PUAKO, Hawaii – It was a rough day for invasive roi on the Kohala Coast a few weeks ago.

Piles of the unwanted fish were hunted down as a part of the first annual Roi Round-up Dive Tournament and Ocean Safety Day in Puako held on October 5th.

The event was hosted by the Alexander and Duke De Rego Foundation, with the goal of providing educational information on the state of Hawaii’s coral reefs and to support Foundation programs.

After a day of spearfishing, participants gathered at Uncle Duke’s Hale to talk story, and enjoy some food and music. Awards were given for the best catch.

The roi are a worthwhile target. The Nature Conservancy has been keeping an eye on the invasive species as they multiply in Hawaii’s waters.

The Nature Conservancy was distributing this video of a similar event held in Maui.

Wanted Dead Not Alive

The roi that were caught on this day were to be processed and delivered to organic farmers in Kohala and Hamakua to use as fertilizer.

Alexander and Duke were two brothers who lost their lives at very young ages due to accidents that could have been prevented. The mission of The Alexander and Duke De Rego Foundation is to bring “Ocean water safety education and awareness to children in our community and state wide. Provide free First Aid & CPR education programs to children of all ages.”