There are 17 inhabited islands in the 62 island chain that comprises the Ha'apai Group. The mission's time allocation permitted only a brief survey of the Lifuka group of islands, and consequently any conclusions about the potential of the Ha'apai Group as a whole must remain somewhat speculative.
In the south there is extensive shallow water reef flats close to population centres at Ha'afeva Island and also further south around Nomuka and Nomuka'iki islands. However, these areas are very exposed to wind-driven wave action, and high storm losses would probably be a regular feature of any attempt at off-bottom farming behind the coral reef crests. The close proximity of extensive coral reefs also suggest herbivorous fish grazing could be a serious problem. There are certainly physical similarities between these southern Ha'apai reef flats and reef flats in the south of the Vava'u group. Perhaps more importantly, local Ha'apai fishermen are aware of the annual appearance of juvenile rabbit fish (‘Ō’) throughout the group of islands. Two earlier attempts to establish cottonii trials in shallow inshore waters at Hihifo and Koulo on Lifuka Island were grazed to extinction by fish in July/August and September/October periods, although the species responsible is unrecorded.
In the Lifuka Group the deeper water areas on the western sides of Uiha Is., Uoleva Is, and Foa Is. are considered to be too wave-exposed for any attempt at floating long-line trials. Only inside the western reef of Lifuka Island, between Pangai and Holopeka, is there sufficient protection from oceanic waves to attempt long-line trials (Fig. 7), and even in this area floating structures are likely to be disrupted by storm winds from the south east and east.
Areas of the inshore on Uoleva Is. and Uiha Is. at Felemea (Fig. 7) appear physically suitable for shoreline off-bottom cottonii production. However, fishermen reported that large numbers of rabbit fish frequently appeared in the seagrass beds adjacent to Felemea village. A sandy bay on the west side of Uoleva Is. (Fig. 7) is considered to be the only off-bottom farming site that may deserve further investigation. The centre of the bay is devoid of any coral because of the moving sandy substrate, and hence it is nearly one kilometre from rabbit fish habitats. The island is uninhabited, apart from one guest house, and any trial in this area would necessitate someone staying in the bay to maintain the trial and record results.
