Angling a new business into Hawaii’s fledgling mariculture industry is no easy task. Hawaii Oceanic Technology Inc. recently pulled out of an ambitious plan to raise ahi in cages the length of a half football field in deep waters off Hawaii island.

At first glance, open-ocean farming looks straightforward: food sustainability, new jobs and tax revenue. But there’s also concerns about harming habitat and complicated permits. Hawaii Oceanic spent eight years securing state and federal permits and had trouble attracting investors. Other efforts — a moi farm off West Oahu and two kampachi farms off Hawaii island — were able to get into the water. So, with some fresh business bait, there’s a good chance we’ll one day sample farm-fresh ahi.

Gabbard draws headlines, but not all good ones

U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has made her name by asserting positions in conspicuous issues. Usually it’s worked well for her.

Maybe not so much this time. Joining a trip to Syria with former Congressman Dennis Kucinich — one that included a meeting with President Bashar al-Assad, accused war criminal — set off a firestorm of criticism.

It didn’t help that it was organized by brothers later revealed to have history with a pro-Assad group. Gabbard is anti-interventionist and wants to raise the profile of her bill, the Stop Funding Terrorists Act. That she did, but perhaps not as she hoped.