Study may help clear way for sea farm
By Timothy Hurley
Advertiser Staff Writer
An open-ocean fish farm proposed for the waters off the Keahole-Kona International Airport would have little effect on public activities or marine ecosystems, according to a draft environmental assessment.
Kona Blue Water Farms is applying to the state for an ocean lease of 81 acres to raise mahimahi, kahala (amberjack) and possibly other deep-water species. The operation would be limited to 9 acres at the center of the lease area, in water 150 to 200 feet deep over bare sand about 2,000 feet from the shoreline.
The public will be permitted to travel across and fish within the outer 72 acres of the lease area. However, the draft assessment says the waters are beyond the depths of normal recreational diving, and most offshore fishing occurs along the 600 foot drop-off, which is almost one mile to the southwest of the site.
Kona Blue Water Farms, a division of Big Island-based pearl-oyster cultivator Black Pearls Inc., was able to rear 'opakapaka from eggs recently with the help of the University of Hawai'i, and is researching hatchery culture techniques for a variety of other species, including onaga (red snapper), 'omilu (bluefin trevally), uku (green snapper) and hapu'u (grouper).
The project is headed by Australian aquaculture researcher Glenn Schipp and supported by researchers from California, Florida, the Pacific, the Caribbean and Canada. Kona Blue Water Farms also has won federal research grants from the Advanced Technology Program and the National Marine Fisheries Service.
According to the environmental document, the farm will cultivate only local species that will be reared in hatcheries. Initially, these will be mahimahi and kahala.
The ocean farm will consist of six grow-out pens — three submersible cages and three surface pens — of around 80 feet in diameter, and two smaller nursery pens. The fish will be fed pellet food only.
Strong ocean currents will minimize the effect of the operation on water quality and marine ecosystems, according to the document, and taut moorings and net mesh will eliminate the risk of entanglement by marine mammals or turtles.
April 22 is the deadline to submit comments on the draft environmental assessment. Comments should be send to the Department of Land and Natural Resources at P.O. Box 621, Honolulu, HI 96809, and Kona Blue Water Farms at P.O. Box 525, Holualoa, HI 96725.
