Aquaculture and Fisheries Development
Kevin Hopkins, Ph.D. UH Hilo Professor of Aquaculture, is the Director of the Pacific Aquaculture and Coastal Resources Center (PACRC) leading innovative programs of research, education and extension services. PACRC is the University of Hawaii Sea Grant College Program’s Center of Excellence in Sustainable Aquaculture.
New technologies have resulted in considerable expansion of Hawaii’s fledging aquaculture industry over the past decade. Most of Hawaii Island’s commercial mariculture ventures are tenants at the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority (NELHA) in Kona.
- Big Island Abalone – 10-acre aquafarm at NELHA producing premium stock Ezo (Japanese Northern) abalone
- Blue Ocean Mariculture – premium, sashimi-grade kampachi
- High Health Aquaculture – fast-growing, disease-resistant broodstock marine shrimp
- Indo-Pacific Sea Farms – commercial production of reef-dwelling organisms
- King Ocean Farm – produces superior quality hirame, a Japanese cold water flounder, ogo, moi and milkfish
- Kona Coast Shellfish – broodstock, spawn and larvae, and seed production for Pacific oysters, Manila clams and Gallo mussels
- Kona Cold Lobsters – imports and rejuvenates live lobsters and crabs
- Moana Technologies – developing superior-bred shrimp broodstock
- Ocean Rider – world’s first commercial seahorse farm
- Royal Hawaiian Sea Farms – commercially produces ogo (edible sea vegetables)
- Shrimp Improvement Systems Hawaii – commercial symbiotic co-production of Specific Pathogen Free (SPF) shrimp broodstock and clam seed
- Taylor Shellfish – NELHA nursery for juvenile mollusks during critical early growth periods
- Troutlodge Marine Farms Kona – specializing in black cod (butterfish) and moi
Anchored since 1959 by the prestigious Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament (HIBT), the island enjoys a legendary reputation for sportfishing. Honokohau Small Boat Harbor houses Kona’s charter fishing fleet with 262 moorings, three ramps, fuel facility and restaurants. A smaller number of charter boats and commercial vessels are also housed in Hilo at Reed’s Bay and the Wailoa Sampan Basin and Boat Harbor, and in Kawaihae at the Kawaihae Small Boat Harbor.
Photo courtesy Blue Ocean Mariculture
