Closing the Loop,  From Waste to Food Security by Sean Cummings Unlike most vendors at the Kailua Farmers Market, Sean Butterbaugh takes food from people instead of offering it. In fact, only once a month does he actually have anything to give—and to the untrained eye, it resembles dirt. But “this isn’t dirt,” he assures. “This is something magical.” Butterbaugh co-owns and operates Leftover Love Company. For $25 a month, subscribers get a bucket to fill with home food scraps, which they can trade in at the farmers market for a fresh bucket. At their base at Full Circle Farm,

Planting Seeds, Feeding Young Minds by Grace Cajski Nearly two decades ago, Eliza Lathrop, an American Studies teacher at Punahou, heard her students groan, “ugh, ʻsustainability.’ We already did that!" This was a lightbulb moment for Lathrop. She wanted to instill that “sustainability” was not a topic that one could master or ever be done with. “What I picked up on, in that moment, was a lack of connection to the land, to the resources, to understanding your relationship and connection to this place we were asking our students to sustain,” she said. Since that 2007 moment, Lathrop has become

Balancing the Buzz by Carolyn Bernhardt Hawaiʻi’s honey bees are the lifeblood of the islands’ agriculture, diligently pollinating many different types of crops and contributing over $200 million in pollination services. But a focus on domestic bees, while boosting food security, casts a shadow over the islands’ native pollinators. As farmers, researchers, and conservationists navigate this delicate balance, a pressing question emerges: can Hawaiʻi both protect its unique native pollinators and continue to sustain its vital honey bee industry? Buzzing about Hawaiʻi’s crops On the Continental U.S., migratory beekeepers shuttle hundreds of thousands of domesticated honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies

Superfoods in Hawaiʻi: Eating the Rainbow by Megan Herndon There’s a lot of hype around the idea of “superfoods.” But there’s no scientific definition of what makes food a superfood. “Superfood is more of a marketing word than a scientific word, but the general idea is that it’s a food with lots of nutritional benefits,” says Dr. Jodi Leslie Matsuo, Registered Dietitian at Kukui Lifestyle Clinic in Captain Cook, HI. Dr. Leslie strives to help her patients lead healthy lifestyles and get all of the nutrients they need through a balanced diet. Many people come to her thinking that they

Chefs in the Spotlight Colin Sato, Devynne Fuga Ah-Mai, Matt Vidusek, & Adam Wade Colin Sato Restaurant: Mugen Website: mugenwaikiki.com Email: colinsato1782@gmail.com Instagram: @chefcolinsato Hometown: Honolulu, HI Trained: Kapiʻolani Community College, restaurants, and hotels on Oʻahu Favorite Dish: My favorite dish on our menu is our Kona Kampachi. We serve it with a green apple ponzu, sea asparagus, smoked trout roe and a wasabi nasturtium pesto. Favorite Ingredient(s): Fish from Japan "I love that through food you can brighten and bring joy to someone's day. At the end of the day I cook to make people happy. I envision Hawai'i

The Secret Ingredients of Food Science by Maddie Bender Alchemy, the mystical process of transforming metals into gold, has a clear appeal. Imagine if it were possible to unlock hidden value from objects, ensuring prosperity and abundance for yourself and your community. While the promise of alchemy ultimately did not hold scientific weight, there is a real form of evidence-based transformation that attains some of the same lofty goals that alchemists strove to achieve. This field is called food science. Simply put, food science is the study of food. It utilizes principles of chemistry, biology, and other sciences to understand

Paʻakai (Hawaiian Salt) by Lurline Wailana McGregor Sea salt is what is left when seawater evaporates, while rock salt is mined from ancient lakes and seas. Salt mines can be deep underground or high in the mountains, such as the Himalayas, where salt formed from ancient, evaporated seas. Table salt is rock salt that has been processed to remove mineral impurities, giving it a finer texture and higher sodium content. In addition to making food flavorful, salt is one of the essential nutrients that all living creatures must ingest on a regular basis to function properly. As humans, we need

by Kristel Tjandra “He Aliʻi Ka ʻĀina, He Kauwā Ke Kanaka” (The land is the chief, the people are its servants) is an ʻōlelo noʻeau (proverb) to describe the relationship between Hawaiians and the land. Before Western contact, Hawaiians lived in an integrated ahupuaʻa, or land management system, that was efficient and sustainable. As a result, the people could depend solely on the land for sustenance. “It was basically a point of self-sustainability,” says Dr. Noa Lincoln, an ethnobotanist at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and a Native Hawaiian. But as time changes, so does the land and its

