CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARBULLETIN.COM This flame angelfish is part of a summer course by Hawaii Pacific University and the Oceanic Institute to encourage college students to think about careers cultivating ornamental tropical fish and for teachers to use in classrooms.

Raising Nemo can pay

Hawaii Pacific University and Oceanic Institute will present a special course this summer to encourage cultivation of tropical ornamental fish to get a bigger bite out of the $1 billion worldwide market.

"This is a great opportunity for people to advance this industry in Hawaii," said Christopher Winn, professor and director of the HPU marine environmental science programs.

In 2003 the wholesale product value of the state's ornamental fish industry was $750,000, according to the state Aquaculture Development Program.

More than 90 percent of ornamental species in Hawaii are collected off the reefs.

Scientists are concerned because removal of tropical fish from their natural habitat has devastated reefs in places like the Philippines, Winn said.

For the industry to grow, it cannot depend on wild collections that would eventually result in taking too many fish, said Charles Laidley, an Oceanic Institute reproductive specialist who has achieved breakthroughs in raising ornamental fish.

"We went to develop technology so you don't have to depend on the wild," he said. "We could even restock if the population was depleted for some reason. That's our goal."

Winn said the course is a major benefit of the affiliation between the Oceanic Institute, a leader in aquaculture technology, and HPU, which can present research results to the community.

The course, July 5-Aug. 23 at the Oceanic Institute, is designed for students, teachers, hobbyists and potential commercial farmers interested in the latest technology to grow tropical ornamentals for aquariums.

CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARBULLETIN.COM In a room filled with tanks and fish, Oceanic Institute professor Charles Laidley, right, talks with HPU professor Keith Korsmeyer and student Krisann DeCramer.

HPU received a $20,000 grant from the Pacific Tropical Ornamental Fish Program of the Hawaii Alliance for Economic Development to launch the course.

The program wants to encourage college students to think about careers in cultivating tropical fish and help high school teachers create more successful tropical fish demonstration tanks in their classrooms.

Keith Korsmeyer, HPU life sciences chairman and the associate professor of biology who will teach the course, said it will cover all aspects of fish biology and physiology, including environmentally acceptable fish production techniques.

He said it is hoped some high school science teachers will take the course and use the information in their science curriculum.

"It's a good sort of hook for students with an applied goal to raise aquarium fish to take the pressure off of collection of fish in the wild."

All classes will be held at the Oceanic Institute's learning center at Makapuu, and Laidley and other experts will participate.

The Oceanic Institute researchers successfully raised the valuable flame angelfish from eggs into larvae and are working on techniques to grow the yellow tang and potter's angelfish.

Laidley said the institute scientists have worked for years on development of technology to culture ornamental fish and would like to start teaching young people and farmers what they have learned.

"Our purpose is to generate technology and get it out to industry," he said.

"We're trying to provide training early on so when the product is finished, they're ready to go, too. There is a huge interest to supply the hobby industry in itself," he said. "It is a very large hobby worldwide."

Even if a person does not want to raise fish, he said, "It's an incredible educational opportunity."

HPU charts course to help save reef fish Course: Latest technology to grow tropical ornamentals for aquariums Cost: $100 down from $600 because of grant funds and tuition assistance is available. Call: 236-5819 E-mail: cwinn@hpu.edu