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Hawaii Archipelago: Federal Regulations and Enforcement

For the State of Hawaii’s fishing regulations, click here.

The following is a summary of federal regulations pertaining to the following fisheries. The full list of federal fishing regulations applicable to the Hawaii Archipelago can be found in the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 50: Wildlife & Fisheries, Chapter 7, Part 665, and can be accessed at http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov.

Bottomfish

• All bottomfish fishing vessels: a) ban on use of bottom trawls and bottom set gillnets; and b) ban on possession or use of any poisons, explosives or intoxicating substances to harvest bottomfish or seamount groundfish.

• NWHI

Required Mau Zone limited entry permit or Hoomalu Zone limited entry permit
Catch reporting (State of Hawaii form)
Catch quotas
On-board observer when directed by the National Marine Fisheries Service
Required vessel operator participation in protected species workshop
Vessel size limits
24 hr USCG landing notification for Hoomalu Zone
Other regulations under the NWHI National Marine Monument

• MHI

Commercial fishing in state waters and EEZ around MHI requires State of Hawaii Commercial Marine License
Non-commercial permit and reporting for fishing in EEZ around MHI
Annual Total Allowable Catch quota for Hawaii Restricted Bottomfish Species specified in Federal Register by August 31st each year (Fishing year is September 1st – August 31st).
Individual non-commercial trip bag limits of no more than 5 fish (all species combined) of Hawaii Restricted Bottomfish Species

• Hancock Seamount

Fishing for bottomfish and seamount groundfish on the Hancock Seamount is prohibited through August 31, 2010.

Crustaceans

Lobsters

• NWHI-Lobster

Limited entry permit (15 total)
Federal logbook reporting
Gear restrictions (harvest lobsters by hand or trap only; restricted number of traps allowed)
Gear marking requirements
Closed areas and closed seasons
VMS
On-board observer when directed by the National Marine Fisheries Service
Annual Harvest Guidelines
Monk seal protective measures
Landing notification

•MHI-Lobsters

Federal permit and logbook reporting
Ban on fishing for, taking or retaining lobster with explosives, poisons or electrical shocking devices
Minimum size and condition restrictions

Only spiny lobsters with a carapace length of 8.26 cm or greater may be retained.
Any lobster with a punctured or mutilated body, or a separated carapace and tail, may not be retained.
A female lobster of any size may not be retained if it is carrying eggs externally. Eggs may not be removed from female lobsters.

Notification before port landing and before offloading
Observer coverage when requested by National Marine Fisheries Service

Deep-water Shrimp

•NWHI and MHI

Federal permit and logbook reporting

Precious Corals

• Federal permit and logbook reporting

• Use of only selective gear that can discriminate or differentiate between type, size, quality or characteristics of living or dead corals

• Bed specific quotas

• Closed areas

• Minimum height 10 inches for live pink coral

• Minimum stem diameter 1 inch or minimum height 48 inches for live black coral

• Moratorium on gold coral 2008 to 201

Coral Reef Ecosystem

• Special permit, reporting and pre-landing

notification for any directed fishery harvesting potentially harvested coral reef taxa

• Allowable gear types include hand-harvest, spear, slurp gun, hand/dip net, hoop net for Kona crab, throw net, barrier net, surround/purse net that is attended at all times, hook-and-line, crab and fish traps with vessel ID number affixed or remote operating vehicle/submersible.

• Ban on possession and use of poisons, explosives or intoxicating substances to take coral reef ecosystem managed species

• Ban on harvest of live rock and living corals except for indigenous people for traditional uses and aquaculture operations for seed stock under special permit, reporting and pre-landing notification requirement

For Pelagic Fisheries Regulations, click here.

Enforcement

State of Hawaii, Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Conservation and Resource Enforcement (DOCARE) enforces the State’s fishing regulations. For more information on DOCARE, click here.

Federal fishing regulations applicable to the Hawaii Archipelago are enforced by the NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service Office of Law Enforcement (OLE) Pacific Islands Division as well as the U.S. Coast Guard’s District Fourteen. Follow these links to find more information on OLE and the U.S. Coast Guard.

A cooperative enforcement agreement exists between the DOCARE and NMFS OLE, whereby NMFS OLE provides funding assistance to DOCARE to support in the enforcement of federal fishing regulations.

