The Western Pacific Fishery Management Council, state Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR) and federal NOAA Fisheries Service (NMFS) are hosting public meetings on main Hawaiian Islands deep-7 bottomfish fishery rules and regulations and changes to minimum size limits for the sale of ahi.
The Western Pacific Fishery Management Council, state Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR) and federal NOAA Fisheries Service (NMFS) are hosting public meetings on main Hawaiian Islands deep-7 bottomfish fishery rules and regulations and changes to minimum size limits for the sale of ahi.
Bottomfish measure considerations will include options for noncommercial fishery daily bag limit, creating a market grace period during which seafood dealers and markets can sell deep-7 bottomfish after a fishery closure and changes to the state bottomfish restricted fishing area closures and reporting grids.
In Hilo, the meeting will be 6-9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 12, in the Hilo High School cafeteria, 556 Waianuenue Ave. In Kailua-Kona, the meeting will be 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 13, at King Kamehameha Kona Beach Hotel, 75-5660 Palani Road.
Workshops will feature interactive booths on the following topics: state of Hawaii bottomfish reporting requirements, standardizing and improving catch and effort reporting, volunteer noncommercial reporting, federal noncommercial bottomfish permit and reporting, ahi science and minimum size considerations, and community fish aggregation device voluntary reporting.