Meet Hawaii Fish Company, Tilapia Farmers in Hawaiʻi

For husband and wife duo Ron and and Estralita Weidenbach, fish farming is a family business. The couple met in the 1970s while Ron was consulting at the East West Center in Honolulu and the World Bank, focusing on sustainable aquaculture projects in Asia. Estralita was a graduate student at the University of Hawaʻii at Manoa. They founded Hawaii Fish Company together in 1978. It started as an aquaculture consulting firm, but the couple soon decided that fish farming would be a good industry for their family.

"As our three children have grown up, we've enjoyed seeing them involved in different farm tasks, from helping with daily fish feeding or catching and sorting fish when they were younger to more complex research activities as they got older," Ron said. "We believe our family business helped them learn about hard work and find meaning and enjoyment in science. All three of our children remain involved with the farm, and our youngest daughter, Mikia, currently works on the farm full time."

Ron and Estralita started raising their first fish in aquariums and children's swimming pools in Estralita's backyard. By 1982, they were the first in Hawaiʻi to commercially culture Chinese catfish and were the first vendors to sell live fish. Since 1985, Hawaii Fish Company has regularly sold fish to Honolulu's live seafood markets and local restaurants. Today, they primarily grow tilapia in a 7-acre freshwater pond located at a flooded former quarry site on the North Shore of Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi.

Farming Tilapia from Floating Cage to Table

Hawaii Fish Company manages every step of their fish's life, from spawn to harvest. They operate their own land-based hatchery in breeding raceways and nursery tanks adjacent to the pond. Their brood stock spawn naturally as temperatures climb in early summer, and the baby fish-called fry-are transferred to separate tanks. Once the fry are big enough, typically around 2-3 months old, they're transferred into floating cages in the pond.

"Our core fish production is in floating cages, which are hand-fed daily by boat, cage by cage," Ron said. This allows the farmers to check that the fish are healthy, and to monitor the quality of the water. Fish need clean water to grow, so monitoring phytoplankton and dissolved oxygen levels is an important part of ensuring the health of the pond and the tilapia. Once the fish are big enough, they're sold live to markets or filleted for restaurants.

A Commitment to Sustainability

Another practice the Hawaii Fish Company uses is growing produce using aquaponics. The closed-loop aquaponic system takes the unabsorbed, nutrient-rich water from their fish systems and transfers it to a biofilter tank. Beneficial bacteria then convert the nutrients that plants can use to grow. Their farm is experimenting with this sustainable system, growing leafy greens, herbs, peppers, and fruiting plants.

Over the past 30 years, Hawaii Fish Company has received more than 30 federal and state grants for aquaculture research at their farm. They were awarded the U.S. Small Business Administration's Tibbetts Award and were inducted into the Small Business Innovation Research Hall of Fame in 2000.

"We see ourselves as part of the larger farming community in Hawaiʻi, which is working hard to build Hawaii's capacity to provide locally grown food." Ron said. "We hope our farm can serve as an example of diversified, innovative aquaculture that instills in others an appreciation and excitement for farming in Hawaii."

Fun Fact

Hawaii Fish Company's tilapia has repeatedly won blind taste tests against beloved seafoods like mahimahi, tuna, and even lobster at Chef Alan Wong's Farmer Series Dinner!

Recipe: Tilapia Soup

Ingredients

• 1-2 pounds fresh tilapia filets or large serving pieces
• 3 tomatoes, chopped or wedged
• 1-3 thumbs of ginger, crushed or sliced
• 1 small onion, sliced
• 2-4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 4-6 cups of water or chicken/fish stock
• 1-2 tbsp fish sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Extras: green onions, cilantro, or a splash of lime/calamansi juice (for brightness)

Instructions

1. Sauté the aromatics: Heat a little oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion,

garlic, and crushed ginger, cooking for about 3-5 minutes until fragrant.

1. Build the tomato base: Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for another 5-7 minutes.
2. Simmer the broth: Pour in the water or stock. Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the

heat and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes so the flavors meld.

1. Cook the fish: Gently add the tilapia pieces into the simmering broth. Cook for 4-5

minutes until the fish turns opaque and flakes easily.

1. Season and serve: Stir in the fish sauce or salt to taste. Remove from heat and garnish

with fresh cilantro and green onions.