The Fishermen of Hawaii need aquatic industry support this week in what we hope is the final leg of reopening the Hawaii Aquarium Fishery. Hawaii has been shut for wild fish collection for the aquarium industry since January 2021, meaning the loss of many aquarium favorites like Yellow Tangs, Potter’s Angelfish, Kole Tangs, and more.
Litigation goes right back to 2017, but The Division of Aquatic Resources, the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council (PIJAC), and key aquarium industry stakeholders have patiently and professionally gathered science-led data, satisfied all of the criteria of sustainability, and are now at the point of permits for West Hawaii for the collection of eight fish species.
The final hurdle comes in the form of the State of Hawai‘i DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES (DLNR) which will make a final decision on August 23, 2024, and the Fishermen of Hawaii are asking you to submit testimony via email to the DLNR supporting the aquarium fishery and asking for it to be reopened.
Who to email
The email address for is: [email protected]
The subject line should read: Agenda Item F1 support
The body of the email should say: I support opening the aquarium fishery and managing resources by science provided by DAR.
For more info read https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/F-1-1.pdf