Hawaii Archipelago FEP MUS

Hawaii Bottomfish Management Unit Species
Scientific Name	English Common Name	Local/Hawaiian Name
Aphareus rutilans	silver jaw jobfish	lehi
Aprion virescens	gray jobfish	uku
Caranx ignobilis	giant trevally	white papio/ulua au kea
Caranx lugubris	black jack	ulua la’uli
Epinephelus quernus	sea bass	hāpu‘upu‘u
Etelis carbunculus	red snapper	ehu
Etelis coruscans	longtail snapper	onaga or ‘ula‘ula koa‘e
Lutjanus kasmira	blue stripe snapper	ta‘ape
Pristipomoides auricilla	yellowtail snapper	kalekale
Pristipomoides filamentosus	pink snapper	‘ōpakapaka
Pristipomoides seiboldii	pink snapper	kalekale
Pristipomoides zonatus	snapper	gindai
Pseudocaranx dentex	thicklip trevally	pig ulua, butaguchi
Seriola dumerili	amberjack	kahala
Beryx splendens	alfonsin	NA
Pseudopentaceros richardsoni	armorhead	NA

Hawaii Crustacean Management Unit Species

Scientific Name

English Common Name

Local Name

Panulirus marginatus

spiny lobster

ula

Panulirus penicillatus

spiny lobster

ula

Family Scyllaridae

slipper lobster

ula papapa

Ranina ranina

Kona crab

papa’i kua loa

Hawaii Precious Corals Management Unit Species
Scientific Name	English Common Name	Local Name
Corallium secundum	pink coral (also called red coral)	NA
Corallium regale	pink coral (also called red coral)	NA
Corallium laauense	pink coral (also called red coral)	NA
Gerardia spp.	gold coral	NA
Narella spp.	gold coral	NA
Lepidisis olapa	bamboo coral	NA
Antipathes dichotoma	black coral	NA
Antipathes grandis	black coral	NA
Antipathes ulex	black coral	NA

