Hilo Harbor is the aquatic terminus of the Hilo Bay Watershed.  The waters surrounded by the Wailoa State Park and the Wailoa Boat ramp is a significant juvenile habitat for many estuarine species such as the ama’ama’, aholehole, papio and other coastal marine fish species.  The presentation by Dr. Robert T. Nishimoto summarizes the Division of Aquatic Resources fishery resource and habitat studies of this urban estuary.  The focus is the native mullet or ‘ama’ama, highlighting projects in stock augmentation, regulating fishing efforts, improving juvenile habitat, identifying the threat by an alien mullet, and the urgent need to establish a statewide program to manage estuaries as an essential, but often neglected habitat, which links the mountain and the sea.  Island estuaries serve as nursery habitat for many coastal marine fish species and also as a critical inland bridge to returning native Hawaiian stream ‘o’opu.   

Dr. Robert T. Nishimoto is the Program Manager for Aquatic Resources and Habitat Protection in the Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR), Department of Land & Natural Resources (DLNR) and also functions as the Hawaii Island Aquatic Biologist while waiting for a replacement.  Dr. Nishimoto received his BA from the University of Hawaii, MA from California State University at Fullerton, PhD from Florida State University.  Dr. Nishimoto was a Peace Corps volunteer in Central America working as a fishery biologist with the United Nation’s FAO Fishery Development Project and the University of Costa Rica Biology Museum.  His major contribution at DAR is developing the management program for native Hawaiian stream gobies (‘o’opu) and is now actively engaged with the DLNR Commission on Water Resource Management in restoring stream flows in several Maui streams. 

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