Hawaiian fishponds are unique and advanced forms of aquaculture found nowhere else in the world.  The techniques of herding or trapping adult fish with rocks in shallow tidal areas is found elsewhere in the world but the loko iʻa kuapā or walled coastal ponds are unique to Hawaiʻi. There are six styles of Hawaiian fishponds, most notably, the loko iʻa kuapā, were technologically advanced and efficient as their purpose was to cultivate pua, baby fish, to maturity.  Their creation was a result of the Hawaiians deep understanding of the environmental processes specific to our islands as well as their connection and observation of the food resources on the ʻāina and in the kai.

Ocean fishing is dependent, to a great extent, upon conditions of the ocean and weather.  High surf, storms, and other associated weather phenomenon influence and interrupt most fishing practices.  Therefore, fishponds provided Hawaiians with a regular supply of fish when ocean fishing was not possible or did not yield sufficient supply (Kelly, 1976).

Located in Heʻeia on the island of Oahu, Heʻeia Fishpond is a kuapā-style fishpond enclosing 88 acres of brackish water.  The kuapā (wall) is built on Malaukaʻa, a fringing reef and extends away from the shoreline, comepletly encircling the fishpond.  Built approximately 600-800 years ago by the residents of the area, the kuapā is possibly the longest in the Hawaiian Islands measuring an estimated 1.3 miles (7,000 feet).  A unique feature of Heʻeia Fishpond is that it’s wall forms a complete circle around the fishpond; most other fishpond walls were either built in a straight line or as a semi-circle, connecting one point of shoreline to another.

Not only is the kuapā of Heʻeia Fishpond extremely long, it is twelve to fifteen feet wide and “compact” along certain sections.  The wall is composed of two separate, parallel, basalt (volcanic rock) walls set twelve to fifteen feet apart.  The fill material contained between the two walls is mostly coral but along certain sections of wall, dirt. This compact style of wall slows water flow, allows the pond to maintain a base water level even at the lowest tides, and forces more water to the mākāhā or sluice gates.  He’eia Fishpond has seven mākāhā – four along the seaward facing wall that regulate salt water input and three along Heʻeia stream that regulate fresh water input.

By allowing both fresh and salt water to enter the pond, the pond maintains a brackish water environment and creates the ideal habitat for algae (limu) to proliferate. By cultivating limu, much like a rancher grows grass, the kiaʻi (guardian/caretaker) could easily raise herbivorous fish and not have to feed them.  Fish that live in Heʻeia Fishpond include ‘ama’ama, awa, pualu, palani, āholehole, moi, kōkala, kākū, and pāpio.  The fishpond is also home to different species of pāpa’i (crab), ‘ōpae (shrimp) and puhi (eels).

It is unknown who commissioned He’eia Fishpond to be built but it likely required hundreds, if not thousands, of committed residents to pass and stack rocks and coral for approximately 2-3 years to complete the massive wall.  The first recorded owner of the pond is High Chief Abner Paki who was the konohiki of the ahupuaʻa of Heʻeia.  He received the majority of the lands of Heʻeia at the time of the Great Māhele of 1848.  His wife was High Chiefess Laura Konia and after their passing their daughter, Princess Bernice Pauahi, received the lands of Heʻeia.  Princess Pauahi married Charles Reed Bishop who, after her passing, managed her lands in the Bishop Estate.  Today the fishpond is still owned by Kamehameha Schools, formerly the Bishop Estate.

Circa 1880 Copyright: Bishop Museum

Several of the oldest pictures (circa 1880-1910) we have of Heʻeia Fishpond and the surrounding areas show a well-formed and maintained kuapā, several adjacent smaller ponds, and a large amount of agriculture (kalo, sugarcane, banana, pineapple, rice) nearby.

Circa 1910. Copyright: Bishop Museum

Even as development encroached on the fishpond between the 1930’s and 1960’s, Heʻeia Fishpond was still a dominant feature along the shoreline.  On May 2, 1965 a devastating flood destroyed a 200+ foot portion of the kuapā and the fishpond went mostly unused for almost 25 years.  Although invasive mangrove was introduced into the Heʻeia area in 1922, it really took a foothold and grew unchecked and unmanaged in the fishpond after the 1965 flood.

Circa 1928. Copyright: USGS

​Circa 1959. Copyright USGS

Between 1988 and 1990, the damaged portion of kuapā was temporarily fixed by Mark Brooks and many volunteers.  Brooks leased the pond and was successful at raising ‘amaʻama, moi, tilapia, ogo, and experimented with other aquaculture ventures.  In 2000, Brooks partnered with the University of Hawaii at Mānoa and the Kamakakūokalani Center for Hawaiian Studies to offer the first Mālama Loko I’a (fishpond management) class which helped to plant the seeds for the current restoration efforts and Paepae o He`eia. E ola ka ‘āina o He`eia!

Circa 2011. Copyright: Kalei Nuuhiwa