January 8, 2010

Kona Blue selling Hawaiian fish farm

Hawaii-based Kona Blue Water Farms is to sell its ocean farm operation to a San Francisco company.

The company has applied to reassign its 90-acre state ocean lease to Keahole Point Fish. Kona Blue is reported to be planning to continue raising amberjack with plans to modify operations to raise the fish more efficiently.

Kona Blue will continue its research and development at the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority park near Kailua, Kona. It will also keep its shore-based hatchery and maintain sales and marketing of the fish it trademarked as Kona Kampachi.

The move comes after Kona Blue ran into trouble over profitability and the start up of a new farm in Mexico.