Holomua Marine Initiative

Customary Hawaiian fishing practices have solidified their legacy and future on Hawaiʻi Island, thanks to the approval of the regulations and management plan for the Miloliʻi Community-Based Subsistence Fishing Area (CBSFA) by the Board of Land and Natural Resources in June. CBSFAs are unique marine areas established and co-managed by the local community and DAR to protect fishing practices customarily and traditionally exercised for purposes of native Hawaiian subsistence, culture, and religion. The newly approved rules promise to support healthy fisheries for families on the South Kona coast who depend on them. DAR staff worked closely with Kalanihale ʻOhana, the Miloliʻi-based community group, and engaged other local communities and stakeholders to develop this new management plan. The rules include:

• Size and/or bag limits for pākuʻikuʻi, kole, uhu, ʻopihi, and ula
• Seasonal restrictions for kole, ʻōpelu, ʻū ʻū, and uhu
• No take of terminal males (blue) of the larger uhu species
• No take of female ʻaʻama with eggs
• No take of ʻopihi kōʻele
• No commercial aquarium fishing
• Specific gear and species restrictions within several sub-areas within the broader CBSFA boundary

To learn more, read the DLNR news release. 

Miloli‘i ancestral descendant Laila Kaupu.

The coastal areas surrounding Miloli‘i are one of the last pockets in the state where traditional Hawaiian fishing practices have been preserved and are still practiced today.

Watch this video profile of the Miloliʻi Community-based Subsistence Fishing Area, from DLNR.