Lawe aku a pono...Take only what is needed 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Thomas Cummings, Jr.,
Former Fisherman and Bishop Museum Educational Sspecialist

“The bounty of the Pacific Ocean has sustained Hawaiians for hundreds of years. With seafood as the main source of protein for early inhabitants, leaders took great care in managing our islands’ first fisheries. Today, with new fishing techniques and high technology, our ocean resources are more vulnerable to overfishing than ever before. It is vital that we return to our traditional values of caring for the sea, so that it will care for us for many more generations.”

 


There are several causes for the decline in Hawaii’s nearshore reefs and fishes, including heavy fishing pressure, pollution and runoff, and invasive species. However, scientists and most fishermen agree that overfishing is one of the most serious problems. To address this threat, the Fair Catch campaign recommends…

Responsible Fishing
Fishing by throw net, pole and line, hand line, and breath-hold spear fishing can be done in a sustainable way if we take only what we need, avoid damaging the reefs, and release the large fishes that are so critical to replenishing our reefs. Use of certain harmful methods should be avoided, such as monofilament lay gill nets, night spearing that targets resting fishes, and scuba fishing for native species in their deep water refuges.

Policy Change
We recommend a statewide ban on the use of monofilament lay gill nets, and we support the State’s new rules to restrict their use. All fishery regulations should affirm native Hawaiian gathering rights.

Fisheries Enforcement
We recommend the State dedicate more financial and human resources toward ensuring enforcement of fisheries regulations designed to conserve our marine life, including prosecuting violations and imposing strict penalties when needed.

Scientific Monitoring
We recommend expanding scientific monitoring of our nearshore resources. This is critical to better understanding the health of fish populations and the state of the reefs, and to determining the effectiveness of fisheries regulations.

Public Participation and Education
We urge communities to participate by joining the State’s new Makai Watch program. Communities can help monitor compliance with marine conservation laws, gather data on the health of our ocean, and identify solutions for other threats to it.

For more information, please contact us at 808-587-6224 or info@faircatchhawaii.org