Restoring Hawaii's Octopus Population

The Call of the Deep: In the quiet and blue waters of Hawaiʻi’s coastal waters, a shadow stirs beneath a coral ledge. Two curious eyes rise from the sand. With a squishy, graceful, and moving slowly, the heʻe — the Hawaiian octopus — the one who glides into view, changing colors as it blends seamlessly into its surroundings. For many in Hawaiʻi, this isn’t just an encounter with marine life; it’s a meeting with a being steeped in cultural reverence, ecological importance, and culinary tradition all at the same time. In that moment there is a connection and a message that goes between a person and a sacred marine animal. Yet, today, these encounters are not as abundant as they once were, while not rare, they are growing more difficult as time goes on. As Hawaiʻi grapples with the twin pressures of ecological degradation and increasing demand for seafood, the future of the heʻe depends on a choice: follow a global trend of octopus farming, or embrace western ideals of conservation and coexistence.

Heʻe "More Than a Meal": A Taste of a Spirit of the Sea is to eat heʻe itself. It means to taste the ocean with every chew, the briny, and slightly sweet, the tender yet satisfyingly chew. Each bite evokes the predators of the reef and ultimately a taste of the deep. When slow-cooked into heʻe luʻau—octopus stewed with coconut milk and taro leaves—the flavors become creamy, savory, and sweet, transcending the simple act of eating. Grilled fresh over coals, the crisped outer skin gives way to rich, savory flesh, capturing the essence of the sea in a way no other dish can. It’s not just food—it’s a spiritual food of culture. The heʻe is  associated with Kanaloa, the god of the ocean, symbolizing deep knowledge, adaptability, and mystery. Heʻe appears in countless moʻolelo (stories) and kaʻao (legends), representing both guidance, caution, and culture.

Traditional Hawaiian He'e Fishing: The fishing the Hawaiians did was sustainable by design. Methods like Heʻe Leho—a dancing hook—or free diving with hand spears required skill, patience, and a deep respect for the animal’s intelligence. Fishers understood kapu (seasonal restrictions) and took only what was needed, always leaving enough to ensure future abundance. To eat heʻe was to partake in a lineage of stewardship, of communion with the ocean, and of the reciprocal relationship between humans and nature. Heʻe are more than cultural icons—they are critical players in Hawaiʻi’s marine ecosystems. As mesopredators, they hunt crabs, mollusks, and small fish, keeping prey populations in balance. Their presence helps maintain the delicate web of life that supports healthy coral reefs. 

Ecological Role of Heʻe: Octopuses are incredibly intelligent—capable of problem-solving, tool use, and camouflage. Their survival depends on vibrant, structurally complex habitats like coral reef caves, thrown away pots, sunken gourds, places that mimic a sort of cave like home, which offer both food and shelter. When reefs degrade, these habitats collapse and makes it so there is less food for them. A decline in heʻe populations signals broader ecosystem stress, much like the canary in the coal mine an early indicator of potential danger or trouble.. Healthy reefs mean healthy heʻe—and vice versa. So knowing what 

Base of the Food Chain: No one, yet knows all of the things octopus eat in Hawaii, but there is information out there to get a base idea of it. 

Octopus Life Cycle with Food: (A.) Newborn Octopus (paralarva) algae and phytoplankton marine plants that convert "Sunlight" into energy, then eaten be "Zooplankton" animal-herbivores that feed on phytoplankton, and the drifting "Baby octopuses" (paralarvae) eat them. (B.) Baby Octopus (juvenile) are a stage that things get blurry, because its hard to know at what point they transition to bigger prey, so it is called a baby octopus when it eats things like "Larval Crabs" (Decapod Zoea) and "Shrimp Larvae" (Decapod) and Amphipods (shrimp-like). This is when then they learn how to become voracious predators that hunt and kill for the survival or else it starves that snack on plankton at this stage as a person eats their potato chips. (C.) Sub-Adult Octopus (juvenile), as they grow there are other parts of them that grow as well like their beaks and then that gives them more options and strength. Being able to tackle small shelled clams (bivalves), snails (gastropods), and small fish, as they have a taste for meat with soft tissue insides. (D.) Adult Octopus, will go on to eat Crabs, Shrimp, Lobsters, and then the smaller shellfish become their new appetizers. 

