Man Dragged Underwater by Tiger Shark was Picking Opihi
The man who died and was taken by the Tiger Shark was identified as Charles Kanoe Reyes of Kapaa. He went to the area to pick Opihi and catch crabs.
Opihi are limpets that live at the waters edge and generally in areas where the waves break. This makes them one of the most dangerous sea creatures to harvest. The reason is that they live on the lava rocks that are getting bashed by the waves.
The Opihi are the most expensive seafood that can be harvested from Hawaiian waters, and cannot be sold commercially.
This latest accident happened in North Kohala which is a very dangerous area. When the surf comes up it is one of the most dangerous area on the Big Island.
We pick Opihi and thus are very aware of the dangers. We will only take what we can eat in the next few days and thus do not feel the pressure to take unnecessary risks in the interest of making money.