Hawaii Coral Reef Ecosystem MUS (Currently Harvested Reef Taxa)
Family Name	Scientific Name	English Common Name	Local Name
Acanthuridae (Surgeonfishes)	Acanthurus olivaceus	orange-spot surgeonfish	na‘ena‘e
	Acanthurus xanthopterus	yellowfin surgeonfish	pualu
	Acanthurus triostegus	convict tang	manini
	Acanthurus dussumieri	eye-striped surgeonfish	palani
	Acanthurus nigroris	blue-lined surgeon	maiko
	Acanthurus leucopareius	whitebar surgeonfish	maiko or maikoiko
	Acanthurus nigricans	whitecheek surgeonfish	NA
	Acanthurus guttatus	white-spotted surgeonfish	‘api
	Acanthurus blochii	ringtail surgeonfish	pualu
	Acanthurus nigrofuscus	brown surgeonfish	mai‘i‘i
	Ctenochaetus strigosus	yellow-eyed surgeonfish	kole
	Ctenochaetus striatus	striped bristletooth	NA
	Naso unicornus	bluespine unicornfish	kala
	Naso lituratus	orangespine unicornfish	kalalei or umaumalei
	Naso hexacanthus	black tongue unicornfish	kala holo
	Naso annulatus	whitemargin unicornfish	kala
	Naso brevirostris	spotted unicornfish	kala lolo
	Naso caesius	gray unicornfish	NA
	Zebrasoma flavescens	yellow tang	lau‘ipala
Balistidae (Triggerfish)	Melichthys vidua	pinktail triggerfish	humuhumu hi‘ukole
	Melichthys niger	black triggerfish	humuhumu ‘ele‘ele
	Rhinecanthus aculeatus	picassofish	humuhumu nukunuku apua‘a
	Sufflamen fraenatum	bridled triggerfish	NA
Carangidae (Jacks)	Selar crumenophthalmus	bigeye scad	akule or hahalu
Carangidae (Jacks)	Decapterus macarellus	mackerel scad	‘opelu or ‘opelu mama
Carcharhinidae (Sharks)	Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos	grey reef shark	manō
	Carcharhinus galapagensis	galapagos shark	manō
	Carcharhinus melanopterus	blacktip reef shark	manō
	Triaenodon obesus	whitetip reef shark	manō lalakea
Holocentridae (Solderfish/ Squirrelfish	Myripristis berndti	bigscale soldierfish	menpachi or ‘u‘u
	Myripristis amaena	brick soldierfish	menpachi or ‘u‘u
	Myripristis chryseres	yellowfin soldierfish	menpachi or ‘u‘u
	Myripristis kuntee	pearly soldierfish	menpachi or ‘u‘u
	Sargocentron microstoma	file-lined squirrelfish	‘ala‘ihi
	Sargocentron diadema	crown squirrelfish	‘ala‘ihi
	Sargocentron punctatissimum	peppered squirrelfish	‘ala‘ihi
	Sargocentron tiere	blue-lined squirrelfish	‘ala‘ihi
	Sargocentron xantherythrum	hawaiian squirrelfish	‘ala‘ihi
	Sargocentron spiniferum	saber or long jaw squirrelfish	‘ala‘ihi
	Neoniphon spp.	spotfin squirrelfish	‘ala‘ihi
Kuhliidae (Flagtails)	Kuhlia sandvicensis	Hawaiian flag-tail	‘aholehole
Kyphosidae (Rudderfish)	Kyphosus biggibus	rudderfish	nenue
	Kyphosus cinerascens	rudderfish	nenue
	Kyphosus vaigiensis	rudderfish	nenue
Labridae (Wrasses)	Bodianus bilunulatus	saddleback hogfish	‘a‘awa
	Oxycheilinus unifasciatus	ring-tailed wrasse	po‘ou
	Xyrichtys pavo	razor wrasse	laenihi or nabeta
	Cheilio inermis	cigar wrasse	kupoupou
	Thalassoma purpureum	surge wrasse	ho‘u
	Thalassoma quinquevittatum	red ribbon wrasse	NA
	Thalassoma lutescens	sunset wrasse	NA
	Novaculichthys taeniourus	rockmover wrasse	NA
Mullidae (Goatfishes)	Mulloidichthys spp.	yellow goatfish	weke
	Mulloidichthys pfleugeri	orange goatfish	weke nono
	Mulloidichthys vanicolensis	yellowfin goatfish	weke‘ula
	Mulloidichthys flaviolineatus	yellowstripe goatfish	weke‘a or weke a‘a
	Parupeneus spp	banded goatfish	kumu or moano
	Parupeneus bifasciatus	doublebar goatfish	munu
	Parupeneus cyclostomas	yellowsaddle goatfish	moano kea or moano kale
	Parupeneus pleurostigma	side-spot goatfish	malu
	Parupeneus multifaciatus	multi-barred goatfish	moano
	Upeneus arge	bantail goatfish	weke pueo
Mugilidae (Mullets)	Mugil cephalus	stripped mullet	‘ama‘ama
Mugilidae (Mullets)	Neomyxus leuciscus	false mullet	uouoa
Muraenidae (Moray eels)	Gymnothorax flavimarginatus	yellowmargin moray eel	puhi paka
	Gymnothorax javanicus	giant moray eel	puhi
	Gymnothorax undulatus	undulated moray eel	puhi laumilo
Muraenidae	Enchelycore pardalis	dragon eel	puhi
Octopodidae (Octopus)	Octopus cyanea	octopus	he‘e mauli or tako
Octopodidae (Octopus)	Octopus ornatus	octopus	he‘e or tako
Polynemidae	Polydactylus sexfilis	threadfin	moi
Priacanthidae (Big-eyes)	Heteropriacanthus cruentatus	glasseye	‘aweoweo
Priacanthidae (Big-eyes)	Priacanthus hamrur	bigeye	‘aweoweo
Scaridae (Parrotfish)	Scarus spp.	parotfish	uhu or palukaluka
Scaridae (Parrotfish)	Calotomus carolinus	stareye parrotfish	panuhunuhu
Sphyraenidae (Barracuda)	Sphyraena helleri	Heller’s barracuda	kawele‘a or kaku
Sphyraenidae (Barracuda)	Sphyraena barracuda	great barracuda	kaku
Turbinidae	Turbo spp.	green snails turban shells	NA
Zanclidae	Zanclus cornutus	moorish idol	kihikihi
Chaetodontidae	Chaetodon auriga	butterflyfish	kikakapu
	Chaetodon lunula	raccoon butterflyfish	kikakapu
	Chaetodon ephippium	saddleback butterflyfish	kikakapu
Sabellidae		featherduster worm	NA

