Happy koi swim in the cleaned pond

HILO, Hawaii: Dozens of koi were returned to the renovated War Memorial Pond at Kalakaua Park in Downtown Hilo on Friday.

Baron Sekiya of Hawaii 24/7 filmed the happy return, which served as the culmination a community-government partnership to restore the unique fish pond.

Kevin Hopkins, director of the University of Hawaii’s Center for Sustainable Aquaculture, coordinated the project.

Adam Daw with the UH-Hilo Pacific Aquaculture & Coastal Resources Center spoke about the effort to collect, care for, and return the fish. Sekiya also interviews Bob Peck, the president of the Big Island Water Garden Club.

You can see the fish jumping for joy in their new, clean home. Sekiya also employed this underwater “koi cam” to see the fish up close, in their habitat.

Offcials say a formal dedication and blessing ceremony is being planned for early June.

[Video by Baron Sekiya, Hawaii247.com]