Division of Aquatic Resources

UPDATE: 3/13/20 – Public Hearing Postponed (attached news release)

The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) will hold Public Hearings on the proposed adoption of a new chapter under the Hawaii Administrative Rules to establish the Moomomi Community-Based Subsistence Fishing Area (CBSFA) to manage and protect fish stocks and to reaffirm traditional and customary native Hawaiian subsistence fishing practices along the northwest coast of Molokai. The proposed CBSFA extends from Ilio Point in the west to Nihoa Flats in the east, from the shoreline out to approximately one mile. The proposed rules would establish new bag limits, size limits, seasonal closures, and/or gear restrictions for uhu, kumu, kole, moi, spiny lobster, opihi, and limu; prohibit night diving and SCUBA spearfishing; prohibit commercial fishing, with exceptions for bottomfishing for deep 7 bottomfish and trolling for all species; and establish special regulations to minimize disturbance of the marine environment in Kawaaloa Bay.

Public hearings are scheduled as follows:

Monday, March 23, 2020
Moloka‘i – Mitchell Pauole Center Conference Room, 90 Ainoa Street, Kaunakakai, 5:30-8:30 p.m.

Tuesday, March 24, 2020
O‘ahu – Kawananakoa Middle School Cafeteria, 49 Funchal Street, Honolulu, 6:00-9:00 p.m.
Kaua‘i – Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School Cafeteria, 4431 Nuhou Street, Lihue, 5:30-8:30 p.m.
Hilo – Hilo State Building DAGS Conference Room, 75 Aupuni Street, Hilo, 5:30-8:00 p.m

Wednesday, March 25, 2020
Maui – Wailuku Community Center, 395 Waena Street, Wailuku, 5:30-8:30 p.m.
Kona – Konawaena High School Cafeteria, 81-1043 Konawaena School Road, Kealakekua, 5:30-8:00 p.m.
Lāna‘i – Lanai High and Elementary School Cafeteria, 555 Fraser Avenue, Lanai City, 5:30-8:30 p.m.

All interested persons are urged to attend one of the public hearings to present relevant information and individual opinion for the DLNR to consider. Persons unable to attend or wishing to present additional comments may mail written testimony by Friday, April 3, 2020 to the Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR), 1151 Punchbowl Street, Room 330, Honolulu, HI 96813.

Anyone with a hearing impairment who desires to attend the public hearing may request the assistance of a sign language interpreter. The request will need to be received at least seven days before the hearing is scheduled to start. Additional information or a copy of the proposed rules will be mailed at no charge upon receipt of a verbal or written request. The requests may be made in writing (to the DAR address in the preceding paragraph), or by calling 587-0100 (voice or TDD) in Honolulu.

The draft rule is available for viewing and download at this link.