Heʻeia Fishpond Field Trip

Mitchell, Malia, Kiani, and Reggie

Located:46-077 ʻIpuka Street Kaneohe, Hawai’i in the He’eia ahupua’a.

Volunteer Time: 8:30 am-12:30 pm

Location & Time

Paepae o He’eia:-Non-profit organization-Created in 2001-Established by a group of young

Hawaiians-In partnership wit-In partnership with

Kamehameha Schools-Volunteer work, tours and field trips -Programs: Restoration, Education, &

Production

History of Ancient Hawaiian Fishponds

-General term for fishpond is loko-Fishponds used for fattening and storing fish for

food-Fishponds were used to store kapu (forbidden)

fish-Fishponds were considered part of the land-Very dependable, unlike ocean fishing (weather

and surf) -Fishponds were built by the community and

families in the ahupua’a

-The konohiki (land administrator) is in charge of the organization and construction of the fishpond

-The konohiki has the right to kapu one fish for his own use

-Everyone who had worked on the fishpond has gained the right to use the fishpond, no one took more than they used

History of He’eia Fishpond

-Date of construction is unknown-First recorded owner of He’eia fishpond is High chief

Abner Paki -Princess Pauahi received 5,800 acres that included

the ahupua’a of He’eia, upon her fathers(Paki) death.-1884: Upon Princess Pauahi’s death her husband,

Charles Bishop had right to the land.-Bishop Estate is now managed by a Board of Trustees -He’eia fishpond is under the jurisdiction of

Kamehameha Schools Bishop Estate.-Between 1987-1988, six acres of He’eia fishpond was

leased to Mary Brooks

Hawaiian Fishponds

• Unique and advanced forms of aquaculture found nowhere else in the world

• Techniques of herding or trapping adult fish with rocks in shallow tidal areas were technologically advanced and efficient as their purpose was to cultivate baby fish to maturity

• Provided Hawaiians with a regular supply of fish when ocean fishing was not possible

Hawaiian Fishponds

• Heʻeia fishpond is a walled (kuapā) style fishpond

• Surrounds 88 acres of brackish water

• Built approximately 600-800 years ago by the residents of the area

• Longest kuapā in the islands- measuring about 1.3 miles (7,00 feet)

• Also, it is 12-15 feet wide and “compact”

• Made up of two separate volcanic walls parallel to each other

• “Compact” style of wall forces more water to the sluice gates

Us crossing over one of the six mākāhā (sluice gates) on the seaward edge. The three mākāhā along the seaward edge regulate salt water input and

the three along Heʻeia stream regulate freshwater input.

This photo here shows Mitchell and Reggie walking on the kuapā to get the mangroves.

Malia and I crossing over part of the kuapā that has been slightly rebuilt.

Invasive Mangrove● introduced in Hawaiʻi 1902 on the island of Molokaʻi

● introduced in Heʻeia 1922

● took control rapidly after 1965 Keapuka Flood○ Heʻeia Fishpond deteriorating

Mangrove ImpactPros

● cleans water with thick roots, traps rubbish

Cons● takes up space where pond

deteriorate● decrease water quality with large

droppings of organic matter● houses alien species harmful to

native species● large trees prevent sunlight to coral

Our Experience

Our contribution to the fishpond was one step closer to getting the system of the pond to start again. Once the system gets runing, the community around the fishpond will get the benefit of having a natural source of food at their door-step and will be able to share it with the island.

What we could have done:● Collect invasive limu● Plant native limu● Cut Mangrove● Reconstruct fishpond wall