Ocean Fish Farms in Hawaii - at what cost?
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Hawaii Oceanic Technology Inc. received an ammended approval for its Conservation District Use Permit from the Board of Land and Natural Resources on October 23, 2009. At the hearing, members of the Kanaka Council, a Native Hawaiian organization, indicated that they will be filing a contested case. Should the case be granted, Hawaii Oceanic Technology will not be allowed to move forward under the permit until the case has been tried. Check back here for updates on the status of the case and how you can help. |
From July 7 through July 10, Food & Water Watch, the Kanaka Council, and KAHEA (The Environmental-Hawaiian Alliance) held four community discussions on three different islands for community members to learn more about how the proposed expansion of the ocean fish farming industry in Hawaii could impact their culture, economy and environment - and what they can do about it.
On Thursday, July 16th, Rob Parsons, a Hawaii Consultant for Food & Water Watch, held a talk at the Pacific Whale Foundation about ocean fish farming.
View a recording of the July 7th meeting in Kihei, Maui. Thanks to Dr. Leisure for filming it!
Listen to Kale Gumapac from the Kanaka Council and Christina Lizzi from Food and Water Watch on Na Oiwi Lino - People Seeking Wisdom. Search for July 10th, 2009.
Read KAHEA's report on the Honolulu meeting here.
Out of the Blue: Open Ocean Fish Farming in Hawaii with Kale Gumapac (Kanaka Council) & Christina Lizzi, (Organizer, Fish Program at Food & Water Watch). Host Kat Brady (Life of the Land).
Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOp61rKCb2E
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Be-i8KNRIWE
Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riAmXpAD3ys
Part 4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yU4t0rSDKw8
Part 5 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BX5APq0MG8
Part 6 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkY_gcMMgNc
Part 7 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuCwHYqylkA
Part 8 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ejMmIx3JVA
Part 9 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUe7uRg3MvA
Part 10 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f77inNHooCE
Expansion of Ocean Fish Farming in 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…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. Both are currently seeking to expand or alter their operations.
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 "aquapods".
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?
Maps of Ocean Fish Farms in Hawaii
- Ocean Fish Farm Sites in Hawaii
- Big Island Ocean Fish Farm Sites
- Big Island Ocean Fish Farm Sites (No Descriptions)
- Oahu Ocean Fish Farm Sites
- Oahu Ocean Fish Farm Sites (Close Up)
Information on Ocean Fish Farming in general:
- Fishy Farms: The Problems with Open Ocean Aquaculture (Full Report)
- 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
Fact Sheets
Reports
- Land-Based Recirculating Aquaculture Systems — This report, Land-Based Recirculating Aquaculture ...
- Fishy Farms Updates — Since the initial release of Fishy Farms in Octobe ...
- Fish Story — After a series of safety scares about imported sea ...
- Fishy Farms — The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administratio ...
- Import Alert — The Food and Drug Administration oversees the safe ...