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Species & Bag Limits
Marine Fish Regulations
Goatfish (Maui-specific rules noted)
| Photo | Species | Season | Minimum Size | Bag Limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Moano | Open | 7 inches (statewide expect Maui) 8 inches (Maui only) | — |
 |
Moano kea | Open | 8 inches | — |
 |
Munu | Open (statewide except Maui) | 7 inches (statewide except Maui) 8 inches (Maui only) | — |
 |
Weke ‘ā, weke ‘ula (Maui only), & ‘oama - ‘oama are weke under 7” statewide (or under 8” on Maui) | Open | 7 inches (sale) (statewide except Maui) 8 inches (Maui only) | 50 ‘oama (hook-and-line only in Maui waters) |
 |
Weke nono | Open (Maui only) | — | 2 |
 |
All other goatfishes | Open | — | — |
Surgeonfish & Other Reef Fish
| Photo | Species | Season | Minimum Size | Bag Limit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Kala | Open | 14 inches | 4 | Commercial kala permittees may take more than 4/day (see page 63) |
 |
Kala ‘ōpelu | Open (Maui only) | 16 inches | — | — |
 |
Kole | Open | 5 inches | — | — |
 |
Manini | Open | 6 inches | — | — |
 |
Uku | Open | 1 pound (spearing/sale) | — | — |
Deep 7 Bottomfish
Closed when announced. See additional bottomfishing regulations (page 61 of source PDF).
| Photo | Species | Minimum Size | Bag Limit |
|---|---|---|---|
|
‘Ula’ula koa’e (Onaga) | 1 pound (sale) | 5 total of all Deep 7 species (non-commercial fishing only) |
 |
‘Ōpakapaka | 1 pound (sale) | 5 total of all Deep 7 species (non-commercial fishing only) |
 |
Ehu | — | 5 total of all Deep 7 species (non-commercial fishing only) |
|
Kalekale | — | 5 total of all Deep 7 species (non-commercial fishing only) |
|
Lehi | — | 5 total of all Deep 7 species (non-commercial fishing only) |
|
‘Ukikiki (Gindai) | — | 5 total of all Deep 7 species (non-commercial fishing only) |
|
Hāpu’u | — | 5 total of all Deep 7 species (non-commercial fishing only) |
Schooling/Baitfish Regulations
| Photo | Species | Season | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Akule & halalū | Open | Unlawful to take akule under 8½ inches with net during July–October; or possess/sell more than 200 lbs of akule less than 8½ inches per day during July–October. See also net regulations (page 54). |
 |
‘Ōpelu | Open | No minimum mesh size. Unlawful to use animal bait except with hook-and-line in waters of South Kona between Ki’ilae-Keokea and Kapu’a-Kaulanamauna boundaries. |
 |
Nehu | Open | Bag limit: one gallon (home consumption). Nets over 50 feet for commercial use only. Bait license required for commercial use. Unlawful to sell or trade dried or cured nehu. |
 |
‘Iao | Open | Commercial use only; bait license required. Unlawful to sell or trade dried or cured ‘iao. |
Protected Species — No Open Season
| Photo | Species | Notes |
|---|---|---|
|
Mano (shark) & hīhīmanu (ray) | No size/bag limit. Unlawful to capture, entangle (alive or dead), or kill any shark or ray. |
 |
Honu (sea turtle) | No open season. Federal laws also apply (threatened and endangered species). |
 |
‘Īlioholoikauaua (Hawaiian monk seal) | Unlawful to molest, kill, capture, or possess at any time. Federal laws also apply (threatened and endangered species). |
Crustacean & Invertebrate Regulations
| Photo | Species | Season | Minimum Size | Bag Limit | Restrictions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Ula (spiny lobster) | Closed May–August | 3¼ inches (carapace length) | — | No spearing. Whole only, not mutilated. No taking/possessing with eggs. No taking or killing females. |
 |
Ula pāpapa (slipper lobster) | Closed May–August | 2¾ inches (tail width) | — | No spearing. Whole only, not mutilated. No taking/possessing with eggs. |
 |
Pāpa’i kualoa (Kona crab) | Closed May–September | 4 inches (carapace length) | — | No spearing. No taking with eggs. |
 |
Pāpa’i kūhonu (white crab) | Open | 4 inches (long or wide) (sale) | — | No spearing. No taking with eggs. No selling speared or with eggs. |
 |
Samoan crab | Open | 6 inches (width across back) | — | No spearing. No taking with eggs. No taking or killing females. |
 |
He’e (octopus, tako, “squid”) | Open | 1 pound | — | None |
 |
‘Opihi | Open | 1¼ inches (shell diameter); ½ inch (meat diameter, if meat only) | — | None |
 |
Clams, oysters, and other mollusks | Closed | — | — | Taking prohibited |
Sea Cucumbers
- Commercial consumptive take and sale prohibited.