Hurricanes are the most severe of all tropical cyclones and have great potential for widespread destruction in Hawai‘i. This was demonstrated in 1982 by Hurricane Iwa and in 1992 by Hurricane Iniki. Total damages in Hawai‘i from Iwa were estimated at $250 million, and from Iniki at $2.4 billion. Hurricanes impact coastal areas, especially harbors and marinas, where they cause widespread damage to boats and marine facilities. The Hawai‘i Emergency Management Agency and the University of Hawai‘i Sea Grant College Program (Hawai‘i Sea Grant), in cooperation with the State of Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) Division of

by J. MattIn the 2023 run up to New Year’s Eve, Hawai‘i saw a bounty blow in from across the Pacific, the result of a difficult negotiation. The local fleet’s catch limit on ahi had been increased. There would be no New Year’s price spike for the fish that is an integral part of New Year’s celebrations all over the islands. Poke, sashimi, and ahi collar all found their way onto local tables to ring in 2024 without breaking the bank. Residents and visitors alike could dig into their New Year’s bowls of poke with celebratory abandon. Red is good

by Grace CajskiSteamed mullet, grilled opelu, ahi poke: local seafood is delicious. It constitutes 51 percent of all the seafood eaten in the state of Hawaiʻi. On average, individuals in Hawaiʻi consume almost 19 pounds of local seafood every year, the equivalent of nearly 50 tuna steaks. In a state that imports 90 percent of its food, local seafood represents a source of hope for food sovereignty and a potential for self-sufficiency. It is also a means of connecting with the environment and with each other. And yet, what if that environment is unhealthy? By UNESCO’s estimates, there are between

by Alice Van VeenendaalNOAA’s Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center has welcomed a new leader, Dr. Charles Littnan, whose path from Minnesota to the Pacific Islands speaks volumes about his dedication to marine biology and fisheries science. From jokes made in his high school yearbook which read “good luck with the marine biology thing!” to now heading the science center, his journey reflects a lifelong commitment to an evolving environment. The science center plays a pivotal role in advancing scientific knowledge, promoting sustainable fisheries management, and contributing to the conservation of marine ecosystems across the Pacific. The Pacific Islands region has

by Lurline Wailana McGregorIn pre-contact Hawaiʻi, a lūʻau meant a lavish meal of foods grown in the ahupuaʻa, which extended from the mountain to the sea. From the land came ʻuala (sweet potato), kalo (taro), ʻulu (breadfruit), niu (coconut), and meats cooked in an imu (underground oven). From the sea came iʻa (fish), limu (seaweed), and delicacies like wana (sea urchin) and ʻopihi (limpets) found in the intertidal zones on rocky shorelines. Hānau ka Makaiauli, o ka ʻOpihi kana keiki, puka – born was the big limpet, his child the small limpet came forth. This line from the Kumulipo, the

by Devin Reese Seafood has been a staple in Hawaiian diets for generations, since Polynesians settled the islands more than 1,000 years ago. Many communities across Hawai‘i fish locally and commercially, and restaurant menus feature fish that are both native and introduced to Hawaiian waters. However, things have shifted ecologically; native fish species are scarcer while species introduced from elsewhere have invaded habitats. “I’ve been diving all my life–40 years,” said Maui fisher Adam Wong. “There are many spots where I would target certain [native] fish, and now they’re filled with invasive fishes.” Species Introductions Adam Wong is also an

by Natasha VizcarraOn the morning of July 11, 2023, marine wildlife veterinarian Dr. Joe Gaydos stood in front of a beautiful, six-foot-long fish that had washed up on Crescent Beach, Orcas Island. Its body was torpedo-shaped, and its skin was gun-metal gray with an iridescent sheen. Gawkers thought it looked like a tuna of some sort. In fact, someone had already carved a huge fillet out of it. But it wasn’t in the book Gaydos brought with him, “A Field Guide to Fishes of the Salish Sea,” a newly published guide to the inland sea around Puget Sound, the San

