Kalepolepo Fishpond

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Kalepolepo Fishpond, known by its older name Koʻieʻie Loko Iʻa, is an ancient Hawaiian fishpond estimated to have been built between 1400-1500 AD. The fishpond is located in Kalepolepo Park in Kihei, Hawaii. In 1996, the ʻAoʻao O Na Loka Iʻa O Maui (Association of the Fishponds of Maui) began renovating Koʻieʻie, working closely with the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary.

Koʻieʻie ("rapid current") is classified as a loko kuapa (walled pond), a type of fishpond that uses lava rock and coral walls (kuapa) to keep water circulating while a wooden sluice gate (makaha) allows small fish to enter the pond to feed, but prevents them from leaving after they grow too large to escape the gate. Species of fish once farmed by ancient Hawaiians includes the awa (milkfish), amaʻama (striped mullet), and the aholehole (Hawaiian Flagtail).

[edit] References

Clark, John R. K. (1989). The Beaches of Maui County. University of Hawaii Press, 47-48. ISBN 0824812468.
James, Van (2001). Ancient Sites of Maui, Molokai'i and Lana'i. Honolulu, HI: Mutual Publishing, 73-76. ISBN 1566475295.
Kamakau, Samuel M. (1992). The Works of the People of Old. Honolulu, HI: Bishop Museum Press. ISBN 0910240183.
San Nicolas, Claudine (2005-09-27), “Restoring 'history'”, The Maui News, <http://mauinews.com/story.aspx?id=12803>
Tom, Allen & Kapulehua, Kimokeo (2007), “Proceedings of Coastal Zone 07”, Ko'ie'ie Fishpond Renovation: An Example of Local, State and Federal Partnership, Portland, Oregon: NOAA Coastal Services Center, pp. 1-6, <http://www.csc.noaa.gov/cz/2007/Coastal_Zone_07_Proceedings/PDFs/Monday_Abstracts/2381.tom.pdf>