- Personal use limited to 10 per person per day.
- Aquarium purposes exception (O’ahu waters only): Tiger tail (Holothuria hilla) and hot dog (H. edulis) sea cucumbers may be taken, possessed, or sold; bag limit 20 per person per day, until a catch limit of 3,600 animals per year is reached.
- Note: Commercial aquarium collection is prohibited pending compliance with HRS Chapter 343 environmental review.
Measuring Fish & Invertebrates
Fish
- Measure Fork Length: straight-line distance from tip of snout to middle of trailing edge of tail.
Ula (Spiny Lobster)
- Measure Carapace Length: distance from ridge between two largest spines above eyes to rear edge of carapace.
- Sexing: Male — swimmerets each have one leaf-like segment; end of fifth (last) walking leg not claw-shaped. Female — swimmerets each have two branches; first set both leaf-like, others have one leaf-like and one rod-like; swimmerets usually larger; end of fifth walking leg claw-shaped.
- Taking of females prohibited.
Ula pāpapa (Slipper Lobster)
- Measure Tail Width between first and second abdominal segments.
- Sexing: Male — “tail” (abdomen) narrow and pointed; front edge of carapace squared with growth, develops horn-like extensions. Female — abdomen broad and rounded; swimmerets larger with long bristles; front carapace edge remains rounded.
Kona Crab
- Measure Carapace Length in straight line from rostrum to middle of trailing edge of carapace.
- Sexing: Male — “tail” (abdomen) narrow and pointed. Female — abdomen broad and rounded; first two segments about as wide as body.
- Taking of females prohibited.
Samoan Crab
- Measure Width of carapace at widest point.
- Sexing: Male — abdomen continuously tapered from attachment to last segment. Female — abdomen broad and rounded; first two segments about as wide as body.
- Taking of females prohibited.
Pāpa’i kūhonu (White Crab)
- Measure Length or Width of carapace at widest point.
‘Opihi
- Measure Longest Distance across shell.
Identifying Regulated Uhu (Parrotfish) Species
Uhu uliuli (terminal male)
- Blue-green coloration with dark dots on anterior scales and pinkish edges on posterior scales.
- Conspicuous blue-edged lateral band in front of eyes, across top of snout.
- Bright yellow mark at base of pectoral fins.
Uhu ‘ahu’ula
- Dark reddish-brown coloration with darker scale margins. Red fins.
- Broad white band at base of caudal fin, extending into the fin.
Uhu ‘ele’ele (terminal male)
- Green coloration with dark blue marks around the mouth, extending to eyes.
- Squarish, nearly vertical humped snout.
- Bluish-green beak.
- Lunate caudal fin with trailing filaments.
Uhu palukaluka
- Reddish-brown anteriorly, abruptly changing to yellowish-gray posteriorly.
- Numerous small black spots and irregular lines on scales (textured appearance).
- Squarish, nearly vertical humped snout.
- Lunate caudal fin with trailing filaments.
Other Regulated Marine Species
Coral & Live Rock
Stony coral
- Unlawful to take, break, or damage any stony coral (including reef or mushroom coral).
- Unlawful to damage stony coral by introducing sediment, biological contaminants, or pollution into state waters.
- Unlawful to sell or offer for sale any stony coral.
- Exception: Stony coral rubble/fragments imported for coral jewelry manufacture, or dead stony coral from legal dredging operations in Hawaii, may be sold.
- Note: Taking of sand, dead coral, and coral rubble is prohibited statewide (HRS §171-58.5 and §205A-44).
Pink, gold, and black corals
- Unlawful to take, destroy, possess, or sell any pink or gold corals from State waters.
- Unlawful to take, destroy, or possess any black coral with a base diameter of less than ¾ inches from State waters.
- Exceptions (with permit): Take/possess pink or gold coral for scientific or educational purposes; or for commercial purposes, provided harvesters take only mature pink coral colonies 10 inches or larger in height.
- Note: Harvesting of pink, gold, or black corals may be suspended at any time.
Live rocks
- Unlawful to take, break, or damage any live rock (defined as any natural hard substrate with visibly attached marine life).
- Unlawful to damage live rock by introducing sediment, biological contaminants, or pollution into state waters.
- Unlawful to sell any live rock.
Limu (ogo)
Prohibited:
- To take with the holdfast (the part attaching to a rock or surface).
- To take when covered with reproductive nodes or bumps.
Bag limits:
- 1 pound per person per day for home consumption.
