the Worth Wait

A yearslong commitment to marine conservation is having a positive impact on the fish—and the future—at

BY GINA DECAPRIO VERCESI

On any given day at Hualālai Resort, members of the natural resources team can be found taking water samples from tide pools along the shoreline, teaching guests about the wonders of the property’s various ecosystems, and harvesting shrimp from the aquaculture tanks located in the Four Seasons Resort Hualālai’s herb garden. Leading the way in this work—including ongoing efforts to revitalize beloved fi shing grounds, which are now showing signs of improvement—is the resort’s director of natural resources, David Chai.

Throughout his 27-year career at Hualālai, Chai has had a hand in everything from restoring the property’s traditional anchialine ponds to creating a robust program of marine life experiences, all while imparting the significance of mālama i ka ‘āina—caring for and living in harmony with the land. “We love sharing with guests how important conservation is to us, so they, too, can feel aloha for our land and sea,” says Chai.

One of the many ways Chai shows mālama is by serving on the Ka‘ūpūlehu Marine Life Advisory Committee (KMLAC), a multigenerational community group made up of area businesses, residents, private landowners, and families with ancestral ties to the area.

the shoreline to a depth of 120 feet. The rest period, which has become known colloquially as “ Try Wait,” took effect in 2016.

While the decision to establish a decade-long fi shing moratorium in Ka‘ūpū lehu didn’t come easily— the pause means that many local children will grow up without having the chance to fi sh the reef—it has roots in native Hawaiian culture. Traditionally, kapu periods were set at certain times during the year, especially during spawning, to regulate fi shing and safeguard marine resources for future use. Additionally, because many important fi sh consumed as food require several years to reach peak reproductive age, a 10-year rest period offers the best chance for at least one generation of fi sh to rebound, laying the foundation for a more sustainable future.

So far, that’s exactly what’s happening. An assessment released by TNC in 2020 showed that total fi sh biomass within the reserve area had increased by 173 percent during the rest period’s fi rst four years. More specifically, TNC also saw a 256 percent increase in highly prized food fi sh and a 612 percent increase in prime spawners—large fi sh that produce exponentially more off spring to help replenish future generations. These numbers suggest that, as anticipated, when nature is given time to rest, recovery can happen quickly.

Try Wait is clearly having a significant, positive impact on Ka‘ūpū lehu fi sh populations, and while these early results are encouraging, there is still work to be done. Drawing from a combination of elder knowledge, biological data, and input from both scientists and the community, KMLAC recently created a draft of their fi sheries management plan, which will guide fi shing practices in the reserve when the rest period expires in 2026. In the coming months, the committee will work to fi ne-tune the plan before presenting it to both the Division of Aquatic Resources and the Department of Land and Natural Resources for approval. When that happens, Try Wait will o cially become Pau Wait, or No Longer Wait.

“I truly hope that our effort here at Ka‘ūpū lehu will continue to be successful and serve as an example for all of Hawai‘i’s communities,” says Chai. “I have great hope that all of Hawai‘i can fi nd sustainable ways to ensure that our own and future generations will be able to enjoy abundant and healthy reefs.”

KAʻAIʻ Ō HELO MCAFEE-TORCO JOINS THE HUALĀLAI ʻOHANA AS THE RESORT’S NEW CULTURAL MANAGER.

BY NICOLA CHILTON

› Looking for a new job was the last thing on Ka‘ai‘ōhelo McAfeeTorco’s mind last fall when she visited the Four Seasons Resort Hualālai at Ka‘ūpūlehu for the first time. But destiny called, and while wandering the grounds, she found herself falling in love with the place. Two days later, she saw that the property was looking for a cultural manager, and she decided to apply. “It felt like the place really chose me,” she says.

With her deep love and respect for Hawaiian culture, language, and music, McAfee-Torco is the perfect fit to continue the legacy of the Resort’s Ka‘ūpūlehu Cultural Center. First established in 1996 with a goal of creating a comfortable, encouraging, and welcoming setting in which to share Hawaiian culture, the center has since grown into a space where visitors can feel the true spirit of aloha through a wide range of experiences and activities, all of which are offered free of charge.

We spoke with McAfee-Torco in March to learn more about her and what she has in store for Hualālai’s Members, guests, and employees.