More than 100 citations issued at packed Hawaii black sand beach

The packed black sand beach is also making social distancing difficult. Law enforcement officers told West Hawaii Today they did sweeps of the beach to enforce mask-wearing where parties could not safely keep 6 feet apart. The Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources said many people said they had medical issues that exempted them from wearing a mask, or said their group all lived in the same household.

Most of the citations on the beach were for drinking alcohol, marijuana possession and "public lewdness." Cars parked along Highway 137 near the beach were also cited for minor traffic issues.

In a common refrain for the islands, police officers say there are simply too many people who want to enjoy the state's beauty spots. 

"These were all areas that were accessible to people and they are no longer there," DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement Lt. Lawrence Terlep Jr. said in the video. "We are seeing the population increasing and now everybody is trying to find a space where they can enjoy the ocean."

Those visiting the Puna coastline have been limited to Kehena Beach since 2018, when the Kilauea Volcano erupted and sent lava spilling onto the beaches. Hundreds of homes were destroyed and access to a number of popular beaches has been curtailed ever since.