HONOLULU — A Kauai nonprofit now owns the island’s last remaining Hawaiian fishpond thanks to a private donation and the Trust for Public Land.
The 102-acre Alakoko Fishpond dates back 600 years. Its owners put the property on the market for $3 million, Hawaii Public Radio reported.
The new owner is Malama Hule‘ia, a nonprofit that has been restoring the fishpond for the last four years.
The Trust for Public Land fundraised and secured a donation from Chan Zuckerberg Kauai Community Fund of the Hawaii Community Foundation.
The trust then bought the property and conveyed it to Malama Hule‘ia. The deed ensures the fishpond will be used for conservation and Native Hawaiian education, aquaculture, and stewardship.
The trust didn’t say how much it paid for the property. A trust representative didn’t immediately return a phone message from The Associated Press on Friday.
Sara Bowen, Malama Hule‘ia’s leader, said the top priority is repairing fishpond’s 2,700-foot-long wall with the ultimate goal of having Alakoko once again be a source of healthy local food.
The fishpond is also known as the Menehune Fishpond.