Hawaii Coral Reef Ecosystem MUS (Potentially Harvested Reef Taxa)
Scientific Name	English Common Name	Local Name
Labridae	wrasses (those species not listed as CHCRT)	hinalea
Carcharhinidae Sphyrnidae	sharks (those species not listed as CHCRT)	manō
Dasyatididae Myliobatidae	rays and skates	hihimanu
Serrandiae	groupers, seabass (those species not listed as CHCRT or in BMUS)	roi, hapu’upu’u
Malacanthidae	tilefishes	NA
Carangidae	jacks and scads (those species not listed as CHCRT or in BMUS)	dobe, kagami, pa‘opa‘o, papa, omaka, ulua,
Holocentridae	solderfishes and squirrelfishes (those species not listed as CHCRT)	‘u‘u
Mullidae	goatfishes (those species not listed as CHCRT)	weke, moano, kumu
Acanthuridae	surgeonfishes (those species not listed as CHCRT)	na’ena’e, maikoiko
Echeneidae	remoras	NA
Muraenidae Congridae Ophichthidae	eels (those species not listed as CHCRT)	puhi
Apogonidae	cardinalfishes	‘upapalu
Clupeidae	herrings	NA
Engraulidae	anchovies	nehu
Caracanthidae	coral crouchers	NA
Gobiidae	gobies	‘o‘opu
Lutjanidae	snappers (those species not listed as CHCRT or in BMUS)	to’au
Aulostomus chinensis	trumpetfish	nunu
Fistularia commersoni	cornetfish	nunu peke
Zanclidae spp.	moorish Idols	kihikihi
Chaetodontidae	butterflyfishes	kikakapu
Pomacanthidae	angelfishes	NA
Pomacentridae	damselfishes	mamo
Scorpaenidae	scorpionfishes, lionfishes	nohu, okoze
Blenniidae	blennies	pa o’o
Sphyraenidae spp	barracudas (those species not listed as CHCRT)	kaku
Pinguipedidae	sandperches	NA
Bothidae Soleidae Pleurnectidae	flounders and soles	paki‘i
Ostraciidae	trunkfishes	makukana
Balistidae	trigger fishes (those species not listed as CHCRT)	humu humu
Kyphosidae	rudderfishes (those species not listed as CHCRT)	nenue
Cirrhitidae	hawkfishes (those species not listed as CHCRT)	po‘opa‘a
Tetradontidae	puffer fishes and porcupine fishes	‘o‘opu hue or fugu
Antennariidae	frogfishes	NA
Syngnathidae	pipefishes and seahorses	NA
Echinoderms	sea cucumbers and sea urchins	namako, lole, wana
Mollusca	(those species not listed as CHCRT)	NA
Azooxanthellates	ahermatypic corals	ko‘a
Fungiidae	mushroom corals	ko‘a
	small and large coral polyps	ko‘a
	soft corals and gorgonians	NA
Actinaria	anemones	NA
Zoanthinaria	soft zoanthid corals	NA
Solanderidae	hydroid corals	NA
Stylasteridae	lace corals	ko‘a
Crustaceans	lobsters, shrimps, mantis shrimps, true crabs and hermit crabs (those species not listed as CMUS)	ula, a‘ama, mo‘ala, ‘alakuma
Hydrozoans and Bryzoans		NA
Pinctada margaritifera	black lipped pearl oyster	NA
Other Bivalves	other clams	NA
Tunicates	sea squirts	NA
Porifera	sponges	NA
Cephalopods	octopi	tako, he‘e
Gastropoda	sea snails	NA
Opistobranches	sea slugs	NA
Algae	seaweed	limu
Live rock		NA
Annelids	segmented worms (those species not listed as CHCRT)	NA
All other coral reef ecosystem management unit species that are marine plants, invertebrates, and fishes which spend the majority of their non-pelagic (post settlement) life history stages within waters less than or equal to 50 fathoms in total depth.