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Lawmakers Take Up State Fish Debate

(KHNL)  A public hearing was held Monday to consider naming the humuhumunukunukuapua'a the official fish of Hawaii.

In 1985, the legislature elected it as the state fish, a decision that was only going to be in effect for five years. That decision expired and was never revisited until now.

As a favor to a young friend, Rep. Blake Oshiro introduced House Bill 1982, which would name it the state fish again.

"He really likes marine life and fishes, he's 6 years old and he told me the humuhumu isn't a state fish and I said, really? I thought it was, everybody thinks it is," said Oshiro.

But not everyone is sold on the humuhumu. At the public hearing, officials with the Department of Land and Natural Resources said the Legislature should consider other candidates, like the Hawaiian Stream Goby, which is indigenous to the Islands.

"You know the fish should represent something that is part of Hawaii's legacy, a fish indigenous to Hawaii, a fish that's popular," said Bob Masuda with DLNR.

If you'd like to support the humuhumu as the state fish, you can contact Rep. Oshiro's office at 586-6340.