After a decade-long rest period, the state and community groups will start the process of creating a fishing management plan for Ka‘ūpūlehu on Hawaiʻi Island's west coast.
In 2016, the state created the Kaʻūpūlehu Marine Reserve that temporarily banned nearshore fish harvesting in the area — about a 3.6-mile stretch of coast from Kīkaua Point to Kalaemanō.
The goal of the community-supported reserve's “Try Wait” period was to allow fish populations to recover following years of observed decline.
The rest period ends in July, when fishing is set to resume.
In preparation, the state Department of Land and Natural Resources' Division of Aquatic Resources, along with community organizations, is proposing a fishing permit and rules for the area’s fisheries management.
They include rules on catch limits, fishing gear, and penalties for violations in the area.
The rules include fish species like uhu, ʻamaʻama and ulua, but also set up bag limits, rest areas and other rules on ʻopihi harvesting.
According to submittal by DAR, the rules would “create, restore, perpetuate, maintain, share, and protect culturally and ecologically important resources and ensure a socially and ecologically sustainable subsistence fishery at Kaʻūpūlehu and Kūkiʻo that aligns with traditional resource management practices.”
Rebecca Most is executive director for Hui Kahuwai, one of the community groups that would help the state manage fishing there.
“It's been our intention from the beginning to always be able to manage from a place of abundance rather than depletion. And we know that when fishing resumes, it's going to open to all,” Most said.
“What we don't know is how many people are going to come fish, so we intentionally designed our fisheries management plan and the regulations … to take a precautionary approach so that those that are coming to feed their families can feed their families for the long term.”
On Friday, the state Board of Land and Natural Resources asked DAR and the hui to collaborate with other resource users before holding public hearings on the proposed rules.
