Hawaiian State Fish a Mouthful

HONOLULU (AP) - April 18, 2006 -- The humuhumunukunukuapuaa officially lost its title as the state fish more than a decade ago but is set to reclaim the honor.

A bill reinstating the critter - which is pronounced pronounced HOO-moo-HOO-moo-NOO-koo-NOO-koo-AH-poo-AH-ah or is also known as humuhumu for short - passed the Legislature on Monday and heads next to the office of Gov. Linda Lingle for a signature.

The little fish with the long name was deposed in 1990 by a clause in the law that gave it its crown, which made the measure expire after five years.

But few in the state were aware of the change and the fish, also known as the rectangular triggerfish, and it has continued to be touted as Hawaii's state fish.

The measure is credited by its introducer, Rep. Blake Oshiro, to the 6-year-old son of a friend and constituent, Joel Itomura. It was Itomura who brought the lack of an official designation for the humuhumu to the attention of Oshiro, D-Aiea-Halawa.

Lingle now has 10 days to potentially veto the bill.

(Copyright 2006 by the Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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