Hawaii

The dangerous pursuit for Hawaii’s ‘fish of death’

Published

1 year ago

November 5, 2023

Press Room

The dangerous pursuit for Hawaii’s ‘fish of death’

Opihi are found where the ocean meets the rocky shore — a dangerous combination.

Shobeir Ansari/Getty Images

Braving pounding surf among slippery rocks, Hawaii residents and commercial fishers risk their lives harvesting opihi, a small limpet or shellfish, one of the Islands’ costliest delicacies.

In a dangerous dance with the ocean, these opihi pickers pry as many of them as they can loose from the rocks — which the shellfish cling to tenaciously — before the next wave rolls in.

One miscalculation means the opihi picker is in danger of being ripped off the rocks and swept away into strong currents that even the best swimmers are no match for. It’s so dangerous that a traditional Hawaiian proverb, “He ia make ka opihi,” refers to opihi as the “fish of death.”

The saying still holds true. Between 2013 and 2022, there were 16 ocean drownings recorded due to picking opihi, according to Daniel Galanis, an epidemiologist with the Hawaii State Department of Health.

Opihi cling firmly to the rocks along Hawaii's shorelines. — Opihi cling firmly to the rocks along Hawaii’s shorelines.
NOAA / ONMS

This past summer, two Hawaii Island opihi pickers made the news. In July, police found a man dead in waters offshore after he went picking opihi. A couple weeks earlier, a 29-year-old woman went missing after failing to return home after opihi picking. She remains missing. Opihi-related deaths and disappearances like these have been reported in Hawaiian language newspapers from as far back as the 19th century.

Data shows that most of the drownings actually happen off Hawaii Island, aka the Big Island. Among all opihi picker deaths from 1993 to 2022, said Galanis, 25 out of 42, or 59%, of these fatal drownings occurred on Hawaii Island.

In fact, opihi picking is one of the top causes of ocean-related deaths for Hawaii Island residents. “Shoreline activities, such as fishing and picking opihi, account for more than one-third of fatal ocean drownings among Big Island residents,” said assistant fire chief Darwin Okinaka in a 2020 beach safety news release.

The love for opihi stems from Hawaii’s cultural history. Eaten raw or cooked, opihi has always been an important part of the Native Hawaiian diet. It was served as food for babies. It was used as medicine. The hard shells were turned into tools for scraping, peeling and scooping.

“The opihi were extremely well liked as a food item and in fact were reportedly the most commonly eaten shells in the Hawaiian islands,” wrote Margaret Titcomb in the research paper “Native Use of Marine Invertebrates in Old Hawaii.” “Even in 1969, opihi were an important part of the diet of most of the Hawaiian families living near the shore.”

Article continues below this ad

A research team studies opihi on the steep shoreline of Puhahonu (the Gardner Pinnacles) in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.
Advertisement

Brad Wong/Office of Hawaiian Affairs via Flickr

In Hawaii, there are three endemic species of opihi, meaning they are not found anywhere else: the alinalina (yellow-footed), the koele (the giant kneecap limpet) and the makaiauli (dark-footed). Following Western contact, opihi populations declined for many reasons, such as overharvesting, shoreline development and pollution. Certain opihi, like koele, are now rare, especially on Kauai and Oahu.

State law introduced in the 1970s set a minimum size opihi must be before it can be taken or sold. “In addition, there are certain place-based regulations that have additional opihi restrictions,” said David Sakoda, fisheries program manager for the Hawaii State Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Fewer opihi to pick coupled with unwavering demand means higher prices. Commercial fishers can command up to $400 per gallon in peak periods, like graduation season.

It also means more risk for opihi pickers, as they must look harder to find opihi. Often, this means gathering the shellfish in less populated, harder-to-get-to places that make the task even more dangerous than it already is.

Editor’s note: SFGATE recognizes the importance of diacritical marks in the Hawaiian language. We are unable to use them due to the limitations of our publishing platform.

We have a newsletter all about Hawaii, with news, tips and in-depth features from the Aloha state. Sign up here.

Article continues below this ad

Source link

Click to comment

Hawaii

Hawaii surfer Landon McNamara wins the 2024 Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational

Published

2 hours ago

December 23, 2024

Press Room

Hawaii surfer Landon McNamara wins the 2024 Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational

WAIMEA BAY (HawaiiNewsNow) – It’s official: Landon McNamara has won the 2024 Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational.

He received 135.8 points as well as the highest-scoring wave of the competition — a perfect score of 15 — which earned him the Best Wave Award.

“This is a childhood dream of mine, something I’ve been working at since being a little kid on the beach here, watching these events go down,” he said. “I don’t know what to feel right now. I’ve already cried 10 times.

“I’m grateful to Eddie,” McNamara said. “Both my heats, I had a turtle I was following. For real. … They say Eddie picks the winner, and I’m so grateful he picked me.”

The accomplishment is even more fitting considering his father, Liam McNamara, is the contest director.

