Community-Based Restoration of the Kîholo Estuary /Fishpond Complex

In Hawai‘i, fishponds function as coastal estuaries and aquaculture systems. Fishpond estuaries host native estuarine species including catadromous and anadromous fishes, marine and aquatic invertebrates, and birds;  and may be managed to provide a dependable source of fish separate from wild stocks. Since 2011, The Nature Conservancy, guided by a participatory collaborative planning process, has been working with agency and community partners to return the 3-acre Kīholo fishpond to a sustainable and productive aquaculture system that provides habitat for estuarine species and to monitor indicators of success. Guided by historical information and an inclusive approach to restoration, practitioners and hundreds of volunteers have participated in monitoring and rehabilitation activities to quantify fish populations; protected species utilization; water quality and quantity; invasive species distribution; sediment patterns; and spawning cycles for estuarine resource fish; and to reduce invasive species impacts. TNC convened a network of coastal fishpond managers in West Hawai‘i to share knowledge and support regional fishpond restoration and conservation initiatives. Project staff will share updates on monitoring methods for fishpond estuaries, community engagement tools, and preliminary results from the first 18 months of Kīholo fishpond restoration.