Octopus on the Menu: The octopus is important to many animals diets as well, so they are important in the growth of larger fish that are very big and also eaten in the Hawaii diet. Ulua (Giant Trevally), Hapuʻupuʻu (Sea Bass/Grouper), Māʻiʻi (Snappers), Moray Eels that battle for cave territory, Tiger Sharks, Reef Sharks, and critically endangered Hawaiian Monk Seal (ʻIlioholoikauaua) that are expert octopus hunters. 

The Silent Decline: Pressures on Heʻe Populations of the Hawaiʻi’s heʻe have been noticed by long-time fishers and divers report noticeable declines in certain nearshore areas. This isn’t just from fishing pressure—it’s from the cumulative impact of coastal development, climate change effects lowering prey availability, untracked overharvesting. When coral crumbles, algae overtakes reefs, reducing biodiversity. Without their hiding places, heʻe become more vulnerable to both predators and human harvest. There is also a illusion of limitless supply despite their short lifespans (usually 12–18 months), octopuses reproduce and die with their eggs, this gives the illusion of resilience. But when habitat degradation outpaces their ability to reproduce, population crashes can occur silently and swiftly.

Unborns: Within the sheltered crevices of the reef, a remarkable sight unfolds. What appear as delicate, translucent pearls are, in fact, the developing future of the ocean's most enigmatic invertebrates: a clutch of octopus eggs. Each gelatinous sac holds a miniature life, visible through its clear membrane. Look closely, and one can discern the tiny, pigmented eyes beginning to form, already a testament to the complex sensory apparatus that will guide these creatures through their intricate lives. Limbs begin to flex, powered by three hearts circulating a striking blue, copper-based blood, along with an advanced nervous system distributes not only in a central brain but extending into each of their eight arms. Which means each arm can think on its own with its very own brain.  

Born: These young octopuses will not emerge as rudimentary larvae. Instead, they will hatch under the protective cloak of night, when the vast ocean offers its deepest concealment from the all sorts of predators. Softly, silently, these fully formed, yet minuscule, replicas of their parents will embark on their initial, vulnerable journey as paralarvae, drifting within the immense, open water before eventually settling to begin their solitary existence. The ocean's brilliant minds  will emerges, destined to navigate a world both beautiful and profoundly perilous.

Farming Heʻe: The Global Push and Hawaiʻi’s Refusal: The Hawaiʻi Story: In 2023, Spain approved the world’s first commercial octopus farm. The plan drew international condemnation from marine biologists, ethicists, and animal welfare groups, who pointed out the extreme intelligence of octopuses and the ethical issues of confining solitary, sentient beings in artificial tanks. The argument for farming centers on reducing fishing pressure on wild populations. But critics counter that this ignores habitat destruction, generates waste pollution, and fails to address the root problem: human overconsumption. 

“aquaculture is not a threat to the endemic octopus species. And the idea that stock research is to cease and help protect the emotions or the killing practices of the diminishing species is essentially unfounded if there is no accountability of the current stock. It is self-defeating, policy-makers look good on camera, and there is a reallocation of Hawaii research funds. But it is very popular to have to idea to be the hero, save the octopus, and slowly take away the critical tools needed to protect the very animals that are claimed to be cared so much about. People who live off of this beef of the sea, live with the animal, and talks about sustainability become the bad guy.” -Marine Biologist

Hawaiʻi faced this debate head-on. The Kanaloa Octopus Farm, located in Kona, was ostensibly a research facility. However, it became a tourist attraction where visitors paid to interact with captive octopuses. In 2023, the farm shut down following legal pressure and growing public concern over animal welfare and cultural disrespect. In 2024, the Hawaiʻi State Legislature introduced HB2262, a bill banning the commercial farming of octopuses for consumption in Hawaiʻi. The bill passed in 2025, enshrining into law a clear statement: Hawaiʻi will not solve environmental issues by commodifying sentient marine life.

