Hawaii

The State of Hawaii has poured millions of public dollars into developing an ocean fish farming industry – designed to mostly provide profits to private companies, while the public and our environment pay the price. Also called open ocean aquaculture or offshore aquaculture, ocean fish farming is the mass production of fish in huge, often-overcrowded net pens in open ocean water. Ocean fish farming has not been proven to be ecologically sustainable or even profitable. Hawaii has become the testing ground for yet another method of industrial food production — but at what costs?

Currently, two farms are in operation in Hawaii – Kona Blue Water Farms off the Kona Coast on the Big Island, and Hukilau Foods, LLC in Mamala Bay, Oahu.

Two more operations are being proposed off of Kohala Coast, Big Island. Hawaii Oceanic Technologies is seeking to raise 6,000 tons of tuna yearly in twelve untethered “aquapods” – huge spherical cages. Just two miles away from the proposed tuna farm and less then a mile from a marine protected area, Indigo Seafoods is proposing to grow Moi in ten cages. A third is being considered one half mile off the South shore of Lanai. Maui Fresh Fish is seeking to lease 100 acres to grow Opakapaka in their 7,000 cubic meter “oceanspheres”.

The cumulative impacts of ocean fish farming are not known. Already, the existing farms have had escapes, had parasite problems with their fish – such as skin flukes, and altered the habits of marine life, attracting sharks to the cages and drawing populations of fish looking to eat the excess feed.

Hawaiians – and all of us on this interconnected planet – deserve to know how these farms will impact our environment, the quality of fish in our diet, cultural heritage, and our economy. Learn more and demand accountability now.

Learn More

Hawaiian Voices on Ocean Fish Farming:

• Prof. Neil Frazer from University of Hawaii at Manoa Letter to State Senators July 2009
• Roger and Diane Kanealii, Kawaihae Residents Letter to the Editor July 2009
• Rob Parsons, Haiku, Maui Resident Letter to the Editor July 26, 2009
• Kanaka Council Letter to Monterey Bay Aquarium about Kona Kampachi aka Farmed US Yellowtail June 2009
• Anonymous LTE from Big Island Resident to Honolulu Advertiser, July 29, 2009
• Ms. Cory Harden, Hilo, Hawaii Island Resident LTE August 6, 2009

Official Food & Water Watch Comments:

• Comments on Hukilau Foods Expansion in Oahu
• Comments on Hawaii Oceanic Technology, Inc. Draft Environmental Impact Statement
• Comments on Hawaii Oceanic Technology, Inc Conservation District Use Application

Existing and proposed projects in Hawaii:

• Kona Blue Water Farms: Marketing the Myth of Sustainability
• Hawaii Oceanic Technology, Inc. , Enormous Ahi Aquaculture Proposal for Hawaii Needs Reality Check
• Indigo Seafood: More ocean fish farms coming to your island?

• Press Release: Kona Blue Water Farms Disregards Native Hawaiian Rights

Information on Ocean Fish Farming in general:

• Fishy Farms: The Problems with Open Ocean Aquaculture
• Watch our fish farming animation, Fishy Business.
• Professors Urge Caution on Ocean Fish Farming - August 2009 letter to Department of Commerce regarding plan for ocean fish farming in Gulf of Mexico