The state Board of Land and Natural Resources has extended a temporary fishing ban for the pākuʻikuʻi, also known as the Achilles tang, until the end of 2026.
An existing two-year ban prohibits taking the fish from the West Hawaiʻi Regional Fishery Management Area on the Big Island. The ban was set to expire this month, but the land board voted to extend it until December 2026.
The state Department of Land and Natural Resources’ Division of Aquatic Resources requested the extension of the temporary pāku‘iku‘i ban, which is in place to help the recovery of the pāku‘iku‘i population.
“Pāku‘iku‘i are targeted as a food fish, particularly in West Hawaiʻi, with the majority of take occurring via spearfishing. … Pāku‘iku‘i are especially important for certain communities in West Hawaiʻi where pāku‘iku‘i are highly sought after,” DAR said in its recommendation. “They have also been a key component of the commercial aquarium fishery over the past several decades.”
Pāku‘iku‘i populations reportedly have experienced a “long-term decline” in the area, according to visual surveys from DAR. That's despite pāku‘iku‘i being a small percentage of the total catch of both those who collect them for food and for the aquarium trade.
DAR said it’s the fourth-most collected aquarium species in West Hawaiʻi, but still only 1.7% of the total catch. Pāku‘iku‘i catch is “dwarfed” by that of lau‘īpala, or yellow tang, and kole, or goldring surgeonfish.
The DLNR also conducted a Ka Paʻakai Analysis to understand how the ban would affect Hawaiian traditional and customary practices. It said the extended ban would have a short-term impact, but would be a benefit in the long term.
“ The rule amendments are meant to serve as a precautionary measure to promote the sustainability of pāku‘iku‘i populations, which should strengthen traditional and customary fishing practices in the long run. Although they'll likely impact gathering, the state has an obligation to establish regulations to conserve these resources,” said David Sakoda, the fisheries program manager for DAR. “The two-year moratorium will give us more time to further study and develop that long-term management plan for the species, ultimately so people can harvest into the future.”
