Tell Director of Health Dr. Fink – NO MORE Mosquito Releases in Hawai‘i
Hawai‘i’s Department of Health wants to release three species of lab-altered mosquitoes on ALL ISLANDS
Dr. Kenneth Fink is the Director of Health for the State of Hawai‘i Department of Health (HDOH). The HDOH is planning to expand their multi-agency mosquito release programs in Hawai‘i to all of the islands, releasing three species of lab-altered mosquitoes and escalating the narrative from bird conservation to public health. This lead agency needs to hear directly from all of us that we are strongly opposed to this dangerous agenda.
Please call Dr. Fink and let him know that you don’t want any more of these mosquito releases in Hawai‘i:
Dr. Kenneth Fink
(808) 586-4410 ext.2
(leave a voicemail if prompted)
Dr. Fink can also be contacted by email kenneth.fink@doh.hawaii.gov and hard copy mail:
Dr. Kenneth Fink, Director of Health
State of Hawai‘i Department of Health
1250 Punchbowl Street
Honolulu, HI 96813
As we reported last month, the Hawai‘i Department of Health is planning to publish a statewide environmental assessment (EA) that would allow for the release of millions of lab-altered mosquitoes on all of the Hawaiian Islands. The plan includes the release of three species of invasive lab mosquitoes:
Experimental bacteria-infected southern house mosquitoes (Culex quinquefasciatus) the HDOH partnership claims to be releasing to address avian malaria
Lab-altered yellow fever mosquitoes (Aedes aegypti) the partnership claims to be releasing to “control mosquitoes of public health concern”
Lab-altered Asian tiger mosquitoes (Aedes albopictus) the partnership claims to be releasing to “control mosquitoes of public health concern”
The HDOH’s Birds, Not Mosquitoes (BNM) partnership has been releasing millions of their experimental bacteria-infected Culex mosquitoes in specific conservation areas on Maui since 2023 and on Kaua‘i since 2025. No studies have been done by these agencies to assess potential serious risks to the health of the islands’ people, animals, and ecosystems. Now over two years into the program, no data has been produced publicly to show that the plan is even working for its intended purpose or that safety is even being evaluated.
If the HDOH’s plan moves forward, these three species of mosquitoes would be released on ALL OF THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS. Invasive lab mosquitoes would be released not just in conservation areas, but directly in our neighborhoods. Aedes mosquitoes would be released in addition to Culex. The agenda would advance from an “avian malaria” narrative to a public health effort focused on human disease.
Hawai‘i Unites sent a letter to Dr. Fink last week documenting our concerns about the planned expansion of these mosquito release programs. Our letter asks the Director of Health several questions from the community:
What islands are being targeted for release of mosquitoes for the avian malaria program?
What specific mosquitoes would be released “to control mosquitoes of public health concern” (what is the biopesticide product name, and what species are the mosquitoes)?
Where would mosquitoes be released “to control mosquitoes of public health concern” (what islands and what areas on each island)?
How would mosquitoes be released “to control mosquitoes of public health concern” (what release mechanisms would be used, and would they be released from vehicles, drones, helicopters, and/or on foot)?
What specific public health concerns would be used to justify mosquito releases (which diseases and what circumstances)?
Who would fund the HDOH mosquito release program “to control mosquitoes of public health concern”?
Who would be the HDOH’s partners in the mosquito release program “to control mosquitoes of public health concern”?
How would the HDOH mosquito releases (avian malaria and human disease) align with the “One Health” framework promoted by the World Economic Forum, World Health Organization, Gates Foundation, and your Birds, Not Mosquitoes multi-agency partnership?
Will the HDOH take responsibility for all risks associated with the import of mosquitoes as invasive species?
Will the HDOH take responsibility for all risks associated with the accidental or intentional release of female mosquitoes that bite, breed, and spread disease?