by Breanna RoseNative Hawaiian fisherman Uncle Mac Poepoe witnessed the decline in fish for decades at Moʻomomi, on Molokaʻi, where he grew up fishing. Poepoe turned his concern into action, and galvanized a community-led movement. In the 1990s, Poepoe spearheaded a pilot program in Moʻomomi that revived traditional practices in fisheries management guided by natural cycles. This community-based subsistence fishing area (CBSFA) defined a stretch of coast where the community set the rules for fishing and coastal use, all informed by Indigenous Knowledge. Inspired by success at Moʻomomi, elders and community leaders across Hawaiʻi gathered to learn from Poepoe’s efforts

by Josh McDanielThe health of fisheries is vital to the marine environment, economy, and culture of Hawaiʻi. Subsistence fishing also plays an outsized role in food security for many who live in the state. In a recent NOAA survey of non-commercial fishers, 36 percent reported that their catch was an “extremely or very important part of their regular diet.” Given the range of pressures on fisheries, from habitat loss to overfishing, Hawaiʻi’s fisheries require well-informed management to ensure their sustainability for future generations. Yet, Hawaiʻi is the only coastal state that doesn’t require resident fishers to have a non-commercial marine

by Cary DeringerTo increase future sustainable food production while reducing methane emissions, scientists are turning to the ocean, specifically seaweed, for answers. Food production needs will have to double to feed nearly ten billion people by 2050. However, production of protein-rich foods like meat and dairy poses dangers for the planet. For grazing livestock, digestion involves fermentation within their rumens—the first of four stomach chambers. This intestinal fermentation forms methane, a potent greenhouse gas released into the atmosphere every time a cow burps. But this seemingly harmless bodily output makes it up in volume. One cow’s burps amount to 220 pounds of methane annually. With one billion

by Liz ColeyIf “developing solutions to monitor, protect, manage, and restore” ocean ecosystems sounds like a challenge the human species is unprepared to face, author Deborah Rowan Wright offers good news in Future Sea: How to Rescue and Protect the World’s Oceans. Her treatment of the subject is well-researched, informative, clear, and very readable, no matter one’s prior knowledge. Unlike many disheartening books about our warming, depleting, and plastic-filled seas, Future Sea offers a thrilling new perspective. Rowan Wright argues that international agreements are already in place to accomplish, in theory, what needs to be done. In their scope and intent, The Law of the Sea and many other international treaties apply protective rules and principles over 96 percent

by Damond BenningfieldGhosts haunt the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. They glide in with the currents and tides, from all around the North Pacific Ocean. They destroy coral reefs and ensnare seals, sea turtles, and other endangered animals. They foul the beaches, present a hazard to boats, and cost millions of dollars to exorcise. These ghosts aren’t of the Halloween, supernatural, jump-out-and-shout- “boo” variety. Instead, they’re of human fishing gear, fishing nets lost or abandoned at sea that congregate in the islands. Known as ghost nets, they’re part of a growing problem not only in Hawaiʻi but around the world: marine debris, which affects life in the oceans and beyond. “It’s causing a

by Rayne SullivanWith worsening ocean health, the Pacific and much of the world are facing a multifront threat to heritage and culture, livelihoods, security, health, and ultimately their very existence. In Palau, it is said that when there is threat to one mesekuuk (surgeonfish), all rally together to meet the threat in force. In meeting this threat, the UN Ocean Decade rallies together people across domains and disciplines to develop impactful ocean science solutions for sustainable development centered on the interconnection between people and the ocean. This aim is further underpinned by the Decade’s vision: “the science we need for the ocean we want.” Nowhere is the central role of

by Mallory HoffbeckUndergraduate student Noah van Aardenne stands lookout on the bow of the tall ship SSV Robert C. Seamans, holding on to the forestay as the ship tosses. He watches the horizon for rain clouds, marine animals, or rare glimpses of other ships in a sparsely populated expanse of the Central Pacific Basin. On this six-week passage from Honolulu to Fiji via the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument around Howland and Baker Islands, there is another elusive and mostly invisible aspect of the sea he is looking for: signs of plastic debris. Though plastic pollution is present in

