Research

Rootlets abound in a brown chunk of mud held for the camera

Sneaking up on mud

by Becca Lensing In between mud sample collections, Uncle Clay Ching, of Hallelujah Hou fishing on Molokaʻi, gave us a crash course on throw net fishing on one of the largest fringing reef flats in the world. He taught us ...
The Hilo Wastewater Treatment Plant effluent pipe extends approximately one mile offshore outside of the Hilo break wall.

Bacteroides: The clingy bacteria that mammals just can’t shake

by Nicolas VanderzylEvery parent knows the feeling: sneaking away to the restroom, yearning for a few minutes to yourself, only to be interrupted in seconds by light knocks and fifty questions. But alas, even if you aren’t a parent, you ...
Student with a concentrated look bites on her tongue as she works on an object with a screwdriver

Treating climate anxiety with action

by Devynn Wulstein (she/her)Imagine flipping to the back synopsis of a random book in the bookstore and reading this: "The year is 2021. A pandemic has swept across the globe, leaving a tidal wave of scientific denial, and fueling greater ...
Close up of small round baby fish with large eyes

Feed me! How examining larval diets could be a game-changer for aquaculture

by Cassie Kaʻapu-LyonsNext time you visit your local pet store, take a look at the fishes. Many of the freshwater fishes available to you have been bred and raised in captivity, but most marine fishes have been harvested from the ...
Dune plants blooming a purple flower on Maui

In the zone: How salinity research can aid native Hawaiian plants

by Anna H McCormickThe islands of Hawaiʻi are approximately 2,000 miles from the nearest continental landmass, making them some of the most isolated islands in the world. There are approximately 1,400 plant taxa that are considered native, with 90 percent ...
A crowded beach scene with beach goers, umbrellas, and even a boat, with sparkling blue-green water in the background

Must like long walks on the beach

Must like long walks on the beach by Marcus PengA day of surveying starts with arriving in Waikīkī early in the morning. As I sit down at the Starbucks Reserve store with a coffee, I start to plan out the ...
Looking down on coastal pool whose waters glow bright green

Tracing the Pollution Problem

by Shayla WaikiWho would have ever thought that the little girl who grew up playing in the waters around Hawaiʻi Island would soon be doing research along those very shorelines that were so influential to her? I was raised in ...
Close up of a hand holding a large oyster

Research and education to support development of open-water restorative and production aquaculture in Hilo Bay

 Research Projects 2022-2024 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Maria Haws Co-INVESTIGATOR: Karla J. McDermid Smith Sea Grant Graduate Fellow: Christian Colo Research Track: Aquaculture The Hilo Bay Research and Training Farm is one of the few open-water, near-shore examples of mariculture in Hawaiʻi ...
Close up of small round baby fish with large eyes

Resolving the diet of marine fish larvae to increase aquaculture opportunities

 Research Projects 2022-2024 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Brian Bowen Sea Grant Graduate Fellow: Cassie Kaʻapu-Lyons Research Track: Aquaculture The majority of the freshwater fishes in the pet store are raised in captivity on fish farms, while the vast majority of the marine ...
Aerial view of reefs off a sandy beach with superimposed graphics illustrating locations of pens and their layout

Working towards sustainability of Hawaiʻi’s nearshore fisheries through characterizing and modeling fisheries regulation effects

 Research Projects 2022-2024 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Elizabeth Madin Co-INVESTIGATORS: Kirsten Oleson, Lisa McManus, Zack Rago Sea Grant Graduate Fellow: Annie Innes-Gold Research Track: Interdisciplinary Nearshore fisheries provide extremely important services for coastal communities. However, nearly 25 percent of these fisheries, globally, ...