The Big Island is a hotspot for aquaculture – harvesting some of the best bounty from the sea. And it’s one place where aquatic entrepreneurs are being encouraged to help return to the islands some unexpected and some mighty tasty creatures.

"It’s really a perfect place to grow fish," says Michael Wink, CEO of Kona Blue. "I think Hawaii’s actually a natural spot for this. You have this pristine ocean environment where the water quality is really as high as anywhere on Earth."

Wink hopes Kona Blue will be among the first to bring aquaculture into the 21st century. Their product – kona kampachi – is nearly identical to what mainlanders call amberjack, a kind of yellowtail. What makes Kona Blue different is the process – they hatch the fish themselves, and nurture them in tanks for about six weeks. Then they’re brought out to huge ocean cages for seven months, immersed in some of the cleanest seawater on Earthlong enough for the fish to reach market size, three to five pounds.

"Offshore, maintaining that pristine ocean environment is key," says Wink. "And so that’s why we’re in those deep waters. The result is a very high quality product, which is also the healthiest fish on the market, very high in omega three, and no detectible environmental contaminants, no mercury, no PCB."

Kona Blue is just one of a half-dozen marine hatcheries on Hawaii’s west coast. This one is raising North Atlantic flounder for the Japanese market. Another, Pacific Ocean Ventures, is bringing back a fish called moi. It’s a species almost over-fished to extinction, but still a longtime favorite with Hawaiians.

"Moi is a delicacy here, and commoners used to not be allowed to eat the fish," says aquatic biologist Jackie Zimmerman. "If they caught it, they had to give it to the kings and queens. We’re definitely trying to find a way to be profitable with it."

And these aquaculture companies are hoping to reach profitability by offering their aquatic harvests to worldwide markets. Fresh filets, sushi and sashimi, raw fish, directly to consumers in Japan, Hawaii, and the U-S mainland. Chefs like Thomas Woods often offer kona kampachi to guests at Hawaii’s Mauna Kea Resort.

"What I really like about it is its versatility and its consistency," says Woods. "The flavor is very mild, it’s not a very fishy flavor, which is very good, it’s nice and light in texture even though the omega-3 content is very high in this fish and it’s very heart-healthy."

Most of these businesses are still in the research stage. These entrepreneurs are hopeful, but they admit, not certain, whether these farms will be financially successful. But aquaculture in general is undeniably growing. Already, it accounts for one third of the 150-billion dollar a year worldwide seafood industry.

"Hawaii has a huge potential for aquaculture," says Zimmerman. "Because obviously we’re surrounded by water, and surrounded by people that consume a lot of aquaculture products."

"Depletion of the ocean resources is a major concern to the world right now," agrees Wink. "And in the face of increasing population, and the increasing demand for seafood, aquaculture, particularly sustainable hatchery-based aquaculture, is going to fill that void."

Additional information:
www.kona-kampachi.com