"The challenges have always been limiting the numbers of people going to the beach," said Lester Chang, city Department of Parks and Recreation director. "We welcome Hawai'i residents. But with the large number of tour buses coming in as taxis, it makes it harder for residents to get in."

Nearly 30 years ago, more than two-thirds of the bay's visitors were residents. Last year, less than 13 percent of the bay's 1.2 million visitors were local residents.

"We constantly hear from residents that it's so crowded here and that it's hard to get into," said Alan Hong, Hanauma Bay manager. "Residents just don't go there. There's a whole generation who haven't been."

Ronni Humphreys, a Kaimuki resident, said she hasn't been to the park in years — long before the city spent $16 million to build a state-of-the art education center.

There was a time when the city didn't manage Hanauma Bay. But after years of unrestricted admission, coral were destroyed and certain fish populations dwindled. Now, after nearly a decade of restrictions, which include closing the bay on Tuesdays and limiting the number of visitors, the bay is showing signs of rejuvenation, Hong said.

Limiting commercial activity is the key to managing the bay and eliminating overuse, officials say.

One of the ways the city does that is by limiting the number of permits for tour companies.

Tourism magazines include ads for dozens of tour companies offering tours to Hanauma Bay. Yet only 21 companies are licensed to bring guided tours to Hanauma's shores, Hong said. Twelve of those permits are issued to companies seeking annual permits, while the rest are assigned to those asking for daily or monthly permits, Hong said.

These are the only companies allowed to bring snorkeling or scuba customers in groups to the bay. And they are allowed to bring only six people, including instructors, down to the water.

Years of preservation efforts, which include limiting the number of visitors, have helped revive Hanauma Bay. Bruce Asato • The Honolulu Advertiser

Larry Karnes of Maryland said he paid one company to bring him and his family to the bay. He was picked up at his hotel and taken to an office where they were given fins and snorkels and some instructions. They were taken to the bay in a 15-passenger van. The van driver, who refused to speak to The Advertiser, dropped off his passengers and picked up another load within 15 minutes.

"I booked a tour from a desk and they told us that we can't step on the coral or take it because it will kill the reef," Karnes said. "But we're not being taken down to the ocean on a guided tour."

Jackson Cozzens, 17, from Utah, was waiting in the commercial parking area for his van ride back to Waikiki recently. He said the company showed him and his party a video about the conditions and warned them about not stepping on the coral reef, but did not provide a guided tour.

"The company didn't take us on a snorkel tour," Cozzens said. "They took us here and are picking us back up and taking us back to our hotel."

"It's just not fair," said Lorna Ramos, store manager for Breeze Hawai'i Diving Adventures, one of the permitted companies that lead snorkel or dive tours into Hanauma Bay. "All of us have to get the permit. We follow the rules. These companies should not be permitted."

The city and bay officials are working to close the loophole and make the law enforceable to ensure that only commercial operators with permits are using the bay and that the rest of the bay's visitors come by city bus, licensed taxi, private vehicle or on foot, said Chang, the Parks and Recreation director.

That will result in a better balance between visitors and local residents, according to the Friends of Hanauma Bay, a volunteer organization that helps run the bay's education program by providing trained docents.

"Visitors come every year and spend thousands of dollars to enjoy Hawai'i and the bay, but residents who live here and have this natural beauty in their own backyard don't come to the bay," said Cynthia Bond, Friends of Hanauma Bay president.

She hopes that closing the loophole in the rules will help bring out more Hawai'i residents.

"We don't want to increase the numbers of visitors to the bay," Bond said. "We want to improve the ratio of residents to visitors."