The top nine finishers were:

Landon McNamara (HI, 2024 WINNER)
Mason Ho (HI)
Billy Kemper (HI)
Jamie O’Brien (HI)
Nic Lamb (CA)
Luke Shepardson (HI, 2023 WINNER)
Nathan Florence (HI)
Kai Lenny (HI)
Koa Rothman (HI)

Competitor Greg Long received the Aloha Spirit Award. “Participating in this event has been the greatest honor and privilege of my life,” he said.

THE EDDIE IS ON: View our complete coverage

Tens of thousands of people gathered on Oahu’s North Shore to witness the historic event Sunday.

Waves were 50 feet in face height, according to Liam McNamara.

“The conditions are amazing. There’s a strong offshore breeze right now,” McNamara told Hawaii News Now early Sunday morning. “We’re looking for an amazing day of competition. This is a historic day. We want to make sure we start it with a bang and we end with a bang.”

This is the 11th time “The Eddie” has run in the last 40 years, and participation is by invitation only.

Previous Coverage:

For more information:

Rip Curl The Eddie Big Wave Invitational
TheEddieAikau.com

Source link

Hawaii

Hawaii surfing competition 'The Eddie' braces for 50-foot waves Sunday | Latest Weather Clips | FOX Weather

Published

10 hours ago

December 22, 2024

Press Room

Hawaii surfing competition ‘The Eddie’ braces for 50-foot waves Sunday

The forecast for massive 50-foot waves in Hawaii prompted the organizers of The Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational, the premier surfing event in the world, to schedule the event for Sunday. “The Eddie” competition requires consistent 40-foot or higher surf. If Sunday’s event goes on as planned, it’ll be only the 11th time it has happened since 1984.

Source link

Hawaii

This Popular Hawaii Resort Has A New 3-Story Penthouse And Renovated Pools With Local Amenities

Published

18 hours ago

December 22, 2024

Press Room

This Popular Hawaii Resort Has A New 3-Story Penthouse And Renovated Pools With Local Amenities

The family-friendly Resort Pool at the Ritz-Carlton Residences, Waikiki Beach

Photo: Courtesy of the Ritz-Carlton Residences, Waikiki Beach

When it comes to Waikiki’s luxury hotels, the Ritz-Carlton Residences, Waikiki Beach, is one of the most beloved properties for frequent visitors to this popular corner of Hawaii. With all its spacious rooms boasting balconies with ocean views and kitchens to ensure a comfortable stay no matter how long your trip may be, it’s a true home away from home, with the added magic that comes with the brand’s phenomenal customer service. To make things better, the resort recently unveiled a collection of new suites and reimagined pools, providing guests an even more elevated experience than before.

Dubbed the Sky Suites, these sumptuous, multi-bedroom accommodations have become the pinnacle of luxury living in Waikiki. Encased in floor-to-ceiling windows, delivering sweeping panoramas of the neighborhood’s namesake beach and the beautiful blue Pacific at every turn, the vistas alone are worth every penny. But once you add in the modern furnishings, full kitchens with Miele appliances, the formal dining spaces, and pristine white marble bathrooms, you’ll never want to look back. To top it all off, they also come with exclusive perks, including roundtrip airport transfers, a dedicated VIP concierge, and a pre-stocked refrigerator with preferred beverages and snacks.

The three-bedroom Sky Suite

Photo: Courtesy of the Ritz-Carlton Residences, Waikiki Beach

Guests have the option between three- or four-bedroom Sky Suites. The former is a coveted corner unit that features what is arguably the resort’s best view of Diamond Head, along with a sleek, marble kitchen island that’s great for entertaining. The latter is the property’s largest, spanning nearly 3,000 square feet across two floors, and is the only four-bedroom suite in all of Waikiki. It also sports the resort’s biggest kitchen, making it particularly great for private chef dinners, and the double-height living room allows for plenty of natural light to filter in.

The Sky Penthouse rooftop deck

Photo: Courtesy of the Ritz-Carlton Residences, Waikiki Beach

But the Ritz-Carlton’s crowning jewel, quite literally, is the Sky Penthouse. Occupying the top floors of the resort’s Diamond Head Tower, this three-story, two-bedroom suite soars 350 feet above Waikiki. The first level houses the living spaces, a kitchen with a wine fridge, one bedroom, and a small media room that also doubles as a great private reading nook. The second floor is entirely dedicated to the master bedroom, but it’s the rooftop that’s the real selling point. Touting one of the neighborhood’s highest infinity plunge pools, the furnished deck also features a hot tub and grill, and is particularly ideal for sundowners.

You won’t need to book the Sky Penthouse for an incredible pool experience, though. The property offers its guests two infinity pools, one of which is an adults-only oasis. Both offer private cabanas, with the options at the family-friendly pool being larger, that come with a mini refrigerator stocked with local beverages and snacks. All guests can also expect a variety of thoughtful pool amenities, including sunscreen service and hourly snacks that pay homage to local favorites, like fresh pineapple dipped in li hing mui. The resort’s popular daily afternoon ritual of complimentary ice cream and sorbet is still available, and now includes an adult version with the addition of sparkling wine float. Quite frankly, there’s enough to keep you at the pool that you may never want to leave.

Source link