Aquatic Resources

LIHU‘E, KAUA‘I – The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), in cooperation with the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), is investigating the suspicious death of a Hawaiian monk seal on the Northeast coast of Kauai. Anyone with information about this incident should call the toll-free, confidential reward tip line, 1-855-DLNR-TIP

HONOLULU -- The Western Pacific Fishery Management Council, State Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR) and Federal NOAA Fisheries Service (NMFS) will hold public meetings on potential Main Hawaiian Islands (MHI) Deep-7 bottomfish fishery rules and regulations and changes to minimum size limits for the sale of Ahi.

HONOLULU -- On October 30, 2014, Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) team divers placed another 6,000 hatchery raised sea urchins on selected reefs in Kaneohe Bay. This is another milestone in the battle against invasive seaweeds threatening to smother coral patch reefs in Kaneohe Bay.

KAHULUI -- New state fishing rules regulating the take and possession of uhu (parrotfish) and goatfish on Maui island take effect on November 1, 2014, following signature into law by Governor Neil Abercrombie.

HONOLULU - The state Board of Land and Natural Resources (BLNR) today unanimously approved Hawaii's first ever Community Based Fisheries Subsistence Area (CBFSA) rule package for Haena on the island of Kauai. BLNR Chairperson William Alia said, "This is an historic action, following years of work by the Haena community in collaboration with Dept. of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) staff. This rules package gives the Haena hui an opportunity to protect its fisheries, based on traditional and customary practices. Native Hawaiians knew how to practice sustainability in order to feed their ohanas. This is strong recognition by government that we cannot do it alone and community-based management and buy-in is critical to sustaining Hawaii's precious natural resources for now and future generations."

HONOLULU – The wide-spread coral bleaching event being experienced on Oahu, Kauai and Maui has attracted the attention of two separate teams interested in documenting and further studying its causes.

HONOLULU – For a third time this week, a Maui ocean user encountered a shark in murky water today around 10 a.m.
Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement (DOCARE) officers report two women from Kihei, ages 53 and 46, were about 200 yards off Waipulani Beach Park, stand-up paddle boarding in five to six feet of water when one saw a shark approaching the other’s board. The woman said a tiger shark knocked her friend into the water when it bit the tail part of her board, and that she only saw the shark’s dorsal fin and head, which she believes was about two feet wide.

HONOLULU – Higher than normal sea surface temperatures (SSTs) have resulted in above-normal levels of coral bleaching at numerous near-shore locations on Oahu. This is especially severe along the windward coastline. Reports from ocean users and Eyes of the Reef Network (eorhawaii.org) volunteers prompted a response from the Dept. of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR) Coral Rapid Response Team.

LIHU‘E – The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) will hold a public hearing this Friday to adopt a new chapter under the Hawaii Administrative Rules (HAR) relating to the establishment of the Ha‘ena Community-Based Subsistence Fishing Area (Ha‘ena CBSFA).

DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES News Release NEIL ABERCROMBIE GOVERNOR WILLIAM J. AILA JR, CHAIRPERSON For Immediate News Release September 24, 2014 BOARD OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES TO ...
Read More 09/24/14 – Board Of Land And Natural Resources To Consider Adopting New Rules For Maui Fishing Bag And Size Limits