Sea Life Park plans to reopen its doors on March 6, with new protocols in place, after remaining closed for nearly a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The marine wildlife and wild animal park in Waimanalo closed its doors on March 17 last year as the pandemic reached Hawaii.

Sea Life Park’s phased reopening will begin with admission hours on weekends only, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

“We have been working hard to develop enhanced protocols and specialized team training, following all federal and state guidelines, to ensure the safest environment possible for our guests and staff,” Sea Life Park General Manager Valerie King said in a news release. “With our open-air habitats and the park’s carefully monitored capacity, guests can safely distance throughout our lush grounds for a day of learning and fun, set in the natural beauty of Waimanalo.”

Under Tier 3 of Oahu’s reopening strategy, effective today, zoos, sea life attractions, and aquariums are allowed to welcome groups of up to 10 people, up from five in Tier 2. There is no limit on the capacity for indoor areas under Tier 3, which was at 50% under Tier 2.

Sea Life Park’s new safety measures and policies will include:

>> Pre-entry temperature checks

>> Facial coverings for all staff and guests ages 2 and up

>> Limited capacity and social distancing measures of 6 feet between parties

>> Additional sanitizing stations and enhanced cleaning at regular intervals

Signs and markers on the ground will remind guests about the importance of social distancing.

All guests and employees will be required to have their temperature checked before entering the park, and anyone with a temperature at or above 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or displaying other symptoms related to COVID-19 will be denied entry.

Guests will be permitted to remove their masks only while engaging in certain water-based activities, and while eating or drinking.

During its temporary closure, Sea Life Park said it continued to share virtual updates and education with the community from its animal care team. It was also offering its luau and dolphin encounters on a limited basis.

With the reopening, visitors will be able to visit the park’s honu, or green sea turtles, native shark species, rescued seabirds, penguins, and two recently rescued California sea lions. An Animal Trek Park Tour is also available, as space permits, to observe a baby dolphin recently born at the park, along with a new behind-the-scenes tour with a guide for an additional fee, park officials said.

Sea Life Park is run by Palace Entertainment and owned by Parques Reunidos based in Madrid, Spain.

More details on admissions, contact-less tickets, programs and safety protocols are available at sealifeparkhawaii.com.