TAKE ACTION on Hawaii's Aquarium Fishery

[AquariumFisheries]

Just last week, Hawaii's Circuit Court Judge Jeffrey Crabtree lifted an injunction on marine aquarium fish collection in West Hawaii that had been in place since 2018. This paved the way for the State's fisheries management agency, the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), to begin re-issuing permits to resume the fishery in this locale.

But right on the heels of that, Hawaii State Senators Mike Gabbard and Karl Rhoads introduced Senate Bill 505, seeking to "prohibit the harvesting of aquatic life for commercial aquarium purposes, regardless of the method of collection." If passed, this bill would impose a statewide ban. It will be introduced for public comment and decision making THIS FRIDAY.

Do you have knowledge of, or experience with, aquarium fish coming from Hawaii? What are your thoughts on whether or not Hawaii's aquarium fishery should resume? Let your voice be heard. Follow the link below to submit your written testimony. Your statement can be short, concise, and simple. You can speak from your experiences, you can speak from the science.

Your testimony must be received by THIS Thursday, February 9th, at 7pm Eastern Time in order to be considered.

Hawaii State Legislature: Senate Bill 505

For More Information on Hawaii's Aquarium Fishery:

Renowned Aquarium Biologist Dr. Bruce Carson produced this video on Hawaii's aquarium fishery, offering a rich overview of its operation and the science behind it, featuring interviews from aquatic resource management experts at Hawaii's DLNR and NOAA.

The Coral Reef Aquarium Fisheries Campaign published this blog post of judicial proceedings dating back to 2012 that sought to ban West Hawaii's aquarium fishery. Ultimately, they were successful, until now.

The future of Hawaii's aquarium fishery hangs in the balance. Your voice can make a difference.

 

[AquariumFisheries]

Two Hawaii State Senate Committees convened this past Friday to discuss and vote on Senate Bill 505, seeking to "prohibit the harvesting of aquatic life for commercial aquarium purposes, regardless of the method of collection." If passed, this bill would have imposed a statewide ban.

Testimony poured in for the bill: 303 letters of testimony were in support of the bill, while 331 were opposed. 75 of those opposed came in the form of a petition circulated by Coral Fish Hawaii.

The Committee on Water and Land voted 3 (yes) to 2 (no) in favor of the bill, while the Committee on Agriculture and Environment voted 2 (yes) to 3 (no). The bill was narrowly defeated.

In spite of a wealth of data showcasing sustained increases in densities of many of the most popular marine aquarium fishes on West Hawaii's reefs during the operation of the fishery; there are powerful and vocal stakeholders who remain committed to closing this fishery.

Barring new legislation, the fishery is currently on track to re-open after a 5-year statewide injunction spurred by court battles. If it does, the State's Department of Land and Natural Resources' comprehensive regulatory landscape for this fishery can serve as a model for marine aquarium fisheries around the world that need examples like Hawaii to emulate for the conservation of their own coral reefs.