Division of Aquatic Resources | Regulated Fishing Areas on O’ahu

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Regulated Fishing Areas on O’ahu

Hanauma Bay MLCD

Location	The Hanauma Bay Marine Life Conservation District is located offshore of the City and County of Honolulu’s Hanauma Bay Beach Park on the southeastern coast of O‘ahu, from the highwater mark seaward to a line from Palea Point to Pai‘olu‘olu Point. Hanauma Bay has also been designated as a State Underwater Park of the Division of State Parks. Rules of the State Park system also apply to the use of the underwater park.
Permitted	To possess in the water a knife for personal safety. With a permit, to engage in activities otherwise prohibited by law for scientific, propagation or other purposes.
Prohibited	To fish for, take or injure any marine life (including eggs), or possess in the water any device that may be used for the taking of marine life. To take or alter any sand, coral or other geological feature or specimen, or possess in the water any device that may be used for the taking or altering of a geological feature or specimen. To introduce any food or other substance into the water to feed or attract marine life. To operate any watercraft.

Pūpūkea MLCD

Location	The Pūpūkea Marine Life Conservation District is located on the northern coast of O‘ahu, from the highwater mark seaward, bounded by a line extending due west from Kulalua Point to a point 100 yards offshore, then south to the most seaward exposed rock of Wananapaoa Islets on the south side of Waimea Bay (including the islets), then due southeast to shore, as shown.
Permitted	To take and possess up to two pounds (combined total, squeezed dry) of limu kohu and limu lipe‘epe‘e by hand harvest only, provided the limu’s holdfast is left in place. To possess a knife for personal safety only. Within Waimea Bay only: To take and possess any finfish with hook-and-line from shore, with not more than two poles per person and one line per pole with no more than two hooks per line. To take with legal nets and possess ‘opelu during August and September, and akule during November and December.
Prohibited	To fish for, take, injure, kill, possess or remove any marine life (including eggs), except as indicated in permitted activities above. To take or alter any geological feature or specimen. To possess in the water any device that may be used to take marine life, or alter any geological feature or specimen. To introduce any food or other substance into the water to attract marine life, except as permitted for fishing in Waimea Bay. To snag any akule while fishing from the shore of Waimea Bay according to permitted activities above.
Warning	Hazardous to enter water during periods of high surf along the North Shore.

Waikīkī MLCD

Location	The Waikīkī Marine Life Conservation District extends from the groin at Kapahulu Avenue to the ewa wall of the Waikīkī War Memorial Natatorium, from the highwater mark out to a minimum seaward distance of 500 yards, or to the seaward edge of the fringing reef if one occurs beyond 500 yards.
Permitted	To possess in the water any knife and any shark billy, bang stick, powerhead or carbon dioxide injector. With a permit to engage in activities otherwise prohibited by law for scientific, propagation or other purposes.
Prohibited	To fish for, take or injure any marine life (including eggs), or possess in the water any device that may be used for the taking of marine life. To take or alter any sand, coral or other geological feature or specimen, or possess in the water any device that may be used for the taking or altering of a geological feature or specimen.

Ala Wai Canal, Kapālama Canal

Location	Ala Wai Canal is located immediately north of Waikīkī, and for the purposes described here includes the Manoa-Pālolo drainage canal at the mouth of Manoa and Pālolo Streams. Kapālama Canal is located at the mouth of Kapālama Stream, north of Sand Island.
Permitted	To take any legal size fish in season with one line, or one rod and line, with no more than two hooks. To take crabs with not more than 10 nets, provided the nets are not more than two feet in diameter. To take shrimp for bait with a hand net, provided that the net is not more than three feet in any dimension. Within the Ala Wai Canal only, take up to 50 “tabai” or mosquito fish, ‘o‘opu akupa, tilapia or a combination thereof per day for non-commercial purposes, with a single small mesh net, provided the net including the handle and any attachment is not more than three feet in any dimension. Commercial Marine licensees with a Bait License may take nehu, iao, and other authorized baitfish for bait purposes. Licensed pond owners or operators may take young mullet (pua) or other small fish for stocking their fishpond.
Prohibited	To fish in or take aquatic life, except as indicated in permitted activities above.

Coconut Island – Hawai‘i Marine Laboratory Refuge

Location	The Hawai‘i Marine Laboratory Refuge consists of the reefs and bay waters surrounding Coconut (Moku-o-loe) Island located in Kāne‘ohe Bay, from the highwater mark on the island seaward to twenty-five feet beyond the outer edges of the reefs.
Prohibited	Unlawful to take any aquatic life from within the boundaries of the refuge.
Exceptions	This restriction does not apply to any officer, faculty member, employee or student of the University of Hawai‘i, or licensee of the Board of Regents of the University of Hawai‘i while employed in catching or taking of aquatic life for scientific purposes. All authorized taking of aquatic life must follow minimum size and closed seasons for certain species, gear restrictions, etc.

‘Ewa Limu Management Area

Location	The ‘Ewa Limu Management Area is located in the waters off ‘Ewa Beach on the south shore of O‘ahu, and extends from the western edge of the gunnery range to Mu‘umu‘u Place, from the shoreline 150 feet seaward.
Permitted	To hand-pick up to one pound of all types of limu combined per person per day from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm during the months of July, November, and December. To exercise native Hawaiian gathering rights and traditional cultural practices as authorized by law.
Prohibited	To pick, gather, harvest or otherwise take limu except as described above without a permit.

