HB309 - A Step Towards Fishpond Restoration
- Daniel Reyes
- Mar 11
- 2 min read
Updated: 16 hours ago
Fishponds or loko i'a is an integral part of an ahupua'a thus deeply interconnected with the Hawaiian identity and culture. The successful passage of Act 124 HB2626 HD1 SD2 in 2024 ensured that indigenous practices is utilized in the management plan of any state-owned fishpond. HB309, aims to establish a working group within the UH Sea Grant program to inventory and map all fishponds on state land. The bill, which was introduced at the start of the year, is another promising step towards restoration.
The ahupua'a is a system of land management that defined Hawaiians from other Polynesian cultures in the Indo-Pacific. The system allowed for intensive place-based agricultural developments and techniques which maximized production and carrying capacity without compromising the integrity of island ecosystem, the essence of sustainability! Loko i'a, an early aquaponics system, was one of these placed-based techniques which allowed for cultivation of nearshore marine resources and taro (kalo). testimony in support of the bill highlights this crucial work.
Leah Laramee, coordinator with the Hawai'i Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission stated in her written testimony. Loki i'a provide important ecosystem services (e.g. sediment retention, flood mitigation, wave attenuation, storm water filtering), and function as important nature-based solutions. Further stating that by increasing aquaculture in Hawai'i, we can reduce our reliance on imported foods, provide jobs, and minimize the strain on our marine resources.
Dawn N. S. Chang chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources and the first Native Hawaiian women to hold the position advocated for the bill claiming. Loko i'a are a integral part of Hawaiian culture, history, and sustainability practices, and showcase the ecological knowledge of early Hawaiian communities.
County of Maui Mayors Office, Department of Agriculture, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Sierra Club of Hawai'i, Hawai'i Ocean Legislative Task Force and Kua'aina Ulu 'Auamo (KUA), Hawai'i Alliance for Progressive Action (HAPA), Hawai'i Farmers Union, Historic Hawaii Foundation, Pacific Whale Foundation and others also submitted compelling testimony for the bill.
The successful passage of Act 124 and introduction of HB309 showcases the growing recognition of traditional knowledge and its value in resource management. Ancient Hawaiians understood the interdependent ecological island systems which sustained growing populations. These systems are interconnected with Hawaiian identity and culture. Thus restoration of the loko i'a is also the continued restoration of the Hawaiian culture.
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