When out diving in Hawaiian waters you may see a very- large, four-foot-long, silver-colored fish go by, which is not too unusual as we have some big fish species that live in fairly shallow water. Most of these big fish are rather shy and if you are lucky to see one it is usually darting off into the deep blue sea but kahala is different!
When out diving in Hawaiian waters you may see a very- large, four-foot-long, silver-colored fish go by, which is not too unusual as we have some big fish species that live in fairly shallow water. Most of these big fish are rather shy and if you are lucky to see one it is usually darting off into the deep blue sea but kahala is different!
This big fish when it spots you will come over to visit. If you remain still these 50 pound plus predators will come right up and look into your face mask and then spend a few minutes circling around you as if you were some kind of bait they may choose to eat! They just have no fear of people and are extremely curious.
The almaco jack and amberjack look very similar and are both called kahala. Have you ever been to Kahala Mall in Oahu? If so you have been to amberjack mall. Many of the buildings, streets and entire cities here in Hawaii are named after fish. I used to live on the corner of Weke Road and He’e Road in Hanalei and that is goatfish and octopus road. We even have entire towns named after fish like Puhi in Kauai which is moray eel town!
Kahala is so tame that it is the main fish that is farmed in large numbers in pens at sea off of the Big Island of Hawai‘i and often sold in stores and restaurants as it is good eating. Kahala feed on smaller schooling bait fish like akule and ‘opelu, which makes them the perfect fish to raise in a captive setting. Plus the lack of fear of humans makes them easy to manage.
If you like to fish and you catch a wild kahala you may be in for a big surprise. When you cut them open their flesh is packed full or white worms that are up to a foot long! I have had fun watching a young fisherman catch one of these large prise game fish then get grossed out as soon as they went to cut them up for a family dinner! The live worms that wind all through the muscle in the kahala are Ok to eat and are just added protein so in old Hawaiian times no one was bothered by them, but they just do not look good wiggling around on a fancy restaurant dinner plate!
You can see kahala in action in my movie “The World’s Guide To Hawaiian Reef Fish” up on my underwater marine life educational web page at www.underwater2web.com. You can also follow my weekly Instagram marine life updates on my account that is just under my name.
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Terry Lilley is a marine biologist living in Hanalei and co-founder of Reef Guardians Hawai‘i, a nonprofit on a mission to provide education and resources to protect the coral reef. To donate to Reef Guardians Hawai‘i, go to www.reefguardianshawaii.org.
