An important decision to be made at the Hawaiian State Capitol today. FYI for all that are interested in this. Thanks to The Coral Reef Shop (My LFS) for keeping people like me in the loop. https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=931&year=2019
Ok so this is just a thought at this point but who out there have caught your own fish for your reef tank? The wife and I are going to the big island in December and agreed that catching a fish and bringing it home would be the ultimate souvenir! I'm sure I'll need some kind of expensive permit but that's ok. Anyone done this? Did you ship it back or take it in your carry on? Any info would be great, thanks!
It is ILLEGAL and please, please do not do it. We do not have an abundance of marine life. You would be very disheartened if you dove our reefs in the 1960’s when I was a child and then returned now. A few individuals have licenses to collect for the aquarium trade but it is very controversial as to whether even the best conservation habits are allowing fish to thrive. The pro-aquarium trade says yes, the majority of the conservation groups say no. There is data available to both sides.
If you want to visit Hawaii, please come, enjoy this beautiful place but take only memories and photos.
As long as it's done ethically, I say go for it. There may be some practical issues you have to deal with but the value of that fish would be totally worth a little risk.
I took a small (maybe 0.5x0.25 cm or even a bit smaller) frag of some kind of encrusting coral from my honeymoon in Grenada and it's doing wonderfully. I'm sure that it was very illegal, but I collected it right before leaving for our flight home, kept it in a half filled water bottle in my dive bag along with some red coralline algae and it's now in my tank. It's really doing wonderfully and although very bland in color compared to my other corals it's genuinely one of my favorites in my tank.
I hope to have a tank 50 years from now with a massive rock covered in my honeymoon coral.
How can that frag be ethical? If I, and every other diver took a small bit there would be a huge amount of damage. Are you one of those citizens who does not vote because a single vote doesn’t matter?
Do the right thing, get your corals legally.
Hi. chiming in..live here on Oahu and recently moved her (military) and LFS say illegal to collect all live rock and quite a few inverts. No coral is sold on the island so far that I've found commerically at LFS that is other than I think zoos of a certain type. So far have seen none of those at the only place reported to sell them (went there today). Illegal to remove any coral or live rock or even live sand according the the local authorities/laws. That said LFS guy said you "could" go get some crabs/sand and nobody would probably bother you. Coral and Live rock he said was another story. Fish yes...depending on time of year and what you caught...easy to hard depending on your skill and the fish. They often send their collectors out to get certain orders as they ship wholesale to mainland too. Biggest thing I noticed is pricing. Large Naso tang in the states would cost me upward of $150+ but here $50! Amazing!
As for export..good luck at the airport. Not what one poster said he experienced 25yrs ago. All bags are Xrayed that are checked 1st by Hawaii Wildlife folks to clear you of removing such things and then again by TSA. Carry on you'd have to get thru security (TSA again) who I am sure are well briefed on what Hawaii Agriculture/Wildlife folks will and will not let you carry home. So doubt it would work without an export permit and they have ratchetted down on those type of licenses I am told. Probably less cost to buy the same fish at home...but less memorable.
It is ILLEGAL. As one poster noted 25 years ago you could swim in what looked like an aquarium of the shores of O’ahu, but you really should have seen it 55 years ago! Now most of the fish are gone. Please, do not take any. The few legally licensed collectors are selling a few here (but you may not transport them out of state) and shipping them to the mainland although legislation to entirely stop the trade is pending as our populations have dwindled. About the only thing the sharks have left to eat is people and each other. (Sort of the Soylent Green of the marine world!)
One coral I have always wanted to keep was poccilopora verrucosa, I know it grows fairly abundantly in the Hawaiin islands, as well as throughout indo Pacific, but I hardly see it in the trade though? it grows in warty looking large dense lobes, I always thought its growth pattern was really cool.
In Florida there are huge fines and possible prison time if you collect the wrong thing, undersized, or don't have the correct license. I would imagine Hawaii is similar. Not worth the risk. Leave the wildlife where it is.
What would stop you from collecting, lets say tangs, and boxing the fish up yourself and going to the UPS Store in Hawaii and shipping it overnight or 2nd day to your Brother who lives 15mins from you back home.
