Location	Funding	Institution	Principal Investigator(s)
Hawaii	$148,161	University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo and Oceanic Institute of HPU	Chatham K. Callan, PhD and Kent Glover

Overall Goal
The overall goals of this project are to significantly improve the survival and production efficiency of Potter’s Angelfish (Centropyge potteri) and Hawaiian Cleaner Wrasse (Labroides phthirophagus) during critical periods of larval development. These species have now been successfully spawned and reared at the Pacific Aquaculture and Coastal Resources Center (PACRC), but mortality during early larval feeding transitions and through flexion continues to restrict yields to below commercially viable levels. By systematically addressing these bottlenecks, the project will establish reproducible rearing protocols capable of supporting commercial-scale aquaculture. If successful, this improved efficiency will provide a sustainable supply of these valuable endemic species while reducing pressure on Hawai‘i’s reefs if collection is to return.

Objectives
Year One:
1. Establish robust Potter’s Angelfish and Hawaiʻian Cleaner Wrasse broodstock populations at PACRC to ensure consistent, year-round supply of high-quality eggs for larval trials.
2. Validate existing rearing protocols for both species through full-cycle larval trials.
3. Conduct targeted rearing trials to improve early feeding transitions and reduce mortality during first-feeding.
4. Disseminate Year One results through publications, workshops, and stakeholder engagement.

Year Two:
5. Enhance broodstock performance, improve diet, and stabilize spawning cycles to ensure reliable egg supply year-round.
6. Optimize larval feeding regimes and conduct full rearing runs to evaluate cumulative improvements in survival through settlement and improve juvenile growout feeding techniques.
7. Finalize protocols, publish findings, and provide workforce training for industry adoption.