Hawaii Bottomfish Heritage Project
Fifty seven Hawaii bottomfish fishermen were interviewed as part of a project to document the traditional and cultural importance of Hawaii’s bottomfish fishery. Personal histories from veteran fishermen documented the culture, traditions, fishing techniques and importance of this fishery to Hawaii’s community. These 57 fishermen represent about 35 years of experience each with over 1900 years of total experience in the fishery. A series of 10 short videos were produced as part of NOAA’s Voices from Sea collection.
The History of Mounalua Bay
Maunalua is a traditional land division and bay located in the southeastern tip of O‘ahu in the Hawaiian Islands. This area historically claimed a vibrant and bountiful coastal ecosystem. However, dramatic degradation of its `āina (land), wai (fresh water), muliwai (estuaries or enclosed waters) and kai (sea) have been observed over the past 80 years by resident kūpuna (elders).
PIFG and community members felt that the stories of the kūpuna (elders) and nālawai’a (fishermen) of Maunalua could provide an understanding of the events leading to these substantial changes. The collective experiences of those who lived, fished and played in Maunalua helps to inform current and future generations about important traditions once used to protect the beauty and bounty of Hawai‘i, such as kuleana (responsibility) and the mauka-makai (mountain-sea) relationship.
Hawaii Lure Masters
Hawaii is the birth place of the modern day, big game, resin head trolling lure. The story of Henry Chee looking at a screwdriver embedded in a glass of hardened resin led to the evolution of what we have in today’s big game trolling lures. Hawaii is world-renown for consistently producing 1,000 plus pound marlin and monster ahi on resin head trolling lures. PIFG is working with Hawaii lure masters to research, document and honor the people who invented, refined and produced these works of art which can be found worldwide today. The project’s mission is to “research, document, share and celebrate the birth and evolution of resin head trolling lures, hand made by Hawaii artisans who were instrumental in revolutionizing today’s modern day pelagic troll fishery.”