I know the UPS Store will probably have you DECLARE whats in the box...... but if you just keep your mouth shut....
Just curious if the UPS Store in Hawaii MUST VIEW everything that's in a shipping box?
What would stop you from collecting, lets say tangs, and boxing the fish up yourself and going to the UPS Store in Hawaii and shipping it overnight or 2nd day to your Brother who lives 15mins from you back home.
I know the UPS Store will probably have you DECLARE whats in the box...... but if you just keep your mouth shut....
Just curious if the UPS Store in Hawaii MUST VIEW everything that's in a shipping box?
And if I did know the answer to this question, I certainly would not publicly post information that might help someone circumvent environmental laws...
What would stop you from collecting, lets say tangs, and boxing the fish up yourself and going to the UPS Store in Hawaii and shipping it overnight or 2nd day to your Brother who lives 15mins from you back home.
I know the UPS Store will probably have you DECLARE whats in the box...... but if you just keep your mouth shut....
Just curious if the UPS Store in Hawaii MUST VIEW everything that's in a shipping box?
I had thought about this as well but will pass on it if illegal. I do currently have an email in to the Hawaii dnr and will post a concrete answer to this thread when I have one. I had a feeling this thread would turn into environmentalist prosecuting me for asking for some information (although no one's really been that bad). Funny that people are disgusted at the thought of taking a fish home but I mentioned bringing my fishing pole earlier (maybe I'll mangle their mouths and let them go ((catch and release) or maybe I'll kill and eat the fish) and nobody has a problem with that...
I had thought about this as well but will pass on it if illegal. I do currently have an email in to the Hawaii dnr and will post a concrete answer to this thread when I have one. I had a feeling this thread would turn into environmentalist prosecuting me for asking for some information (although no one's really been that bad). Funny that people are disgusted at the thought of taking a fish home but I mentioned bringing my fishing pole earlier (maybe I'll mangle their mouths and let them go ((catch and release) or maybe I'll kill and eat the fish) and nobody has a problem with that...
I had thought about this as well but will pass on it if illegal. I do currently have an email in to the Hawaii dnr and will post a concrete answer to this thread when I have one. I had a feeling this thread would turn into environmentalist prosecuting me for asking for some information (although no one's really been that bad). Funny that people are disgusted at the thought of taking a fish home but I mentioned bringing my fishing pole earlier (maybe I'll mangle their mouths and let them go ((catch and release) or maybe I'll kill and eat the fish) and nobody has a problem with that...
If you look back at most of the posts the people are saying to you that they are worried you will get locked up for exporting the fish. I said to you that in most of the islands I have visited the hotel strip areas and some other spots are designated as fish sanctiorary areas. I said you can get fish outside that area but exporting them is often a whole different matter. If you feel the way you do then by all means go ahead and catch some fish and carry them back with you. Let us know how it works out.
Kris, That's what I initially assumed but according to this site it is perfectly legal to take reef fish home with you. Do you know for a fact that this is incorrect?
My apologies to those to whom I replied in this thread that this practice is illegal. I stand corrected. After reading the above noted regulation, (and I thought that I had read all of the regulations as I have had an interest in whether we can have corals in our marine aquariums in Hawaii), I spoke to the manager for DLNR Divsion of Aquatic Resources that oversees our fish and coral protection programs. In Hawaii it is not illegal to collect fish for personal aquarium use and DLNR notes that the issue of transportation of live specimens out of state is completely out of their purview. As noted above, it is legal as long as it is a legal species, legal size for a few size-limited species, you use legal methods to get the fish and collect them in a legal area. The follow is the address for the allowable equipment and has links to other information:
Thrownets Minimum size 2 inch stretched mesh. Possession of thrownets with mesh size less than 2 inches in or near the water where fish may be taken is unlawful. Unlawful to sell thrownets with mesh size less than 2 inches. HAR 13-75 Gill, draw, drag or seine, or other nets Minimum size for nets...
dlnr.hawaii.gov
Permits for personal use of the specimens are not required:
However, we have an ongoing debate regarding collection for aquarium use on the commercial side with a multitude of bans and regulations in place. There is scientific evidence suggesting that our reefs and fish stocks are in bad shape and getting worse, although there are programs in place that also lead some to argue success with appropriate management. Further, there is a complete ban on collection of sand, live rock and corals.