- 10 pounds per day per marine licensee for commercial purposes.
- No commercial taking on Maui.
Scientific Names of Regulated Species
Fishes
| Photo | Hawaiian/Common Name | Scientific Name |
|---|---|---|
|
Āholehole | Kuhlia sandvicensis, K. xenura |
|
Akule | Selar crumenophthalmus |
|
‘Ama’ama, pua (striped mullet) | Mugil cephalus |
|
Awa | Chanos chanos |
|
Goatfish (Maui) | family Mullidae |
|
Gold-spot herring | Herklotsichthys quadrimaculatus |
|
Hāpu’u | Epinephelus quernus |
|
‘Iao (silversides) | Atherinomorus insularum |
|
Kala | Naso unicornis, N. brevirostris, N. annulatus |
|
Kalekale | Pristipomoides sieboldii |
|
Kole | Ctenochaetus strigosus |
|
Kūmū | Parupeneus porphyreus |
|
Lehi | Aphareus rutilans |
|
Makiawa (mikiawa) | Etrumeus teres, E. micropus |
|
Manini | Acanthurus triostegus sandvicensis |
|
Marquesan sardine | Sardinella marquensis |
|
Moano | Parupeneus multifasciatus |
|
Moano kea | Parupeneus cyclostomus |
|
Moi | Polydactylus sexfilis |
|
Munu | Parupeneus insularis |
|
Nehu | Encrasicholina purpurea |
|
‘Ō’io | Albula glossodonta |
|
‘Ōpakapaka | Pristipomoides filamentosus |
|
‘Ōpelu | Decapterus macarellus |
|
‘Ōpelu kala | Naso hexacanthus |
|
Piha | Spratelloides delicatulus |
|
“Tabai” | Mollienesia spp. |
|
Threadfin shad | Dorosoma petenense |
|
Uhu (statewide except Maui) | Scarus dubius, S. psittacus, S. rubroviolaceus, Chlorurus spilurus, C. perspicillatus |
|
Uhu (Maui) | family Scaridae |
|
Uhu uliuli and uhu ‘ahu’ula | Chlorurus perspicillatus |
|
Uhu ‘ele’ele and uhu pālukaluka | Scarus rubroviolaceus |
|
‘Ukikiki (gindai) | Pristipomoides zonatus |
|
‘Ula’ula (ehu) | Etelis carbunculus |
|
‘Ula’ula koa’e (onaga) | Etelis coruscans |
|
Ulua and pāpio | Caranx ignobilis, C. lugubris, C. melampygus, C. sexfasciatus, Carangoides equula, C. ferdau, C. orthogrammus |
|
Weke (‘ā) and ‘oama | Mulloidichthys flavolineatus |
|
Weke ‘ula (Maui) | Mulloidichthys vanicolensis |
|
Weke nono (Maui) | Mulloidichthys pfluegeri |
Invertebrates
| Photo | Hawaiian/Common Name | Scientific Name |
|---|---|---|
|
Abalone | Haliotis spp. |
|
Cherrystone clam (quahog) | Mercenaria mercenaria |
|
Coral rock oyster | Crassostrea amasa |
|
Eastern oyster | C. virginica |
|
Hā’uke’uke | Colobocentrotus atratus |
|
He’e | Octopus cyanea, O. ornatus |
|
Japanese oyster | Crassostrea gigas |
|
Japanese littleneck clam | Tapes philippinarum |
|
Kona crab | Ranina ranina |
|
‘Ōpae (shrimp) | Order Decapoda |
|
‘Opihi | Genus Cellana |
|
Pearl oyster | Pinctada margaritifera |
|
Samoan crab | Scylla serrata |
|
Top shell | Trochus spp. |
|
Ula (spiny lobster) | Panulirus penicillatus, P. marginatus |
|
Ula pāpapa (slipper lobster) | Scyllarides squammosus, S. haanii |
|
Wana | Echinothrix diadema |
|
Wana halula | Diadema paucispinum |
Algae
| Photo | Hawaiian/Common Name | Scientific Name |
|---|---|---|
|
Limu | Gracillaria spp. |
O’ahu Aquarium Fishing — Regulated Species
| Photo | Common Name | Scientific Name |
|---|---|---|
|
Achilles tang | Acanthurus achilles |
|
Bandit angelfish / Banded angel | Apolemichthys arcuatus / Holacanthus arcuatus, Desmoholacanthus arcuatus |
|
Cleaner wrasse | Labroides phthirophagus |
|
Kole | Ctenochaetus strigosus |
|
Moorish idol | Zanclus cornutus |
|
Naso tang | Naso lituratus |
|
Ornate butterflyfish | Chaetodon ornatissimus |
|
Oval butterflyfish | C. lunulatus |
|
Potter’s angel | Centropyge potteri |
|
Reticulated butterflyfish | Chaetodon reticulatus |
|
Yellow tang | Zebrasoma flavescens |
See also rules for certain regulated areas.
