Pacific Aquaculture &
Coastal Resource Center

About Us

Aerial view of the PACRC site in Keaukaha.Aerial view of the PACRC site in Keaukaha.

  1. Food Fish Production
  2. Marine Ornamental Fish Production
  3. Bivalve Hatchery
  4. Land-based Oyster Fattening System
  5. Native Hawaiian Oyster Project
  6. Ocean Acidification Epigenetic Project
  7. Live Feeds Production
  8. Algae Production
  9. Larval Rearing
  10. Limu (Seaweed) Project
  11. Learning Center
  12. 1/2 Million Gallon Tanks
  13. Laboratory
  14. Pump House
  15. Main Office
  16. Main Entrance

The Pacific Aquaculture and Coastal Resources Center (PACRC) is a coastal site in Keaukaha on the Big Island adjacent to the Port of Hilo. Once an old wastewater treatment plant, the site now focuses on marine ornamental and foodfish culture and the cultivation of oysters. The new PACRC facilities, in combination with the UH Hilo Marine Science Building, greatly enhances the international reputation as a premier location for education and research in marine sciences, aquaculture and coastal resources.

Initially, PACRC was funded by County of Hawaiʻi, University of Hawaiʻi Sea Grant Program, State of Hawaiʻi, the US Economic Development Administration, and University of Hawaiʻi. Currently, grants and private donations fund the variety of programs and projects at the facility.

Our long-term goals are to provide an infrastructure needed for world-class aquaculture and marine science programs at UH Hilo, support commercial aquaculture, fisheries and conservation in East Hawaiʻi and globally.