Octopus Stock Enhancement: In the context of fisheries management, refers to the practice of raising octopus in a "Octopus Hatchery" and then releasing hatchery-reared baby-octopus into the wild. What this does is increase octopus populations and potentially boost fishing opportunities. It's a strategy used to supplement declining octopus stocks, octopus deaths by man (overfishing), habitat degradation. It is a necessary and realistic conservationist tool to bring octopus populations 

"Before the neighbors across the sea illegally took over the islands it was not unlawful, unilateral, or shamed to sustain the use of resources that are taken. But for our colonial rulers who seem to not have finance problems do not need to depend on such food resources. Must be nice living colonial large and scrounging for food. Just take money from the global market that is fighting for the greater good, even our fellow brothers rat us out for the all mighty dollar. We may not know who is fighting with us or against us as everything is made secret secret. We dont know whos helping our food sources and who just wants to stroke their ego by getting a pat on the head with cash in hand from people voting for the bill and whom it serves for campaign funds. Are these realistic rules of the future? or a pseudo-environmentalist agenda." -Hawaiian Cultural Practitioner

For the Hawaiian Day Octopus, Octopus cyanea, sexual maturity typically arrives between ten and twelve months of age in both sexes. These largely solitary creatures maintain a discreet existence within their reef territories, their interactions primarily limited to the imperative of reproduction. It is the male who typically initiates courtship with a prospective female, the encounter's progression hinging entirely on her receptivity. As he approaches, the male undergoes a dramatic transformation in coloration and pattern, often adopting a striking display of dark brown hues punctuated by prominent white spots or stripes across his mantle and arms hoping to catch her attention. Crucially, he then raises and rhythmically waves his modified third right arm – the hectocotylus. This specialized appendage, uniquely adapted for sperm transfer, is held aloft in an upright, coiled posture, a clear, unmistakable signal of his reproductive intent to mate with the female.

The female seems like she wants him to mind his business, but he persists. She circles around him slowly, looking at him from multiple angles, and analyzing the size of his third leg. She moves closer and seems receptive, she allows the male to approach closer. Conversely, an unreceptive female will often signal her outright rejection through an abrupt change in coloration, or escalate her response to outright aggression. This can culminate in a swift expulsion of the suitor, or, in isolated cases documented in certain other octopus species, even his immediate consumption. Once acceptance the male proceeds with profound caution, instinctively aware of the ever-present dangers inherent in such close proximity to a powerful predator. He then meticulously transfers bundles of sperm, known as spermatophores, into the female's mantle cavity. This delicate operation is the critical moment, ensuring the passage of his bloodline into her oviducts, where her unfertilized eggs await to be fertilized.

Once mating concludes, the male and female typically go their own ways, their brief reproductive encounter was the only time they socialized in their life. The male's life cycle, having fulfilled its singular purpose, soon wanes as he is now satisfied; his health declines, and death soon follows. The female has an equally tragic where she finds a rocky crevice caring for her eggs that hang from the ceiling in the hundreds of thousands of clusters of her chosen lair. After guarding the eggs, ensuring a constant flow of oxygenated water, her health also falls at the time the younglings drift away, and death follows her as well. This single, massive reproductive effort followed by death of both parents is a profound strategy known as semelparity, a common, albeit tragic, characteristic of the octopus's life cycle. It is a stark testament to the relentless drive of evolution, ensuring the survival of the next generation through an unparalleled sacrifice.

Octopus Housing: In Hawaii, there are all sorts of octopus and they have a similar quality about them where they are not happy when someone enters their territory, specifically where they live. Octopus tend to choose a cave in the reef with a cieling and is cramped by choice. Japan there are tanks that hold more than a single octopus in them using clay pots and even metal shelves because of their creative experimentation to make attractive housing solutions for the octopus. However in Hawaii there isn't much experimentation with the aquarium, probably for a myriad of reasons.

