Trust for Public Land and Mālama Hulē‘ia successfully purchased and protected Alakoko Fishpond (also known as Menehune Fishpond), a 102-acre site of cultural and environmental significance near Līhu‘e, Kaua‘i. The purchase will forever protect Alakoko, a 600-year-old fishpond with a 2,700-foot long kuapā (fishpond wall) and the largest remaining fishpond on the island. In some legends, it is said to have been built overnight by the Menehune, who were among Hawai‘i’s earliest inhabitants.

Alakoko Fishpond is beloved by the Kaua‘i community. Native Hawaiian fishpond systems are some of Hawai‘i’s most significant cultural resources and demonstrate Hawaiian ingenuity in food sovereignty and natural resource management. Alakoko Fishpond is adjacent to the Hulē‘ia National Wildlife Refuge and is a model loko kuapā (walled fishpond) ecosystem that supports native fish, limu (seaweed), endangered Hawaiian water birds, and native coastal vegetation.

Trust for Public Land negotiated the acquisition, led fundraising, and purchased the property in November 2021 and then conveyed it to Mālama Hulē‘ia for community and cultural stewardship. The deed to the property ensures that Alakoko Fishpond will be used for conservation and Native Hawaiian education, aquaculture, and stewardship in perpetuity.

Mālama Hulē‘ia is a community-based nonprofit with a mission to advocate, educate, and lead community efforts to remove mangrove along the Hulē‘ia River, reestablish native wetland ecosystems, and create environmental stewardship programs honoring Hawaiian values. For four years, Mālama Hulē‘ia, in partnership with the community, has been restoring the fishpond and its surrounding native wetland and estuary.

Under Mālama Hulē‘ia’s new ownership and continued stewardship, Alakoko Fishpond will serve as an outdoor classroom where students can learn the science, history, and culture of traditional Hawaiian aquaculture. In the long term, Alakoko will be fully restored as a working fishpond to grow and harvest fish and seafood to feed the community and increase Kaua‘i’s food security.