Dark Maggots Bring Life to Hawaii Fish Farms, Benefit Local Ecosystems, Boost Export Economy

In Hawaii, sea cucumbers, also known as "dark maggots," have given fish farms new life. Three species of sea cucumbers are being bred by Kaua'i Sea Farms, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the Pacific American Foundation, in the hopes that they will develop into high-value export commodities while enhancing the local ecosystem.

The project is being carried out in the Nomilo fishpond on the island of Kaua'i in Hawaii's southwest. Other than being one of the earliest known and most productive ponds in the entire state, it is also well-known for being located in an extinct volcanic crater.

Loko I'a and Native Species

There are 488 of these 'loko i'a,' or ancient aquaculture systems, in Hawaii, which were created hundreds, if not thousands of years ago to encourage sustainable fish farming. However, many loko i'a deteriorated after Hawaii was westernized in the early 20th century.

After Hurricane Iniki obstructed its seawater channels and halted the flow of nutrients from the pond to the sea, Nomilo loko i'a had been neglected since 1992.

However, Nomilo now supports a thriving community of native species as a result of recent restoration efforts.

Tori Spence, an aquaculture specialist from NOAA, said that they hoped for this project to assist in resolving some issues that the loko i'a face, such as poor water quality, accessible food sources, and a lack of funding for management and restoration.

Sea Cucumbers, Dark Maggots

A group of marine creatures known as sea cucumbers can be found all over the world. They can get up to six feet long, with bodies that resemble squishy cucumbers and tiny, tubular feet. In many cultures, especially in East and Southeast Asia, they are regarded as a delicacy.

According to Kaua'i Sea Farm, due to high-value export markets, sea cucumbers, a keystone species for coastal waters ecosystems, are overfished globally.

But there are additional, non-monetary advantages to breeding them. Sea cucumbers act as underwater janitors, collecting organic waste and other debris that has accumulated on the bottom of the fishpond.

Sea cucumbers, such as the filter-feeding clams and oysters used in certain ponds, can enhance the water quality of the pond.

David Anderson, a production manager from Kaua'i Sea Farm, explained that as a result, more fish can live happily in the pond at once.

Three native Hawaiian sea cucumber species are the main focus of the project. These include namako, a species that is well-known in Japanese cuisine, as well as white teat fish and surf redfish, both of which are extensively used in Chinese food and medicine.

In the project's initial phase, juveniles are raised in solar-powered hatchery tanks. The team will then run tests in various pond environments to see how the animals perform in various scenarios.

To conduct workshops and create production guides on how to grow and sustain various species of Hawaiian sea cucumber, Anderson and his team will collaborate with Hawaii Sea Grant, a national network that promotes the protection of coastal resources.

Anderson said that with this project, an opportunity to utilize restorative aquaculture to create a potentially high-value export commodity is being invested in. In parallel, it will increase community fish production and restore the fishponds, Newsweek reports.