Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 32, Number 10, 1 October 2015 — Waiaʻōpae Fishpond Restoration Project [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Waiaʻōpae Fishpond Restoration Project

nn Monday July 13, 2015, House Bill 393 was signed into law by Governor Tae, Ar,r,orrlina

S to the bill, "The legislature finds that the repair or restoration of Hawaiian loko i'a (fishponds) may require permits from the department of land and natural resources, department of heahh, office of planning, federal agencies, and county agencies. The legislature further finds that the permit process for repair or restoration of loko i'a may be time-consuming, complicated, confusing, and inconsistent across agencies. Burdensome regulations and permit requirements

have historically prevented community organizations or native Hawaiian lawai'a (aquaculturalists) from initiating projects to restore, repair or maintain loko i'a." The whole process in obtaining the certifications and permits required for restoring the fishpond ean take many years and the Clean Water Act requires first a water quality certification and permit from the Department of Heahh and then a permit from the Army Corps of Engineers before the restoration activities ean begin. To streamline the process the Department of Land and Natural Resources is implementing a statewide programmatic general permit and programmatic agreement that would allow applicants to submit a single permit application for review. This law waives the requirement to obtain water quality certification for projects authorized under the state programmatic general permit, and greatly simplifies the process of restoration based on cultural practice.

Since the bill was signed into law, Lāna'i was the first community to take advantage of this opportunity to restoring a fishnond nnder new nermittinu

and certification. Wai'ōpae fishpond is the largest of at least five known fishponds on the eastern coast of Lāna'i. The fishpond was built before western contact and it is believed to be about 800 years old. At one time in its history the nine-acre fishpond was the main source of food for the community. This restoration of the fishpond is a partnership between Lāna'i Culture & Heritage Center and Pūlama Lāna'i. It is also a real community effort to restore this fishpond. Students from the E

'Ike Hou Iā Lāna'i - To Know Lāna'i Onee Again program have also been working on the restoration. E 'Ike Hou Iā Lāna'i - To Know Lāna'i Onee Again, is a cultural and science enrichment eamp that was offered to Lāna'i students over a four week period. The program took students into the field where they learned by hands-on experience at different places around Lāna'i. Places such as Lāna'i Hale, Maunalei, Waia'ōpae & Naha Lishponds. Throughout the program students engaged in learning about archaeology, marine science, watershed management, loko i'a and lo'i kalo restoration, haku mele, and hula, and also worked with 808 Urban in the development of culturally based murals at Lāna'i High & Elementary School. Restoration of the fishpond currently is expected to be completed within a year and it is hoped that through these efforts the vitality of the fishpond will return. ■

Cūlette Y. Machade TrustEE Muluka'i and Lāna'i