Wahoo

The wWahoo (oOno) is a fish that is local to the Hawaiian Islands and is popular among

sports fishermen, tourism, and the restaurant industry. It also lives among other tropical and

subtropical oceans. The scientific name of the Wahoo fish is Acanthocybium solandri. Many say

the Wahoo is only good for eating and how it tastes, however that is not the case. Economically,

historically, and the appearance of the Wahoo are all aspects that involve how the Wahoo is a

more appropriate fish to be chosen as the state fish, rather than the humuhumunukunukuapua'a.

The Wahoo has high importance in the Hawaiian Islands. It is a favored fish for

consumption. This fish is a smart choice for seafood due to the fact that they are sustainably

managed and responsibly harvested. The majority of Wahoo caught in Hawaii is estimated to be

a total of 817,000 pounds in the Pacific Ocean. This estimation was valued at 1.8 million dollars

as of 2020. The Wahoo fish is commonly found in restaurants on the islands and is in high

demand. Economically, it brings value to the islands to the restaurant businesses, along with

sports fishermen, which also bring in money from tourism. The significant importance of the

Wahoo to the economy is due to its popularity and value in the Hawaiian islands.

The Wahoo (Ono) in Hawaiian means “good to eat.” This fish, according to ancient

Hawaiians, was of great importance as a source of subsistence to the early Hawaiian people. The

European explorers that mapped out the Hawaiian islands found Wahoo to be existing a great

amount off of the island of Oahu. The Wahoo was believed to be the original name of the fish,

due to how the Europeans spelled the island of Oahu’s name at the time.

The Wahoo is a fish in the Hawaiian islands that is full of spectacular and appealing

colors to the eye. There are blue, green, and white mixes of color, with grayish stripes that cover

their scales. These colors, along with the stripes are attractive and an eye-catching sight. The
Wahoo’s (Ono) body is shaped uniquely like a torpedo; this is an interesting adaptation that they

have as a way to help them swim through the ocean at a faster speed. This distinctive trait is a

fascinating feature that the Wahoo has.

The Wahoo is unique in its own way. It has a display of blues, greens, and whites that

cover its scales, with grayish strips. These fish have an interesting historical background where

their name originated from, the importance of it to the Hawaiians, what their purpose is now in

the islands, and how eye-catching they really are with their distinctive features. The Wahoo

(Ono) should be the newly selected state fish for Hawaii.

Sources:
● https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/pacific-wahoo (NOAA fisheries, 2022)

● https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/discover-fish/species-profiles/acanthocybium-

solandri/ (Gardeiff, 2018)

● https://www.fishbase.se/summary/SpeciesSummary.php?ID=89&AT=Ono (fishbase,

2022)

● https://www.hawaii-seafood.org/wild-hawaii-fish/wahoo/ (Hawaii-seafood, 2015)

● https://hawaii-seafood.org/uploads/species%20pdfs/10-Hawaii%20Wahoo.pdf (NOAA,

N/A)