Call it harassment or too much love; either way, it isn't the pono way to hang with the sea turtles.

At Carlsmith Beach Park in Keaukaha, people are feeding handfuls of grass to the green sea turtles, swimming with them, nuzzling up to them. Even getting nipped by them.

Two honu in particular have gotten so used to handouts of fresh grass they come swimming whenever they see people approach, said resident Tonia Jordan, who lives in the adjacent Mauna Loa Shores condominiums and visits the sheltered lagoon area daily.

"We'd like to have it where the tourists and everyone else can enjoy the turtles. It's just that they feed them, and the turtles are starting to nip at them," said Jordan, who said there needs to be a clear sign near the shoreline pointing out the activity is prohibited.

Green sea turtle populations have been slowly declining worldwide for decades. Since 1973, they have been protected under the federal Endangered Species Act. They are considered threatened -- defined as "any species which is likely to become an endangered species within the foreseeable future."

The interaction is not only illegal, but it's bad for the turtles. Grass is not a natural food source and it can affect their metabolism and the functioning of their digestive systems. Also, they can become dependent on people for food, reducing their ability to forage in the wild....