Will the HDOH take responsibility for horizontal transmission of bacteria, increased pathogen infection and disease-transmitting capability in mosquitoes, and population replacement?
How will the HDOH prevent wind drift of mosquitoes to unintended areas?
What pathogens will the HDOH’s imported mosquitoes be screened for?
How will the HDOH assure that imported mosquitoes don’t transmit bacteria and/or pathogens to wild mosquitoes?
What are the biosecurity protocols for the HDOH’s imported lab-bred mosquitoes?
What mitigation measures does the HDOH have in place for the imported mosquitoes if something goes wrong?
Mosquitoes have a history of use in biological warfare programs. How will the HDOH assure that imported mosquitoes will not be used as bioweapons and/or in acts of bioterrorism?
Does the HDOH statewide EA allow for the sale of lab-bred mosquitoes directly to consumers in Hawai‘i?
HDOH’s BNM partners have stated their intention to expand the mosquito release programs to include “next-generation tools” such as mosquito gene drives and precision-guided Sterile Insect Technique (pgSIT) CRISPR gene-edited mosquitoes, along with the production of mosquitoes in the DLNR’s Hawai‘i lab and release of mosquitoes on the islands “into perpetuity” (forever). Does the HDOH support these goals, and will the statewide EA open the door for these specific objectives?
We are still waiting for a response. Hawai‘i Unites’ letter includes links to peer-reviewed studies, scientific expert opinions, and the information found in the mosquito release agencies’ own documents. We bring forward numerous serious concerns. The HDOH and its partners have not sufficiently studied the risks involved with these biotech mosquitoes, and these reckless programs need to stop.
“The mosquitoes currently being released in the millions on Maui and Kaua‘i are experimental. Southern house mosquitoes lab-infected with Wolbachia bacteria have never been documented as used for stand-alone field release anywhere in the world. The 64,666-acre East Maui project area is the largest Wolbachia mosquito release of any kind globally to date, and Kaua‘i’s 59,204-acre project area is the second largest. Over two years into this program and with no data or safety studies produced publicly to date, HDOH cannot expect the people of Hawai‘i to trust your partnership to drastically expand the mosquito releases – covering all islands and focused not only on avian malaria but now also on human disease.
No studies have been done to evaluate the direct, indirect, and cumulative impacts of these mosquito releases. Lab-altered mosquitoes, and the bacteria that Wolbachia lab-altered mosquitoes are infected with, are life forms, and there is no way for these experimental projects to be self-contained. Mass release of these foreign organisms could negatively impact human health, animal health, and the environment as a whole. These imported mosquitoes may even cause the extinction of endangered species your BNM agencies are responsible for protecting.
Hawai‘i Unites strongly opposes the exploitative use of sacred lands of the Hawaiian Islands as testing grounds for the profit-motivated biotech industry to execute these open-air lab-altered mosquito experiments. The people of Hawai‘i are overwhelmingly opposed to this reckless agenda, and we will continue speaking out to protect the health of these islands.”
Please take the time to contact Dr. Fink and tell him – NO MORE Mosquito Releases in Hawai‘i. This plan is dangerous and irreversible, and these invasive lab mosquitoes could have harmful impacts to the health of these islands now and for many years to come.
Mahalo,
Tina Lia
Founder
Hawai‘i Unites
HawaiiUnites.org
Hawai‘i Unites is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the conservation and protection of our environment and natural resources. Your tax-deductible donations help us to fulfill our mission of honoring and protecting our sacred connection to the natural world.
Report a Mosquito Bite
The State of Hawai‘i and its multi-agency partnership Birds, Not Mosquitoes have been releasing bacteria-infected mosquitoes in East Maui and conducting pilot study releases on Kaua‘i since 2023. As part of our ongoing research and documentation, Hawai‘i Unites has been compiling reports from throughout the islands about unusual mosquito bite reactions. If you’ve been bitten by a mosquito and would like to report the incident, please complete our Mosquito Bite Incident Report.