Aloha!

The Hawai‘i Tropical Fish Association (HTFA) represents a wide array of businesses and individuals involved with the marine aquarium trade in the Hawaiian Islands.  Our members include marine aquarium fishermen, fish dealers and wholesalers, pet stores, fish breeders (aquaculturists), and aquarium hobbyists.  Our goal is to promote the marine aquarium trade in Hawai‘i, educate the public, and ensure that our industry remains sustainable for future generations to enjoy.

Patrons enjoy a public coral reef aquarium in Waikīkī.

A great majority of people on Earth will never have the privilege of seeing a coral reef first-hand. For literally millions of people, the only way they can observe the wonders of one of the richest ecosystems on our planet is by gazing into a coral reef aquarium. In this sense, marine aquaria—both public and private—are vital tools for raising public awareness on the importance of reefs and related conservation methods. Many people whose interest in nature was first stimulated by aquariums later choose scientific careers.

For many of the marine fishes in pet stores and public aquariums across the United States, the story begins in Hawai‘i.  For more than fifty years, the saltwater aquarium trade has been a thriving local industry, supporting numerous small businesses, employing hundreds of Hawai‘i’s residents, and enriching the lives of thousands of aquarium owners in the State and across the Nation. For more information on Hawai‘i’s aquarium industry and how it works, please visit our “What We Do” page.