How are marine aquarium fishes collected in Hawai‘i?

Some of the most skilled fishermen in Hawai‘i are those who capture aquarium species among the reefs of West Hawai‘i (Big Island) and O‘ahu. For many of them diving for tropical fish is a family tradition. Using SCUBA, fishers typically collect from shore or small boats. Collection generally occurs close to the shoreline within 10-15 miles from major docks to allow for rapid transport of captured aquarium fishes to holding facilities or warehouses. Tremendous patience is required to skillfully net live animals and safely transport them.

Most fishers carry a barrier or fence net composed of a lightweight monofilament with weights affixed to the bottom margin and floats attached to the top. Barrier or fence nets are positioned near the location where one or more targeted fishes have been glimpsed. A monofilament mesh hand net is then used to gently drive the fishes toward the barrier net. Upon closer examination, the diver then selects specimens for capture of desirable size that are healthy in appearance. Those chosen will be collected in the hand net and transferred by hand into a holding bucket with a spring-loaded door.  Care must be taken not to put too many fish in each bucket to avoid crowding.  Since most fish need sufficient time to decompress and acclimate to decreasing pressures associated with ascent, they are very slowly and carefully brought to the surface. Once onboard the boat, collected fishes are transferred to aerated holding tanks or containers where water is exchanged with fresh seawater periodically.

Although it may seem simple, catching live fish is very challenging and can require years of experience to master.

Once collected, how do these fish make it to the consumer?

Following transport to the collector’s holding facility or a wholesaler warehouse (typically located in Kailua-Kona or Honolulu), fishes are separated and placed into holding tanks based on size and species compatibility. Fish are usually kept in quarantine for 2 to 5 days, to ensure quality and healthiness, until they are ready for export. Each fish is packed individually in double polyethylene bags with an appropriate amount of water from the holding system and the air in each bag is replaced with pure oxygen. All bags are sealed using a metal clamp and placed in Styrofoam-insulated cardboard boxes, which are then closed, taped, and shipped to major distributors. Fish can then be shipped by air cargo to pet stores across the United States and around the world.

Can some fish be raised in captivity?

Only a few species of marine aquarium fish, including clownfish, sea horses, and some species of angelfish, can be successfully bred in captivity and some are being raised in local aquaculture facilities.