The Hawaiian Fishpond (Loko Ia)

According to Hawaiian moʻolelo (oral traditions), the first Hawaiian fishpond (loko iʻa) was built by a skilled fisherman named Kūʻula on the island of Maui. Kūʻula was said to have supernatural powers for controlling fish. He was said to be able to summon fish at will, and is venerated as the Hawaiian god of fishing.

These ancient fishpond systems are unique to the Hawaiian islands. It has been estimated there were 488 fishponds across the Hawaiian islands prior to Western contact. An inventory in 1901 identified 360 fishponds, only 99 of which were active, with an estimated annual production of about 486,000 pounds of ʻamaʻama (striped mullet) and 194,000 pounds of awa (milkfish)

Major Types of Hawaiian Fishponds

There were a variety of different types of fishponds that the Hawaiians built and maintained. Nomilu is the only “Loko Pele” in Hawaii - an extinct volcanic crater with a connection to the ocean. The following are the other categories of fishponds:

Loko Kuapā: These are the most iconic, large-scale seawall fishponds built on reef flats using massive stone walls to create an enclosed, semicircular coastal pond. They use a mākāhā (sluice gate) to allow ocean water and small fish in, while trapping them to grow.

Loko Pu‘uone: These are isolated, shore-based brackish water ponds separated from the ocean by a sandbar or barrier beach. A channel is typically dug to connect them to the ocean for water exchange, often drawing from both fresh (streams/springs) and salt water.

Loko Wai: These are naturally occurring freshwater ponds or pools located inland, which were adapted to trap and raise fish like ama‘ama (striped mullet).

Loko I‘a Kalo: These are taro patches (lo‘i) that double as fish farming spots. They are generally situated inland where freshwater is available to support both taro growth and aquaculture.

Loko ‘Ume Iki: Often called a "fish trap" rather than a pond, this structure is built on a reef flat with multiple, shallow, funnel-shaped lanes in the walls. The walls are fully submerged at high tide for fish to enter and partially exposed at low tide to trap them.

Kāheka / Hāpunapuna: These are natural coastal rock pools or spring-fed pools that were utilized for fish management and storage.

What kind of fish are found in a Hawaiian Fishpond?

‘Ama‘ama (mullet) and awa (milkfish) are two of the main species that could be found in an ancient fishpond. The Hawaiians would cast nets in the ocean to gather a variety of pua (baby fish) that they would then stock in their ponds to be grown out and later harvested.

Many other species were also raised, including another mullet called an ‘anae, āhole (sea-pig), ‘ōpae (shrimp), ‘o‘opu (guppies), and puhi (eels). Sometimes other fish entered the pond on their own: among them would have been ulua (giant trevally), kāhala (amberjack), kūmū (goatfish), manini (surgeon fish), ‘ō‘io (bonefish), and uhu (parrotfish).

Harvesting Fish from a Hawaiian Fishpond

Harvesting fish happened at specific times of the year. The Hawaiians would use nets to harvest in their ponds but most ponds had a very effective makaha (gate) system to harvest their fish. A double gate system would allow the fishermen to trap fish in a channel between two gates. The adult fish are attracted to the makaha by the fresh seawater coming into the pond.

Another method of gathering fish involved the use of certain plants that caused fish temporary stupefaction or loss of consciousness. Similar to drunkenness, fish would float to the surface of the pond making it extremely easy for fishermen to spear them or collect them in nets, like a pre-colonial “shooting fish in a barrel.”

Ancient fishermen pounded the bark, leaves and roots of the native Hawaiian plant ‘ākia (Wikstroemia uva-ursi), or hillside false ‘ōhelo, together with bait and then dumped the mixture into the pond they intended to harvest. This plant contains narcotic chemical properties that caused only cold-blooded animals to lose consciousness, so when humans later ate the fish, they did not experience the same effect.

Fishponds disappeared dramatically during the twentieth century. Westernization, development, and changes in land use, especially the spread of invasive mangrove and sediment accumulation from lack of management, were major factors. Fishponds were also lost to lava flows and tsunamis.

The movement to restore these fishponds has grown in recent years, with a biocultural movement focused on reclaiming ancient food systems while preserving Native Hawaiian history and culture. There are currently about 40 to 60 active fishpond sites across the islands in various stages of restoration.

The Restoration Process

Restoring a fishpond is an ongoing, labor-intensive effort that blends traditional techniques with modern science. The Nomilu fishpond has faced many challenges but, with community support, is once again a thriving system.

Mangrove and Invasive Species Removal: Invasive red mangroves, introduced in the 1920s, often destroy pond walls. Removing these and other weeds is typically the first step.

Rebuilding Walled Enclosures (Kuapā): Restoration involves traditional dry-stack masonry (uhau humu pōhaku), using volcanic rock and coral without mortar.

Sluice Gate (Mākāhā) Repair: These gates allow juvenile fish to enter while keeping mature fish inside, acting as a natural nursery.

Water Flow Restoration: Practitioners restore the “mauka-to-makai” (mountain-to-sea) connection to maintain proper brackish conditions.

Key Benefits

Food Sovereignty: Fishponds historically produced up to 2 million pounds of fish annually, supporting local food systems.

Ecosystem Health: Ponds protect coral reefs and provide habitat for native species.

Climate Resilience: Fishponds may be more resilient to warming waters due to freshwater inputs.

Community and Education: Ponds serve as outdoor classrooms, teaching science, history, and cultural values like kuleana (responsibility).