Jeff,
Here are the basic regs. NO coral or live rock what so ever. Me and the wife were really thinking about doing this also. But after talking to a couple people who had tried it we changed our minds. The whole keeping them alive and getting them back becomes a real pain. Other than catching them right before you leave you pretty much have to turn your hotel room into a fish life support area. There is one company over there that will hold and ship your fish to you though but if I remember the cost was fairly high. And after talking to a member here who actually did it, we changed our minds. I won't mention his name because of the flaming he got when he posted pics of his catch in the coral forums here in this site. Maybe he will pm you. But he did tell us that the hardest part was the actual catching of the fish. I believe he ended up with a couple convict tangs.
Believe me, I am with you on this. It would be awesome to know I collected my own fish in my tank and know they were collected using methods other than some of the crappy ways commercial collectors use. But after some research I think we are just going to save a little more $$ and go somewhere around the Marshall Islands and focus on collecting some interesting invert and coral species and then have them shipped to us by a dealer. But if you do give it a whirl please take lots of pictures to share with us jealous folks here at home.
1.Licenses issued to individuals are non-transferable and cannot be used by anyone else.
2.This permit does not exempt me from any other regulation, except that I may use fine meshed traps or fine meshed nets, except throw nets, to take marine life and non-game freshwater fishes for aquarium purposes.
3.I may not take any aquatic life that is regulated (minimum size, closed season, bag limit, etc.) or use nets in any area prohibited by provisions of the Hawaii Revised Statutes or Administrative Rules of DLNR, Title 13.
4.I may not use any chemicals, electro-fishing devices or explosives to take aquatic life.
5.I may not kill, damage or take any live rock or live coral.
6.I may not collect any aquatic life in any area where the taking of aquatic life is prohibited.
7.I may not sell any aquatic life unless I have a valid commercial marine license. All such aquatic life must be sold for aquarium purposes, and not for sale as food.
8.If I intend to sell any aquatic life, I must submit reports as required by the commercial marine license.
9.I may not take any of the following:
■"˜oama (juvenile goatfish less than 7" fork length)
■"˜o'opu (freshwater goby)
■halalu (akule less than 8.5" fork length)
10.I must maintain the proper operation of facilities designed to keep fish alive and in reasonable health.
11.I must keep all aquatic life taken under this permit alive and in reasonable health.
12.I must allow DLNR to enforce its regulations and to inspect the facilities where the aquarium life is kept.
13.I must carry the permit while engaged in collecting aquatic life for aquarium purposes.
14.If I do not have a valid commercial marine license, I may not take more than a total of five aquatic life specimens per person per day.
You might read a bit closer, because it says very clearly that no coral may be taken, and you'll have to do a bit more research as to what is restricted fish wise.
. Maybe I will get lucky? Wrasses would be on the list. A Bandit angel would be worth selling off the Zoas.
