Creative professional and amateur chefs turned a blue-lined snapper considered harmful to local reef environments into a tasty delight last night on Maui to promote a message.

Maui County hosted the "Reef Night Invasive Species Cook-Off" in celebration of International Year of the Reef at Maui Ocean Center.

Top honors for the best ta'ape dishes went to Napili Kai Resort Chef Craig Erickson and 16-year-old Matt Gorman. Erickson served up salt-crusted ta'ape with pohole ferns and Moloka'i sweet potato while Gorman's won with "Matt's Specialty," fried ta'ape with ta'ape ceviche.

Event sponsors included Community Work Day, CORAL, Tri-Isle RC&D, A&B Foundation, Malama Hawai'i, the Hawaii Tourism Authority and Maui County. Over 20 provided hands-on educational materials, games

Reef Night also featured lectures by limu expert Dr. Isabella Abbott and Joylynn Paman, executive Director of 'Ao'ao O Na Loko I'a O Maui (Maui Fishpond Association), a fashion show by "SpreadPono" clothing company, performances by Lei'ohu Ryder, the Abrigo 'Ohana and Jason Sadang, Hawaiian nose flutist Anthony Natividad of 'Ulalena, recognition of Hawai'i Coral Reef Alliance's Ocean Awareness training graduates, and award presentations to the county's coral reef preservation poster winners.