Hawai`i has four types of fishponds and one type of fishtrap. These fishponds and traps were found from the mountains to the sea. The mountainous fishponds contained fresh water and a select variety of fish. Whereas fishponds and fishtraps found toward the sea were mixed with saltwater, creating a greater diversity of life.

1 In the mountains, the loko i`a kalo utilizes water flowing throughout taro patches to raise fish. This type of loko i`a was mainly used by the maka`ainana or commoners of the land. `O`opu (gobies) were the main fish raised in these ponds. Occasionally, young aholehole and `awa would be carried from the sea in gourds to the loko i`a kalo and raised.

Also in the uplands, were loko wai. A loko wai is a natural freshwater pond that was excavated by hand and irrigated through an `auwai. `Auwai were ditches which diverted water from a river, into a loko, then back into the river. Some loko wai found closer to the ocean contain brackish water as some seawater flows upstream with the tides.

Near the ocean, the loko pu`uone can be found. This is a fishpond isolated by a pu`uone (mound of sand) that runs parallel to the sea. It is predominantly salt water with a trickle of freshwater entering through springs or streams. A makaha allows the flow of seawater to mix with the freshwater creating a productive area for a large variety of fish.

Along the shorelines, loko kuapa can be found. These fishponds consist of is a a kuapa (rock wall) and one or several makaha (sluice gates). The rock wall allows water to circulate within the pond and prevents fish from escaping. These walls were built higher than the highest tide of the year. The makaha contained vertical slats that allowed small fish to enter the pond and prevented the larger fish from exiting. The water within the pond is brackish as the seawater mixes with fresh water springs or nearby streams. This type of loko i`a was mainly reserved for the ali`i class.

Finallly, you can occasionally see a fishtrap along Hawai`'s shores. These fishtraps or loko `umeiki are very similar to the loko kuapa but do not contain makaha. Instead, these ponds have rock walls that have a hook design. These hooks were placed where a makaha would have been placed for a loko kuapa. This allows currents to gather within these hooked areas and creates a natural trap for fish when currents are running.