sure their businesses won’t suffer in any scenario that plays out at Maunalua Bay.

In all, representatives from about 30 community groups will form Imua Maunalua’s planning team. Input will be sought from every sector, including business, recreation, education, culture, agriculture, fishers, homeowners, community groups and government.

There is an urgent need to address what ails Maunalua Bay, which has the lowest fish biomass of 40 surveyed sites in the state. There also are the effects of invasive algae on native species, sea grass and coral. Runoff clouds the water.

Maunalua Bay has been suffering for years, and a full discussion among all stakeholders on how to heal the bay should have started long ago. It’s encouraging to hear the conversation will begin in earnest soon.