Regulated Freshwater Species
Freshwater Game Fishing License required for introduced game species. Unlawful to sell introduced game species.
Introduced Species
| Photo | Species | Season | Minimum Size | Bag Limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Largemouth bass | Open | 9 inches (catch-and-release only in Wahiawā PFA; special provisions for Wailua Res. PFA) | 10 (total largemouth & smallmouth); catch-and-release only in Wahiawā PFA |
|
Smallmouth bass | Open | 9 inches (catch-and-release only in Wahiawā PFA; special provisions for Wailua Res. PFA) | 10 (total largemouth & smallmouth); catch-and-release only in Wahiawā PFA |
|
Channel catfish | Open | None | 3 |
|
Rainbow trout | Restricted (Kōke’e, Kaua’i only — see source p. 42) | None (may differ for Kōke’e, Kaua’i, as announced) | 10 (may differ for Kōke’e, Kaua’i, as announced) |
|
Tucunare | Open | 12 inches (catch-and-release only in Wahiawā PFA; special provisions for Wailua Res. PFA) | 3; catch-and-release only in Wahiawā PFA |
|
Oscar | Open | 10 inches (special provisions for Wahiawā PFA) | 3 (special provisions for Wahiawā PFA) |
|
Bluegill sunfish | Open | None (special provisions for Wailua Res. PFA) | None (special provisions for Wailua Res. PFA) |
Native Species
| Photo | Species | Season | Restrictions |
|---|---|---|---|
|
‘O’opu & hinana | Open | Use of traps, weirs, and nets (except thrownets) prohibited. Possession of nets (except thrownets) near waters where ‘o’opu or hinana may be taken is prohibited. Sale of ‘o’opu or hinana prohibited. |
|
Hihiwai, hapawai, & ‘opae kala’ole | Open | Unlawful to sell or offer for sale. |
Regulated Fishing Areas — O’ahu
Hanauma Bay Marine Life Conservation District
Location: Offshore of Hanauma Bay Beach Park, southeastern coast of O’ahu, from the high-water mark seaward to a line from Palea Point to Pai’olu’olu Point. Also designated as a State Underwater Park (Division of State Parks rules also apply).
Permitted:
- Possess a knife in the water for personal safety.
- With a permit, engage in activities otherwise prohibited for scientific, propagation, or other purposes.
Prohibited:
- Fish for, take, or injure any marine life (including eggs), or possess in the water any device that may be used for taking marine life.
- Take or alter any sand, coral, or other geological feature or specimen; or possess in the water any device used for taking or altering geological features.
- Introduce any food or other substance into the water to feed or attract marine life.
- Operate any watercraft.
Waikīkī Marine Life Conservation District
Location: From the groin at Kapahulu Avenue to the ewa wall of the Waikīkī War Memorial Natatorium, from the high-water mark out to a minimum seaward distance of 500 yards (or to the seaward edge of the fringing reef if it occurs beyond 500 yards).
Permitted:
- Possess in the water any knife, shark billy, bang stick, powerhead, or carbon dioxide injector.
- With a permit, engage in activities otherwise prohibited for scientific, propagation, or other purposes.
Prohibited:
- Fish for, take, or injure any marine life (including eggs), or possess in the water any device that may be used for taking marine life.
- Take or alter any sand, coral, or other geological feature or specimen; or possess in the water any device used for taking or altering geological features.
Pūpūkea Marine Life Conservation District
Location: Northern coast of O’ahu, from the high-water 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.
Permitted:
- Take and possess up to two pounds (combined total, squeezed dry) of limu kohu and limu lipe’epe’e by hand harvest only (holdfast must be left in place).
- Possess a knife for personal safety.
- Within Waimea Bay only: Take and possess any finfish with hook-and-line from shore (no more than two poles per person, one line per pole, no more than two hooks per line).
- Within Waimea Bay only (seasonal): Take with legal nets and possess ‘opelu during August and September, and akule during November and December.
Prohibited:
- Fish for, take, injure, kill, possess, or remove any marine life (including eggs), except as indicated in permitted activities above.
- Take or alter any geological feature or specimen.
- Possess in the water any device that may be used to take marine life, or alter any geological feature.
- Introduce any food or other substance into the water to attract marine life (except as permitted for fishing in Waimea Bay).
- Snag any akule while fishing from the shore of Waimea Bay.
Warning: Hazardous to enter water during periods of high surf along the North Shore.