<![CDATA[Maui Nui Makai Network - Makai Resource Blog]]>

<![CDATA[Maui Nui Makai Network - Makai Resource Blog]]>Tue, 16 Jun 2026 07:17:39 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[Pono Fishing Practices]]>Tue, 01 Oct 2024 07:00:00 GMThttps://www.mauinui.net/makairesourceblog/pono-fishing-practices

Members of the Maui Nui Makai Network use pono fishing practices (sustainable practices) to perpetuate marine resources for generations to come. For example, Hui Mālama O Mo'omomi created a Pono Fishing Calendar that lets fishers know when best to harvest certain species to avoid their spawning cycles which are connected to moon phases. Wailuku CMMA hosts lawai'a (fishing) camps near Kahului harbor to promote pono fishing and Polanui Hiu is conducting creel surveys to observe, talk story, and educate ocean-goers at Polanui.

Eat Pono, Not Just Ono
Many of us have a favorite fish to eat that makes our ʻōpū happy! But imagine if that's all we caught... we would likely fish out that species really fast! By catching a variety of fish, we can help relieve pressure placed on prize species and keep our favorites around to enjoy for generations.

When we say generations we mean generations of people AND resources. Having multiple generations of fish present on a reef is a good sign of resource health!

Leave the Big and the Small
Bigger Fish Make More Fish. Older, larger fish produce more and healthier keiki/larvae and are responsible for the majority of reproduction. For example, a 27-inch ‘ōmilu (bluefin trevally) makes 86 times the number of eggs produced by an ‘ōmilu half its size!!

Small Fish Need Time to Grow. If small fish are harvested before reaching a reproductive age and size, fewer fish will be able to reproduce. This means fewer fish in our seas and in our ʻōpūs. So let the little ones grow! If small fish are harvested before reaching a reproductive age and size, fewer fish will be able to reproduce. This means fewer fish in our seas and in our ʻōpūs. So let the little ones grow!

Be Akamai (Smart)
Just like mango and other fruit trees have seasons, so do the fish in the sea! There are times of the year when fish spawn to reproduce, and harvest should be rested.

So when do fish spawn? Spawning seasons can vary depending on the fish species, location, and time of year, especially with changes in climate. The best way to learn the reproductive seasons of fish in your area is to check your catch for male or female gonads, and the size it takes up in the body cavity. You can also look for local pono fishing calendars like this one developed by Hui Mālama O Mo'omomi or check statewide seasonal closures set by the State for some marine species. For example, ula or spiny lobster is closed for harvest from May to August!

Always Take Your 'Opala (Rubbish) With You
Plastic pollution and 'opala ending up in the ocean is a global problem. Mahalo for doing your part to keep our oceans free from debris by packing out your trash! Here are some crazy facts about 'opala in the ocean!

There are 5 massive patched of plastic in the oceans around the world. The one between California and Hawai'i is the size of Texas. (National Geographic)

The likelihood of coral becoming diseased increases from 4% to 89% after coming into contact with marine plastic, as it damages coral tissue, allowing infection. (Lamb et. al.)

The average person consumes about a credit card amount of plastic a week! The single largest source of plastic ingestion is through water, both bottles and tap, all over the world. Of the consumables studied in a 2019 WWF report, those with the highest recorded plastic levels include shellfish, beer, and salt. (WWF)

]]><![CDATA['OPihi Rest Areas]]>Mon, 12 Jun 2023 07:00:00 GMThttps://www.mauinui.net/makairesourceblog/opihi-rest-areas

Several of our Network Members including Kīpahulu 'Ohana, Nā Mamo O Mū'olea, Nā Moku ʻAupuni ʻO Koʻolau Hui, and Ke Ao Hāli‘i are reviving the traditional practice of resting an area from harvesting 'opihi, a native mollusk, so that it will be momona (abundant) again.

The concept is simple, allowing one area to rest means those 'opihi have the chance to grow larger and produce more keiki that can spill over into neighboring areas, providing more 'opihi for all of us. The good news is 'opihi reproduce quickly - every six months - so resting an area can be an effective management strategy for this species. Partners in this project include Dr. Chris Bird with Texas A&M Corpus Christi, The Nature Conservancy, and the Haleakalā National Park.

]]><![CDATA[What Is a CBSFA?]]>Thu, 15 Apr 2021 07:00:00 GMThttps://www.mauinui.net/makairesourceblog/what-is-a-cbsfa

Community-Based Subsistence Fishing Areas (CBSFA) are areas where the community and state government work together to protect and support traditional and customary native Hawaiian fishing practices that feed the families who rely on coastal resources. Hawaiʻi’s CBSFA designation formally recognizes local communities as valued partners in protecting natural resources and reaffirms and protects traditional and customary practices for subsistence and culture. Within the Maui Nui Makai Network, Kīpahulu 'Ohana secured their CBSFA designation in March 2024 and Hui Mālama O Mo'omomi was the first CBSFA pilot from 1994-1996 and have sought a continuation of the CBSFA designation.

"Kipahulu Ohana chose to pursue a CBSFA because it is the only fisheries management area designation in Hawai'i that emphasizes traditional practices and Hawaiian lifestyle, not just the fish abundance itself'." - Kīpahulu 'Ohana

The idea to designate an area as a CBSFA comes from communities that have identified unsustainable practices or want to protect healthy resources for future generations. Each community goes through the same designation process, developing their own set of rules and management proposals pertaining to their specific place.

History and Background
In 1994, the reliance of Moloka'i residents' on subsistence practices for their livelihood became one of the driving factors that pushed the Hawaiʻi State Legislature to create a process for designating Community-Based Subsistence Fishing Areas (CBSFA) (Act 271) to reaffirm and protect traditional fishing practices for Native Hawaiians. It also established a two-year subsistence fishing CBSFA pilot project on the northwest coastline of Moloka'i.

Only one community has been designated as a CBSFA (Hāʻena on Kaua'i in 2015) and several other communities are pursuing designations across the State - including Moʻomomi where the 1994 CBSFA pilot project was first run.

Why CBSFAs
CBSFAs have the potential to enhance individual, family, and community well-being by:

Supporting self-determination and self-governance of marine resources guided by Native Hawaiian tradition with a history of sustaining the health of those resources;
Strengthening social connections enabled by traditional subsistence practices and the transmission of those practices and their associated values to younger generations; and...
Improving community food security and assuring the availability of a high-quality source of food over time.

See the CBSFA Designation Procedures Guide created by the Division of Aquatic Resources for more details on the designation process.

Other Types of Designations
Wailuku CMMA is working in a Fisheries Management Area (FMA) in Kahului Harbor, and Polanui Hiu and Maunalei Ahupua'a CMMA are seeking other state management options.

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