by Lurline Wailana McGregorWhen the last of its four counties implemented laws to ban plastic bags from store checkouts in 2021, Hawaiʻi became the first in the nation with a full statewide ban. Since then, the City and County of Honolulu and Maui County have expanded their bans to include all takeout plastic and Styrofoam foodware, mandating two of the strongest plastic laws nationwide. While this is a significant effort in reducing the land-based plastic waste that often ends up on shorelines and in the ocean, it doesn’t address the estimated 15-20 tons of marine debris—mostly plastics—that piles up on

by MARIA FROSTICWith the ocean on track to teem with more plastic than fish by the year 2050, marine debris is making waves in local and global economies. Damage from marine litter on the global marine economy was estimated at $21.3 billion in 2020 and has increased eightfold in the Asia-Pacific region since 2008. The economic setbacks of this unprecedented challenge are accompanied by some surprising solutions. In Hawaiʻi and around the globe, a sea of new (and sometimes unlikely!) ocean stewards are taking creative measures to reverse harmful habits, bridge divides, form alliances, and leverage economic incentives to secure

by Mark MarchandThere’s an “all hands on deck” effort underway to understand and counter the growing issue of derelict fishing nets and other plastic debris washing up on Hawaiʻi’s shores and reefs, and in its harbors. Organizations and individuals—environmentally conscious volunteers, non-profit organizations, academic researchers, government entities, and businesses—have been separately or together removing tangled masses of nets before they negatively impact wildlife, coral reefs, and beaches. Researchers are also delving deep into what happens when wildlife—especially seabirds, turtles, and many other animals— ingest plastic. The next logical step, most agree, is a more formal collaborative process built on systematic

by Tess JoosseThe United States uses and discards the most plastic in the world, churning out a whopping 42 million metric tons each year. Despite this distinction, as recently as 2020 the full scale of the U.S.’s contribution to ocean plastic pollution had never been comprehensively studied. In response, the U.S. Congress directed the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to convene a groundbreaking committee of scientists, policy experts, economists, and other specialists to assess the magnitude of the problem. After an 18-month study, the committee published the first comprehensive report “Reckoning with the U.S. Role in Global Ocean

by Libby LeonardThe Kumulipo, the Hawaiian creation chant, describes the area of Papahānaumokuākea as the realm of Pō, where life springs from a single coral polyp, and where spirits return upon death. Papahānaumokuākea got its name in 2007 from two esteemed kūpuna, Uncle Buzzy Agard and Aunty Pua Kanahele, a year after the marine national monument was established by Presidential Proclamation in order to elevate protections for its biodiversity and rich cultural significance. The name was meant to honor the genealogy and formation of the islands by invoking their ancestral sky mother, Papahānaumoku, and sky father, Wākea, who gave birth

The Hawaiian cultural practice of making salt is one of Hawai‘i’s oldest traditions and Hanapēpē Salt Pond is one of the last places in all of Hawaiʻi that continues this tradition. The area and practice is highly treasured and protected by the salt makers as well as the larger community. Over the years this cultural practice has been threatened by increased marine and rainfall flooding (as well as user conflicts and nonpoint pollution) during the summer months, when ideal salt-making conditions require the Pond to be hot and dry. Throughout 2018-2022 a team of specialists, researchers, and practitioners were assembled

The University of Hawaiʻi Sea Grant College Program (Hawaiʻi Sea Grant) is organized into Centers of Excellence, a unique structure within the 34 university-based Sea Grant programs across the network. This allows the work of our faculty and staff to engage across our universities to bring approaches and solutions in service to communities throughout the region. The cover images depict the passion, commitment,  and projects that are genuinely representative of Hawaiʻi Sea Grant and our expansive focus areas. Our program’s service is truly region-wide, with responsibilities spanning a geographic area greater than the continental United States. Hawaiʻi Sea Grant has

Executive Summary Waikīkī Beach accounted for some $7.8 billion in visitor expenditures in 2019, representing 38% of total visitor expenditures statewide. Though the economic value of Waikīkī Beach is considered to be substantial, few studies have estimated the value in a comprehensive manner. Non-market valuation studies of natural resources are sorely lacking in Hawai‘i, the last major beach valuation on Oʻahu dates back to 1975 (Moncur, 1975). Based on an in-person survey in Waikīkī Beach conducted in November 2019-January 2020 with 398 respondents, we estimate beach user’s willingness to pay (WTP) for changes in beach width and water clarity as