Native oysters find new home in Pearl Harbor waters By Helen Zukeran, Navy Region Hawaii Public Affairs
Rear Adm. Brian P. Fort, Nainoa Thompson, and members of the local Hawaiian community, lower a basket of native Hawaiian oysters in the waters of Pearl Harbor during a ceremony on Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. (U.S. Navy photo by MC1 Corwin Colbert)
The ceremonial event for the Oyster Restoration project took place June 5 on Ford Island with 300 native oysters, half a centimeter in size, taking the plunge into the waters of Pearl Harbor.
concluded with another Oli done in sign language after lowering the second cage of oysters.
Other notable guests included Bruce Matthews, dean of the College of The two species of oysters Agriculture, Forestry native to Pearl Harbor, and Natural Resource Dendostrea sandvicensis Management at the (Hawaiian Oyster) and University of Hawaii Hilo; and Pinctada margaritifera (Black- Brian Neilson from the State lip Pearl Oyster) were placed of Hawaii Division of Aquatic in cages and set down into Resources. the water by Rear Adm. Brian “This is not just putting Fort, commander of Navy oysters in the water; this is Region Hawaii and Naval Surface Group Middle Pacific; shifting the minds and hearts Nainoa Thompson, president of the community and to shift world views. This is of Polynesian Voyaging a time where Hawaii has a Society, and Waterkeeper Alliance president, Robert F. chance to stand up and do something,” Thompson said. Kennedy, Jr. Aunty Kehau, Native Hawaii Civic Club representative, began the ceremony with an Oli, a Hawaiian chant, and
Oysters filter up to 40 gallons of water per day and removes harmful pollutants, heavy metals, oils, and
microplastics in the water. By allowing the native oysters to grow in the waters of Pearl Harbor, they hope to repopulate the species, while improving water quality and clarity. “Our missions Is fishable, swimmable, drinkable water and oysters touch upon a large part of that; oysters filter water to improve quality and clarity,” said Rhiannon Chandler-Lao, executive director of Oahu Waterkeepers. The Oyster Restoration Project is a collaboration with the Pacific Aquaculture and Coastal Resources Center at the University of Hawaii at Hilo and Oahu Waterkeepers. It is modeled after successful partnerships with waterkeeper organizations on the mainland to restore native oysters for bioremediation..
Nainoa Thompson, president of the Polynesian Voyaging Society, speaks during a ceremony reintroducing native Hawaiian oysters to the waters of Joint Base Pearl HarborHickam. (U.S. Navy photo by MC1 Corwin Colbert)
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