"You can go to any aquarium in the world, and you will not see two octopuses in the same enclosure. And the reason for that is they are very very aggressive about their territory," said Andrew Rossiter, the director of the Waikīkī Aquarium.

Hawaii and The Shizuoka Octopus Shelter System: With information exchanges with Hawaiians who were visiting Shizuoka Prefecture in Japan there have been many breakthroughs in understanding the Hawaii variants of octopus. In Shizuoka they have succeeded in Tankbased Octopus Farming, which was thought to be impossible, because of the aggressive territorial nature of the octopus and its cannibalistic tendencies. The idea of dealing with their personality is similar in how ancient Hawaiians would emotionally connect with octopus before catching them with the Luhe'e lure through octopus dancing. To address the issue Akiyama Nobuhiko (Tokai University) and his team developed multiple-floors (Octopus Apartment Complex) where it lies on its side as a fallen apartment complex where octopus do not fight, but if the structure is vertical the octopuses fight like in a boxing ring. The Octopus Apartment Complex made it so octopus can have a 100 limit per tank and not fight at all.

"It reminds me of if the apartment complexes in Waikiki if they fell down and nature took its course to reclaim them as octopus living spaces. It is sorta wholesome." -Kamehameha School Student

No Need for Crabs: Octopus babies eat an incredible amount of farmed-crabs or else they go hungry, but an alternative is the development of artificial feed. 

Globally it has been an issue that lower octopus catches are being reported from fisheries and octopus nurturing and farming have become important to local food supplies. 

Gender: The males have larger suckers and the females have smaller suckers. 

Catches: There has been a noticeable drop in octopus catches with many people who use to catch octopus for a living needing to find side-hustles. Octopus has been not only caught locally, but as it becomes more expensive octopuses need to be imported. In 2000, Hawaii imported 68.6 metric tons (about 151,200 pounds) of octopus from Asian nations (primarily China, Japan, the Philippines, and Thailand), mostly as frozen product.

Octopus Size: Sizes range from small (1 lb), medium (3 lb), large (5 lb), and extra large (8 lb). State Record holder is Michael Matsunaga's monster (25.95 lb. 2022) Octopus.

Market Value: Hawaii Online Resident Market average (10$/lb. 2025), (7$/lb. 2021). 

Wild Catch: Legal Caught He'e Fisheries caught (23369 lbs. 10600 kgs) 

Fisheries are handled by Commercial Catch Reporting (Mandatory Monthly Reports) of individuals holding a Commercial Marine License (CML) to the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR). The weight, number, the fishing gear, the area fished, and whether the catch was sold or kept for personal use. No fishing requires a "Did Not Fish" report. Resulted in 7,789 octopus deaths (average 3lb per), potentially 17-24 times the commercial catch, 20.5 average. 

Unreported Catch: Residential Fishermen caught (479 064.5 lbs. 217300 kgs).  

Falling under "Recreational and Subsistence" resulted in significantly more octopus 159,688 deaths (average 3lb per), potentially 17-24 times the commercial catch, 20.5 average. A study in Kaneohe Bay from 1991-1992 showed 25,851.8 lbs, which is 5.14% of all of Hawaii's octopus catch. The true number caught is likely not known to the DLNR and DAR.

References: (Maui News- Luhe'e, Aquaculture North- Industrialized Octopus Farming, LA Times- Law Against Octopus Farming California, Species Unite- Law Against Octopus Farming Washington State, Oceangraphic- Octopus Farm)

Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR),
University of Hawaiʻi Mānoa – School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST), Hawaiʻi Institute of Marine Biology (HIMB) studies on Octopus cyanea, Legislative records: HB2262 (2024-2025), News reports covering the closure of Kanaloa Octopus Farm (2023)