Hawaiian fishponds (loko iʻa)
Estanques de peces hawaianos (loko iʻa)
- Date
- c. 1400 · confidence low
- Place
- South coast of Molokaʻi, Hawaii, United States
- Credited to
- Hawaiian chiefdoms
- Field
- Life & health
⚠️ Disputed: the sources disagree.
What it is
Stone enclosures built over the reef with grilled gates (mākāhā) that let fry in and keep adult fish trapped. It is the most developed marine aquaculture of Polynesia, with hundreds of ponds by the time of Cook's arrival.
Construction dates are uncertain; some ponds may date from the 13th century and others much later.
What it led to
- production of mullet and milkfish for the elite
- coastal management by ahupuaʻa units
- restoration of ponds as sustainable aquaculture