An example of a "research report" created by students participating in the TeenACE for Science project

1. Sustainable Fishponds

2. Introduction
Do you like eating fish ? Sometimes in the past,
fishponds played an important role in the Hawaiian
culture. A fishpond is a stone wall surrounding
water. It provided some reliable food sources such
as fish, crabs, and limu. Therefore, people are
working to restore fishponds so they can
again,become a reliable food source.

3. Event.Problem.Issue
In every issue investigation there is always a
E.P.I. E.P.I is an abbreviation of event, problem,
and issue. The event for our issue is fishponds
haven’t been maintained well and are all
mistreated. Our problem is that fishponds are
causing a unhealthy near shore eco-system.
Last but not least is the issue. Our issue is “How
can fishponds be maintained in a way that
supports a healthy near shore eco-system?”

4. History
Fishponds were estimated to exist for over 2,000
years. At one point in time, fishponds produced
thousands of pounds of fish. In 1785, when Captain
Cook came to Hawaii there were 360 fishponds. By
1960, there were six fishponds that were reported to
be in use on Oahu. At the beginning of the 20th century,
only 60 of the original 486 fishponds were productive.
The Hawaiians built these rock walled enclosures in the
near shore waters to raise fish. The fish that were
raised were for their families and communities. To
build these fishponds the Hawaiians had to pass rocks
from the source of the stones to the fishpond site.
Therefore, natural disasters had left fishponds
mistreated.

5. Player 1
During our issue investigation Uncle Mervin
Dudoit played an important role. Uncle Mervin is a
cultural practitioner and fishpond restorer. Some
information he shared is as follows : “Fishponds are
dead without freshwater springs.” “Ogo is no good for
fishponds.” “I don’t want to use herbicide at all in the
pond, because I don’t know if it is going to harm the
pond.” “All rocks for fishponds came from the north
side of Molokai.” He was very helpful and his
knowledge really assisted with our knowledge.

6. Player 2
Another important player in our investigation is
Aunty Arleone Dibben Young. Aunty Arleone is a
biologist, and she is the only one on Molokai who is
allowed and approved to use the mangrove
herbicide. These is some of the information she
passed along to us : “Mangroves were planted to
stop erosion.” “More people on Molokai should get
certified using the herbicide.” and her last quote was
“Pohoele fishpond is located in palaau and some
mistakenly call it palaau pond. It is now filled with
sediment from overgrazing and farming and is solid
mangrove.” Thus, she taught us many important
things about mangroves and their impact on
fishponds.

7. Player 3
Another player in our issue investigation is
Joseph M. Farber. He is the author of the Ancient
Hawaiian Fishpond book. He played and important
role by recording what he learned about the history
of fishponds. He said “Fishponds are unique
creatures and are historically important. They are
of great culture and spiritually significance to the
Hawaiian culture.” A good part of our research
came from him.

8. Player 4
On January 1956, Governor Samuel Wilder
King made two statements about restoring
Molokai’s fishponds. His first statements was,
“The territorial government will provide
immediate plans for the restoration of fishponds
on Molokai.” He then stated “If this is
successful, more fishponds will be restored in
order to raise fish for the commercial market.”
Undoubtedly I believe that Governor King’s
statement is important to remember.

9. Environmental Impacts
Fishponds are causing an un-healthy near
shore ecosystem. The walls of the fishponds
cause muddy silt to build up which is caused by
erosion. Hence the erosion hurts the reefs and
pollutes the ocean. The mangroves spread along
the rock wall and it causes the wall to break
apart. The gorilla ogo is a bad specie for the
fishpond because its endangered and it grows
wild. Tsunamis and sea storms fill in the pond
and destroys the walls as well. In conclusion, this
should not be happening and it needs to be
solved soon.

10. Data Set
In 1829, Puko’o fishpond was the last constructed
fishpond. The amount of fish harvested were enough to feed
the chief’s, families, and communities. The types of fish raised in
the fishponds are ‘ama’ama (mullet), awa (milkfish), ahole-hole,
moi, papio, oio, and other fishes that come in and out. They
produce some 460-600 pounds per acre per year. The cost to
restore a fishpond is between $50-80,000. In 1997, there were
335 fishponds, it was evaluated that only 56 had the potential to
be restored. Of the 56 ponds 6 were rated as excellent, 15 were
good, and the rest were fair or poor in terms of potential
productivity. Today, there are a few fishponds that produce
commercially. Those /that do cultivate ogo, rainbow trout, carp,
and tilapia. In final consideration, fishponds has declined rapidly
over the past century.

11. State Building
Fishponds can be bought , leased, and sold. To restore a
fishpond multiple permits are required. The permits required
are federal, county, and state. You will need 17 permits and
they will cost between $50-80,000. This process takes several
years to complete. Leasing a state owned fishpond posses
many obstacles, such as cost and time. In 2002, the DLNR
gave permission to restore Keawenui fishpond for small scale
non-commercial activities. The DLNR told the state owned
fishponds that they need to take care of there resources and
take good responsibility. Fishponds are considered
submerged lands. Therefore the laws for the fishponds are
getting more and more strict.

12. Conclusion
In conclusion fishponds were a reliable
source of food for the Hawaiians. Fishponds can
also provide educational opportunities and
share cultural values for the people of Hawaii.
Therefore I think that we should continue and
keep this Hawaiian culture going.

13. Bibliography
• - Title: Ancient Hawaiian aquaculture
• <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Hawaiian_aquaculture
• Edited by: Ruth Rosauer
• - Title: Hawaiian Fishponds of Molokai
• http://www.gohawaii.com/molokai/regions-neighborhoods/central-molokai/hawaii-
fishponds
• Author: Unknown
• - Title: Department of Land and Natural Resources Sustainability Hotspot
• www.state.hi.us/dlnr/pdf/waialua.pdf
• Author: Unknown
• - Title: Ancient Hawaiian Fishpond
• Pages: 1 – 41
• Published Date: March 1997
• Author: Joseph M. Farber

14. The End !!!