Resources for Hawaii's Aquaculture Industry

Microalgae production is Hawaii's leading crop benefiting from its warm, sunny climate and pure water.

Hawaii's resources for aquaculture are exceptional. A farmer can grow a wide diversity of plants and animals using fresh, brackish or salt water and a variety of production systems.

Consider these factors:

Climate

 

Hawaii is the only state that has warm year-round temperatures for growing tropical, subtropical, and temperate aquatic species. Solar intensity in certain parts of the Islands is among the highest of any state. Tradewinds blow 70 percent of the time and weather is generally considered mild and pleasant.

 

Water

 

Hawaii has clean, abundant freshwater sources which are among the purest in the world. Brackish and salt water are available in coastal areas. Uniquely, cold and pathogen-free deep ocean water is pumped onshore via pipes at the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority, in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii and used for culture of many different cold and warm water species.

 

Land

 

Hawaii has identified abundant acreage suitable for aquaculture projects that has been incorporated into a GIS systems. The State has 135,000 acres of relatively flat lands with soils ideal for constructing ponds. Another 500,000 acres are suitable for high intensity tank or raceway culture systems. Both private and publicly-financed aquaculture parks have been developed where commercial developments can locate and State and private lands are widely available for long-term lease.

 

Ocean

 

The Hawaii archipelago is 1500 miles long with over 740 miles of coastline. The State's warm, subtropical marine waters encompass 2.8 million surface acres of ocean space. In 1999, the Hawaii Legislature amended existing law and allowed the long term leasing of State marine waters for commercial aquaculture. This action opens up the opportunity for farming the ocean using modern surface and submerged cage culture technologies and economically important local species. In similar fashion the State is in the process of identifying suitable sites for offshore aquaculture and incorporating them in a GIS system.

 

Technology

 

Hawaii is fortunate to be a world-center of aquaculture expertise in a wide variety of species and technologies. Public and private research organizations have pioneered the development of extensive, semi-intensive and intensive culture systems and regularly consult around the world. Local entities have extensive expertise in the spawning and rearing of mullet, milkfish, freshwater prawns, marine finfish, and marine shrimp. Several companies specialize in the production and sale of certified disease-free shrimp broodstock and seedstock, and oyster and clam seedstock. In addition, Hawaii is home to leading technology companies in microalgae and seaweed production. The level of cooperation between researchers, extension personnel and commercial producers in the local community is exceptional.

Back to top