Lokoiʻa (fishponds) are used for fish raising. Small fish come through the slots in the mākāhā (fishpond gate) and feed within the pond. Once they grow big and fat, they cannot fit through the slots in the mākāhā, and provide a steady supply of fish to the community. In 1901, there were at least fifty-three lokoiʻa in Molokai. However, due to neglect, many lokoiʻa in Hawaiʻi arenʻt feasible to raise fish due to damaged walls, invasive species, or raising tides.
Paepaeko'a and the First Fishpond
The mo’olelo (story) of the first fishpond dates to the Kahiko days (pre-King Kamehameha period). Paepaekoʻā was responsible for engineering the first lokoiʻa (fishpond) at Pukoʻo on Molokai. Paepaekoʻā was trying to figure out how to preserve fish for his community. While on Pelekunu (on the north shore, opposite Pukoʻo) the crashing surf caught his attention. He looked out and noticed that all the rocks in the ocean were rounded but never moved. He believed that the water flowed through the pukas (holes) in the ocean rocks which allowed water to flow through without moving it. The rocks on the south shore were flat due to the different surf.
Paepaekoʻā gathered the community to bring the rounded rocks from Pelekunu to Pukoʻo. All the people listened and formed seven human chains, stretching more than 8.15 miles, from the sea at Pelekunu, over the mountains, to the sea at Pukoʻo. While passing each stone, the people put his mana (power) into the stone to strengthen the fishpond. The fishpond was originally called Ka Nuʻu due to the abundance of people and sea life. Now, it is called Pukoʻo to remember the people coming together to build it.
Ka Honua Momona caretakes two fishponds: the Aliʻi Fishpond and Kalokoʻeli Fishpond.
Ali'i Fishpond
Ali’i Fishpond is a loko kuapa, a type of fishpond with a solid wall of rocks with the mākahā being the only opening. In 1901, John Cobb surveyed Hawaiʻi fishponds. He reported a “nameless pond in Makakupaia 1” as 46 acres and two mākāhās. Now it is called Aliʻi Pond (chief pond) with an area of 25.8 acres. In 1957, the pond was filled with mud and the mākāhā was broken. Although the pond was originally owned by the Department of Hawaiian Homelands, it was leased to the Oceanic Institute on Oʻahu in 1966 for upkeep and research. The Oceanic Institute hoped to research hormone-induced reproduction on mullet and used Aliʻi Fishpond as a storage for the fish. The Oceanic Institute widened the western wall to allow the passage of research vehicles.
Now, Ka Honua Momona caretakes the pond, removing invasive gorilla ogo and mangrove as well as building another mākāhā. We hope to restore the pond to its full health where the community (each ahupua’a) can fish and enjoy its bounty.
Kaloko'eli Fishpond
Kalokoʻeli fishpond means the dug-up pond. In 1901, the pond had an area of 27.6 acres. In 1922, the walls of the pond were broken. In the mid-1900s, about 600 feet of the pond wall had been washed away by the wave and tide and along the east wall, the growth of mangrove was unencumbered. Today, Ka Honua Momona works to remove the invasive mangrove and gorilla ogo.