What's Happening in Hawaii
During the 3rd Week in March:
Swarms of mālolo, the flying fish, (Cypselurus sp.) appear in March and can be found as late as June. Hawaiians described it as ka i'a lele me he manu, "the fish that flies like a bird," though it actually skims the surface, keeping its fins still rather than flapping them like wings. Often netted at night, mālolo were also called ka i'a ho'āla i ka pō, wai lama i ke ahi, "the fish that wakes people up at night and causes a glowing of torches over the water."
People are not the only ones who find mālolo tasty. Along with squid, mālolo rank among the most important foods of seabirds, and are favorites of the mahimahi, or dolphinfish. Beautifully colored and very fast, mahimahi swim just below the surface, following the mālolo. It is no coincidence that catches of both these fish reach their peak at this time of year.
Text and image from "Hawaii: A Calendar of Natural Events"
published by Bishop Museum and Kamehameha Schools in 1989
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