Here are some links, old and new that discuss the issue a bit:
KAILUA-KONA A bill that would have abolished aquarium fishing in Hawaii cleared its first committee Wednesday, but not before its purpose was significantly amended.
A Hawaii court has invalidated 131 recreational aquarium fish collection permits that would have allowed approximately a quarter of a million tropical fish to be removed from the state's coral reefs in a single year.
blog.humanesociety.org
What is missing from the story is our biggest problem is that land based pollution with ocean run-off and global warming are doing far more damage than aquarium collectors ever will. The native Hawaiian people were amazing conservationists. Clearly out of necessity, since they could not afford to damage the environment and just move on the way continental populations could. Even most other Pacific island populations are within a short distance to the next inhabitable place, but Hawaii is the most remote inhabited place on earth. And while limited numbers of seafarers traveled vast distances across the Pacific, the thriving population, possibly nearly as large as lives here today, was restricted to only local travel. They knew what they did on land affected their ocean and how they fished their waters affected their future. We came at the end of the 18th century and fairly rapidly "modernized" their society and tossed that knowledge aside by the late 19th century.
So I will repeat my plea: please leave our few fish in the ocean and take home memories and photos; buy your Yellow Tangs from a reputable local fish store that is using traceable channels to get their fish. That way you know that wherever they are coming from the local conservation policies are being followed.
People also need to know that this is most likely only because Hawaii is a state of the United States. If you go to most other islands they have strict laws on exportation.
The Marine park thing is becoming very common everywhere. You will often find it is mostly done to preserve reefs in areas where Tourist will be diving and also fish breeding sites. The downside is that it is now very difficult to get to the areas that are outside the parks as no dive company will take you there. Also most of the times you have no road ways or beaches you can easily access to get there.
Although it does require a permit, what you CAN bring home legally are invasive reptiles... so take a look for some Jackson's chameleons or Madagascar day geckos!
Ok so this is just a thought at this point but who out there have caught your own fish for your reef tank? The wife and I are going to the big island in December and agreed that catching a fish and bringing it home would be the ultimate souvenir! I'm sure I'll need some kind of expensive permit but that's ok. Anyone done this? Did you ship it back or take it in your carry on? Any info would be great, thanks!
This may be of some help.The Ban of Yellow Tangs is why the industry is working feverishly to Commercially Breed them.Make No Mistake eventually they will shut down wild caught and imports altogether.Even legit breeding operations are having trouble worldwide including the EU.This is happening on all wildlife.Here's a link.
"This is legal; catching them alive for an aquarium is not. No permit needed to kill them." Marine recreational fishermen in Hawai'i who hold special aquarium fishing permits saw those licenses revoked this week.
www.reef2rainforest.com
Best to call Head of enforcement in Hawaii.They know what you can do and not.HOWEVER!!!! There is light at the end of the tunnel.THERE ARE a few Importers there that have very good fish from sources Worldwide.Good prices and very rested fish.They can send them for you NO Problem.
Do your snorkel/Diving(Divers do it deeper But Snorkelers have more fun) watch the Lava spewing and have fun Dude!!!
Although it does require a permit, what you CAN bring home legally are invasive reptiles... so take a look for some Jackson's chameleons or Madagascar day geckos!
Yes and No.You can obtain a permit they allow you 1 each and must be hand carried which sometimes they allow and sometimes they don't.I used to buy the Jacksons from Hawaii everyweek 500 a time.You would think they want to get rid of invasive species but really all enforcement doesn't want you taking anything at all.If you go with someone then each one of you can take 1 then you would have a pair of each.Shipping is forbidden.
I am pleased to see factual information in this thread about the catching and traveling with fish. Also I love how much some of these bans are making captive breeding more viable. There may come a time where captive bred fish are released in the wild to help endangered species. That would define success to me, as it is already being done with corals.
www.reef2reef.com
