This is amazing, a bunch of people who have tanks in their living rooms full of stuff from some ocean somewhere flaming a guy who wants to do it himself. Thats like being mad at someone for asking how to slaughter a cow while you are eating a Big Mac. Are all of you flamers staring at tanks filled only with captive-bred fish and aquacultured corals? If not i say stop throwing stones in glass houses. How many fish died on that trip to get that one single tang in to your tank, and you feel ok about it because you bought it at a fish store? Get over yourselves...
thelizardkin - i love the fact that you put the trout in your pond, guess someone is eating crow, and its not you!
One more point, the permit says "aquatic life" not fish, coral and live rock are prohibited, and anything on a protected list. Otherwise fair game.
Anyway, now maybe I can take a little heat off you, I am in Portland, going to Maui in July, permit is in my wallet. I would like to know if you actually manage to get any useful information on good collection sites, I have found some good stuff on other forums, but that was for Oahu. Let me know if there is an LFS that is willing to hold your stuff too. Good luck, if I find any rad places I will let you know since you are going after me. I am going 7/25 - 7/31.
Dont let these guys get you down, there are so many miserable people out there just waiting to rain on someones day.