The Demo Site

MAKAPU'U, Hawaii -- New research into raising rapid-growing, disease-resistant shrimp is bearing fruit for a nonprofit group hoping to jumpstart a declining industry.
Researchers at the Oceanic Institute say their methods have produced large quantities of market-quality shrimp in an environmentally safe setting. They're hoping their record harvest will encourage aquaculture farmers to embrace their technology.

One local vendor who is selling the shrimp is encouraged by what he's seen.
The shrimp is being sold as "Makapu'u Gold Shrimp" at Tamashiro Market in Palama at $5.98 a pound, with the heads on. Guy Tamashiro said this is the first time his family's store has carried the Oceanic Institute shrimp. Previously, most of the shrimp he carried was frozen and imported.

"It's a beautiful shrimp," Tamashiro said. "It has good size, fair price and it's a fresh product."

Since Wednesday, the institute has been harvesting shrimp grown in a tank at the Makapu'u research facility for the past 14 weeks.

In previous harvests, the institute collected about 1,000 pounds of shrimp. But by the time the current harvest ends next Thursday, researchers expect to have scooped more than 9,000 pounds of shrimp out of the tank.
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By Curtis Lum
Honolulu Advertiser