The longlines cast by Brooks Takenaka’s fishing family didn’t just branch across the ocean to hook their catch. The reach of those lines extended to the following generation, to Takenaka himself, securing his enduring devotion to Hawaii’s seafood industry.

“The ocean, fishing and seafood were a significant part of my life growing up,” he said. “I was probably swimming before I could walk.”

As assistant general manager of United Fishing Agency, Takenaka, 65, runs the famed Honolulu Fish Auction at Pier 38, which commences before dawn six days a week. Since his start in 1979, he has navigated the company through major shifts in the market and has overseen the business as it’s grown from 13 employees and partnerships with 13 longline vessels to 60 employees and 140 vessels.

Takenaka’s lifelong experience has left him with an encyclopedic knowledge of fish, and in promoting Hawaii fish he’s long worked with chefs to develop markets both here and abroad. Though his long hours don’t afford him much time to cook, he understands how to prepare various fish to their best advantage.

The recipe he and his wife, Cynthia, enjoy taking to gatherings is broadbill swordfish (known as “shutome” locally and “mekajiki” in Japan) cooked in a lime-shoyu marinade enhanced with Dijon mustard, garlic and green onions. It’s a dish that’s popular with friends and family.

It can be prepared a number of ways: in a pan, under the broiler or on the grill. No matter how it’s cooked, the sauce’s vibrant citrus and ginger flavors liven up the taste buds, and it’s a marinade that can be used with various fish, including marlin, ono, ahi and aku, and even other proteins.

But Takenaka says he especially likes to cook swordfish because “it’s probably the most forgiving fish to work with,” with one note of caution: Do not overcook it.

Swordfish was once considered a by-catch and barely registered on the map locally but became popular in California and the East Coast, he said. Today, 80 to 85 percent of swordfish is utilized on the mainland, but demand for the fish is growing in the isles.

Takenaka says a big draw for local cooks is the diversity of ways swordfish can be prepared.

“You can apply all kinds of preparations and sauces. You can do shish kebabs. You can do pesto sauce,” he said. “And whatever way my wife prepares it, if we have leftovers, she turns it into a dip or a spread for sandwiches. People say her swordfish dip is amazing.”

(Though he did not provide a dip recipe, Takenaka says his wife adds garlic salt and mayonnaise to the fish.)

Takenaka’s interest never wavered from the sea. Though in his youth he was an avid fisher and diver, his family did not want him to become a commercial fisherman, so he became a marine biologist instead. He worked at the Oceanic Institute through the mid-1970s, then served as a fisheries specialist for the Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program from 1976 to 1979.

“Then I came back to the industry and haven’t looked back since,” he said. “I’m still excited about the biz.”

Takenaka entered the agency during a crucial time. When he started, the fish auction, established in 1952, was at Aala Park, where it sold a lot of reef fish. But in the early 1980s ciguatera poisoning, caused by a toxin that grows in algae that reef fish feed on, prompted the agency to exit the market and focus on deep-sea and pelagic (open-ocean) species.

The auction allows independent fishermen to sell their catch via open bidding that enables prices to reflect quality. In other areas, fishermen sell their catch to wholesalers who generally dictate prices.

Alongside his duties at the agency, Takenaka has worked on promoting Hawaii seafood internationally and has helped establish the Hawaii Seafood Council, created to support responsible fisheries and sustainable seafood in Hawaii through consumer education, outreach and research.

Navigating Hawaii fisheries responsibly, he says, means balancing the necessity of protecting our resources with meeting a growing demand for local seafood.

“As the only island state in the nation, we have a different relationship and respect for our seafood. If you’re not part of the culture, it’s easy to speak to an issue of conservation and protection. But because we are surrounded by ocean, subsistence has been a significant part of our lives and culture — and continues to be significant to people of every island in Hawaii.

“It’s a matter of people understanding that we cannot take an all-or-nothing approach,” he said, adding that U.S. fisheries are among the most studied, monitored and managed in the world. “My personal belief is that a healthy industry will reflect on our company and our success as well.”

Takenaka admits that in navigating all sides of the issue, “it’s impossible to keep everyone happy.”

“Yes, it’s stressful, but what’s interesting about life is that part of the excitement is the challenge,” he said. “I go to work every day thinking of what the challenges are, about networking, developing ideas, bringing them to fruition — it’s all part of the challenge, the excitement.

“To start, I love the work for the love of fishing, and through it all I’ve been able to combine science with business. It’s a great opportunity to see things from different perspectives.”

Swordfish with Lime Shoyu Sauce

Courtesy Brooks and Cynthia Takenaka

» 2 pounds swordfish, sliced into 1-inch fillets or cubes for skewers
» 1 to 2 tablespoons sake
» Lime peel, julienned, for garnish
» Green onions, julienned, for garnish

Marinade:
» 2-1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
» 1 teaspoon grated lime peel
» 2 tablespoons lime juice
» 1 to 2 cloves garlic, minced
» 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
» 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
» 2 tablespoons peanut oil
» 1/4 cup green onions, finely diced
» 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste

To make marinade, combine all ingredients and mix well. Pour over fish and marinate in refrigerator 15 to 30 minutes.

Fish can be cooked in pan, under broiler or on grill. If pan-frying, coat bottom of pan with a little oil and heat on medium-high, then add fish and cook, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Skewers need less cooking time. Do not overcook.

If pan-frying or broiling, reserve sauce left in pan and add sake. Cook and reduce to achieve thicker, more concentrated sauce.

Pour over fish and garnish with julienned lime peel and green onions. Serves 4 to 6.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving (based on 4 servings): 410 calories, 22 g fat, 5 g saturated fat, 150 mg cholesterol, 850 mg sodium, 3 g carbohydrate, 46 g protein, no fiber or sugar