A Framework for Marine Stock Enhancement in Hawai`i
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2025-05-21
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With declines in fish populations, marine stock enhancement programs have been used to restore fish stocks since the late 19th century. Marine stock enhancement, defined as the intentional release of wild or cultured fish with the aim of increasing population size and support fisheries, provides increased food security, opportunities for socioeconomic benefits, and support natural systems negatively impacted by overfishing and habitat loss. Early marine stock enhancement programs suffered from poor survival of released fishes and lacked effective management strategies; however, with recent advancements of aquaculture technologies, there was a renewed interest in marine stock enhancement. Based on experiences, success, and failures of previous marine stock enhancement programs along with this renewed interest, the need for a comprehensive marine stock enhancement framework was identified.
A framework for marine stock enhancement was developed in the late 20th century, in part from the experiences of marine stock enhancements in Hawai`i. In the 1990’s two marine stock enhancement programs in Hawai`i released `ama`ama (striped mullet, Mugil cephalus) and moi (Pacific threadfin, Polydactylus sexfilis) with some success but also identified needs for further research and refinement to the framework. The result was “Responsible approach to marine stock enhancement” (Blankenship and Leber, 1995) followed by an updated document titled the “Responsible approach to marine stock enhancement: An update” published by Lorenzen et al. in 2010. This document is widely accepted as the framework to be used for marine stock enhancement programs worldwide and consists of 15 elements broken down to three stages: the initial appraisal and goal setting, research and technology development including pilot studies, and operation implementation and adaptive management. However, this approach is a generic framework that needs to be adapted to local conditions and address the desires of the stakeholders and communities that rely on the fisheries to be enhanced.
What follows first in this document are the three stages and 15 elements presented verbatim from Lorenzen et al. (2010), copied directly as not to distort the intentions of the framework, followed by a short summary of each element of the framework to identify the decisions, research, and management approaches. The final section for each element highlights the decisions, conditions, approaches, and management strategies needed for marine stock enhancements in Hawai`i while providing recommendations based on research and experiences with the stakeholders and local communities. The literature cited serves as a starting point to inform the program manager though it needs to be noted that the intention of this document was not to provide an exhaustive literature review.
Developing a marine stock enhancement program is an iterative process that will require establishment of community-based working groups and providing a management structure that integrates Western science with Indigenous knowledge, and develop an open and participatory decision-making framework for a successful marine stock enhancement program.
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Masse, R. 2025. A framework for marine stock enhancement in Hawai`i. Hawai’i Cooperative Fishery Research Unit Technical Report Series HCFRU-004. University of Hawai’i at Hilo. Available online at: https://hdl.handle.net/10790/43955.
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