Maps dating as far back as 1817 show the fishing village at Mokauea Island. At one time, the Ke'ehi Lagoon region was the home to as many as 41 fishponds which were eventually destroyed by dredging and development, prior to World War II.

In 1975, Mokauea Island was inhabited by fourteen fishing families. The island’s fishing community had cultural roots and heritage that are believed to have extended to pre-historic times. Mokauea Island was once entirely self-sufficient due to a functional aquaculture fishpond, cultivation of taro, green onions, eggplant, tomatoes, chili plants and some medicinal plants such as aloe, as well as limu (seaweed) and the surrounding area had a healthy supply of reef fish. This was an island that needed nothing more than a consistent environment and respect by all others.

In 1975, the Mokauea families were ordered off the island and several fishermen were arrested for trespassing on land they had lived on for generations. In June 1975, the government burned down five fishermen’s homes. The fishermen, with the help of John Kelly of Save our Surf, organized the Mokauea Fishermen’s Association. Subsequently, a formal historical study by the State Historic Preservation Office concluded that Mokauea was "an area of important historical concern".

With the assistance of John Kelly and other volunteers, the fishermen and their families rebuilt their homes. In addition,
• The dilapidated community pier was dismantled and a new pier was built to accommodate the flow of volunteers, visitors and materials for the various projects.
• The existing 300 square feet pond was excavated and enlarged to the current two acre fishpond.
• Remnants of one of the original pillboxes still remain on Mokauea Island.
• The fishermen and their families organized visits to the island for groups of students, teachers, scholars, marine scientists and others. These individuals saw the village lifestyle, fishing methods and the resources of the island, community and reef fisheries.

Over the last 30 years, some progress towards creating a viable subsistence educational center was made on the island. However, during the changing political environment of the 1990's, educational and non-profit organization priority shifts, and an evolution of island family dynamics, participation in restoration efforts on Mokauea Island declined and nearly died. Kai Makana is now leading the restoration efforts originally proposed by the Mokauea Fishermen’s Association many years ago. We are encouraged that our current efforts now involve a wide and diverse collection of community members, private business, and government agencies. People from all walks of life participate in the Malama I Ke Kai project.