Loko i‘a, Hawaiian fishponds, are unique aquaculture systems that exist throughout Hawai‘i, and continue to feed and connect communities around the islands. The Hui Mālama Loko Iʻa (Hui) is a growing network of fishpond practitioners and organizations from across ka paeʻāina o Hawaiʻi (the Hawaiian archipelago). The Hui was formed as an opportunity for practitioners to empower each other and leverage their skills, knowledge and resources related to restoration and management of loko iʻa (traditional Hawaiian fishponds). The Hui met opportunistically from 2004 through 2012, and in 2013, KUA began supporting the convening and facilitation of the Hui which currently includes over 60 loko iʻa revitalization projects. The Hui is driven by loko iʻa practitioners and KUA continues to facilitate their collective discussions and work.

Loko i‘a are important components of the ahupua‘a (traditional land stewardship framework) that contribute to a healthy and robust food system. They are unique aquaculture systems that exist throughout Hawai‘i, and were developed to optimize natural patterns of watersheds, nutrient cycles, and fish biology. There are six commonly recognized types of loko i‘a.

Figure from DHM Planners Inc., Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, Applied Research Group, Public Archaeology Section. Hawaiian Fishpond Study: Islands of O‘ahu, Moloka‘i and Hawai‘i. Honolulu: DHM Planners, 1989.

Loko iʻa practice reflects a deep Indigenous understanding of the environmental, ecological, and social processes specific to our islands. In addition to today’s work of reclaiming physical spaces, our collective work is to also reclaim the innovation and resilience inherent to our Indigenous ways of knowing, observing, managing, and thriving in our environment. The work of the Hui Mālama Loko i‘a gives voice to some of Hawai‘i’s most skilled and committed natural resource managers in using, sharing, and practicing traditional approaches to resource management to meet modern challenges and restore some of Hawai‘i’s most cherished places. The restoration of loko i‘a provides inspiration for Native Hawaiians and the larger community to renew ‘āina momona, an abundant, productive ecological system that supports community well-being. Reference: DHM Planners Inc., Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, Applied Research Group, Public Archaeology Section and Moon, O’Connor, Tam & Yuen. Hawaiian Fishpond Study: Islands of Hawaiʻi, Maui, Lānaʻi and Kauaʻi. Honolulu: DHM Planners, 1990.