Big Island: Small World

The Hawaiian Islands are thousands of miles from mainlands of any continent, which has two implications. The term ‘hotspot’ defines the Islands of Hawaii, not just for it’s diversity of life, but geologically. The Islands of Hawaii are home to native, threatened and endangered species, arguably the most, and host invasive species found to be invasive and a threat to the endemic species also gone abroad.  To see the same invasive plant species found in my own backyard, I again realized the management opportunities and responsibilities within my power to act.  The management issue I am called to is off grid aquaponics; the stock tank of density of 1 fish per 12 liters water, plants grown in nft, raft, ebb flow systems in a balanced substrate of rock, coconut husks, decaying roots, worms, and cyanobacteria. While on our trip we visited a community garden that had its photovoltaic module and inverter stolen from their aquaponics facility. My greatest concern for Hawaii is reliance on imported food from the mainlands. Also the dangers associated with organic agriculture where Rat Lung Worm parasites can infest, a disease introduced by rats from Asia, which finds human hosts from uncleaned fruits and vegetables with snail trails on it. Having worked on Kauai with aquaponics, I am not opposed to all aquaculture, or mariculture, I see good opportunities to contribute time in research trials, producing viably and ethically sourced feed, tests of best management practices, and solutions to the problems associated with sustaining maximum yields in agriculture and fisheries.