Yellow tang may be limited, fish replenishment area may be swapped

March 19, 2010 – Kona, Hawaii
Video by David Corrigan

Proposals for new regulations on Kona’s tropical fish harvest industry have been given a seal of approval by two important councils on the Big Island of Hawaii.

The West Hawaii Fisheries Council recommended the changes to the Hawaii County Council, who in turn voted to pass a resolution urging the Department of Land and Natural Resources to adopt the new rules.

The rule changes are the latest discussion in a long history of debate about regulation in the aquarium fishery, considered to be the most lucrative of the near shore fishing businesses in Hawaii. The latest proposals follow a highly publicised incident in which 600 dead tropical fish, mainly yellow tang, were found discarded in the trash in Kona’s Honokohau Harbor. The photos of the discovery raised the ire of many local residents, who have long felt that thier beloved coastal choral habitat has been in jeopardy.

Bill Walsh of the DLNR’s Division of Aquatic Resources presented the management data to the County Council before the West Hawaii Fisheries Council explained how they arrived at creating the proposals. The Kona based fishery group said that the proposals were extensivly vetted amongst the active tropical aqaurium fish harvesters, and were approved by the local business operators.

The amendments, as listed in the Resolution, are:

1. The implementation of adaptive management of the Fish Replenishment Areas which specifically allows a reef area at Pebble Beach South Kona to be closed to aquarium collecting while opening a similarly sized area at Keauhou for limited collecting by lottery thus maintaining a balanced proportion of opentoclosed fish collection areas

2. The creation of a tropical fish white list specifying which species can be collected for the aquarium trade and a bag limit for large reproductively mature yellow tang and

3. The proposal of Limited Entry regulations for West Hawaii that would ensure participation in fish collection for the aquarium industry requires a high level of skill experience and regulatory compliance by fishers protects the economic value of the reefs and their marine life and provides economic incentive to fishers to promote good stewardship of the reefs

Councilwoman Brenda Ford expressed some concern over the swapping of collecting areas (Pebble Beach for North Keauhou) . She ultimately voted “kanalua” twice, as the rest of the council voted yes to passing the resolution.

Still images and graphics seen in this video are taken from Walsh’s power point presentation.

The wording of the resolution:

RESOLUTION NO 308 10

STATE OF HAWAII
RESOLUTION URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES DIVISION OF AQUATIC RESOURCES TO ADOPT RULES RECOMMENDED BY THE WEST HAWAII FISHERIES COUNCIL FOR THE SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF THE WEST HAWAII AQUARIUM FISHERY INCLUDING ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT OF FISH REPLENISHMENT AREAS ESTABLISHMENT OF AN AQUARIUM FISH SPECIES WHITE LIST AND ALIMITED ENTRY PROGRAM

WHEREAS the marine aquarium fishery in the State of Hiawai is one of the most economically valuable commercial inshore fisheries and the majority of the catch and value comes from West Hawaii and

WHEREAS entry into this lucrative fishery is presently unlimited the required aquarium fish permit is free and a commercial marine license is only 50 per year and

WHEREAS with the notable exception of the West Hawaii network of aquarium protected areas Fish Replenishment Areas other aquarium management regulations are sparse and

WHEREAS as reported in the Division of Aquatic Resource recent Five Year Report to the Legislature

1. Yellow tang populations in the open areas have declined 47 over the past decade

2. Over the same time period of time the number of collectors has increased by 19 and the total catch has increased by 25 and

3. Open areas have less than 30 of the number of yellow tangs as compared to the protected areas and

WHEREAS the recent dumping of over 600 tropical fish mainly yellow tang and reports of ongoing poaching prove that the our marine aquarium fish industry needs better management and protection from irresponsible fishers whether legal permit holders or illegal dealers and

WHEREAS it is believed that this unique and precious resource cannot sustain such growth without ample protection and regulation and

WHEREAS the Hawaii County Council recognizes that there is a need to more effectively manage the West Hawaii aquarium industry through several different management approaches and

WHEREAS the West Hiawai Fisheries Council has recently submitted a number of recommended rule amendments to the Department of Land and Natural Resources which include a variety of management proposals that will protect the tropical fish resource without unduly restricting the tropical fish trade business and

WHEREAS these rule amendments include

1. The implementation of adaptive management of the Fish Replenishment Areas which specifically allows a reef area at Pebble Beach South Kona to be closed to aquarium collecting while opening a similarly sized area at Keauhou for limited collecting by lottery thus maintaining a balanced proportion of opentoclosed fish collection
areas

2. The creation of a tropical fish white list specifying which species can be collected for the aquarium trade and a bag limit for large reproductively mature yellow tang and

3. The proposal of Limited Entry regulations for West Hawaii that would ensure participation in fish collection for the aquarium industry requires a high level of skill experience and regulatory compliance by fishers protects the economic value of the reefs and their marine life and provides economic incentive to fishers to promote good stewardship of the reefs and

WHEREAS the Hawaii County Council believes that while this industry contributes to the economic health of the Island of Hawaii it should not be at the expense of our island resources and other ocean oriented businesses now therefore

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE COUNTY OF HAWAII that it hereby urges the Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Aquatic Resources to adopt the package of rule amendments proposed by the West Hawaii Fisheries Council which include Limited Entry regulations adaptive management of Fish Replenishment Areas and a list specifying which tropical fish are allowed for collection and trade

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