Heʻeia Kea Wharf

Location	Heʻeia Kea Wharf is located at Heʻeia Kea Boat Harbor on Kāneʻohe Bay, Oʻahu.
Permitted	To take any legal size fish in season with one line, or one rod and line, with no more than two hooks. To take crabs with not more than 10 nets, provided the nets are not more than two feet in diameter. To take shrimp for bait with a hand net, provided that the net is not more than three feet in any dimension. Commercial Marine licensees with a Bait License may take nehu, iao, and other authorized baitfish for bait purposes. Licensed pond owners or operators may take young mullet (pua) or other small fish for stocking their fishpond.
Prohibited	To fish in or take aquatic life, except as indicated in permitted activities above.

Honolulu Harbor

Location	Honolulu Harbor is the primary port on the southern coast of O‘ahu.
Permitted	Commercial Marine licensees with a Bait License may take baitfish during periods scheduled by the harbor master.
Prohibited	Unlawful to take fish by means of any draw, drag or seine net.
Note	All boaters must be in contact with the harbor controller (VHF Ch. 12) whenever operating in Honolulu Harbor.

Pōka‘ī Bay

Location	That portion of Pōka‘ī Bay including the Pōka‘ī Boat Harbor and the Wai‘anae Small Boat Harbor, the seaward boundary a straight line from Kaneilio Point to Lahilahi Point, and the northwestern boundary a straight line extending southwest from the point immediately seaward of Wai‘anae High School.
Permitted	To take any legal size fish in season with one line, or one rod and line, with no more than two hooks. To take crabs with not more than 10 nets, provided the nets are not more than two feet in diameter. To take shrimp for bait with a hand net, provided that the net is not more than three feet in any dimension. Commercial Marine licensees with a Bait License may take nehu, iao, and other authorized baitfish for bait purposes. Licensed pond owners or operators may take young mullet (pua) or other small fish for stocking their fishpond.
Prohibited	To fish in or take aquatic life, except as indicated in permitted activities above.

Waialua Bay (Hale‘iwa Harbor)

Location	That portion of Waialua Bay at Hale‘iwa bounded by lines drawn 100 yards seaward of and parallel to the Hale‘iwa Harbor Breakwater and 100 yards seaward of and parallel to the Hale‘iwa Beach Groin, and inland by a line ten yards downstream of and parallel to the Anahulu Bridge.
Permitted	To take any legal size fish in season with one line, or one rod and line, with no more than two hooks. To take crabs with not more than 10 nets, provided the nets are not more than two feet in diameter. To take shrimp for bait with a hand net, provided that the net is not more than three feet in any dimension. Commercial Marine licensees with a Bait License may take nehu, iao, and other authorized baitfish for bait purposes. Licensed pond owners or operators may take young mullet (pua) or other small fish for stocking their fishpond.
Prohibited	To fish in or take aquatic life, except as indicated in permitted activities above.

Wahiawā Public Fishing Area

Location	The Wahiawā Public Fishing Area includes a portion of the privately-owned Wahiawā Reservoir (Lake Wilson) in the central portion of Oahu. The Wahiawā State Freshwater Park is located along the South Fork of the Reservoir and includes a boat launching ramp and vehicle-trailer parking areas. The Park is a facility of the Division of State Parks. Rules of the State Parks System apply to the use of the facility.
Permitted	To fish with hook-and-line with not more than one lure or baited hook or two artificial flies attached to a single line, provided that on weekends and holidays only one line may be used, and on weekdays other than holidays two lines may be used. To use attended traps and dip nets up to two feet long, wide, or high, excluding the handle, to land hooked fish or to take certain baitfishes, provided that tucunare, bass, channel catfish and oscar shall not be used as bait.
Prohibited	To enter into or fish without a valid Freshwater Game Fishing License and entry permit or other appropriate license or permit, and a USCG approved personal floatation device, and provided that all licensees or permittees under 15 years of age are accompanied by an adult. To enter onto, fish from, or approach within 200 feet of the spillway dam and its shoreline, or to enter into or fish within the Forest Reserve along the North Fork. To swim, water ski, camp, picnic, build fires, dispose of refuse or pollute the waters, or damage public or private property. To possess any firearms, air rifles or pistols, bows and arrows, spear, trotlines, nets other than dip nets, chemicals or other illegal fishing gear. To snag any fish. To operate a boat exceeding 18 feet in length, or for purposes other than fishing, or at speeds in excess of five miles per hour, or constructed of material other than wood unless provided with flotation to render the boat unsinkable.
Exceptions to size and bag limits	Bass and tucunare. Catch and release fishing only. Unlawful to keep, retain, hold, or kill any bass or tucunare. Bass or tucunare brought to shore or on board a vessel must be returned to the water immediately. Oscar. Bag limit 1.

Waikīkī-Diamond Head Shoreline Fisheries Management Area

Location	The Waikīkī-Diamond Head Shoreline Fisheries Management Area extends from the ewa wall of the Waikīkī War Memorial Natatorium to the Diamond Head Lighthouse, from the highwater mark out to a minimum seaward distance of 500 yards, or to the seaward edge of the fringing reef if one occurs beyond 500 yards.
Fishing periods	“Open to fishing” from January 1 to December 31 of even-numbered years. “Closed to fishing” from January 1 to December 31 of odd-numbered years.
Permitted	To fish for, take or possess any legal size marine life in season during the “open to fishing” period, provided that only hook-and-line, thrownet, handnet to land hooked fish, and spear fishing and hand harvesting methods are employed. With a permit to engage in activities otherwise prohibited by law for scientific, propagation or other purposes.
Prohibited	To fish for, take or injure any marine life (including eggs), or to possess in the water any fishing gear during the “closed to fishing” period. To use any spear between the hours of 6:00 pm to 6:00 am, or have or possess in the water any trap or net except thrownet or handnet to land hooked fish during the “open to fishing” period.