Hawaii court ruling closes loophole for aquarium fishing - The Pioneer

Hawaii court ruling closes loophole for aquarium fishing - The Pioneer

Hawaii court ruling closes loophole for aquarium fishing - The Pioneer

Posted: 03 Dec 2020 05:52 AM PST

Updated

KAILUA-KONA, Hawaii (AP) — The state of Hawaii plans to comply with a court order to close a loophole allowing commercial aquarium fishing despite a previous ruling for the practice to be halted.

The Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Aquatic Resources said Monday it will stop issuing commercial marine licenses for aquarium fishing until the completion of an environmental review ordered by the Hawaii Supreme Court, West Hawaii Today reported.

Environmental groups and a individual plaintiffs filed a lawsuit in January alleging the land and natural resources department allowed commercial aquarium collection to continue despite the high court's order — issuing or renewing at least 72 commercial marine licenses to commercial aquarium collectors.

Environmental Court Judge Jeffrey Crabtree ruled Friday that the department violated the Hawaii Environmental Policy Act by failing to complete the required environmental review process.

The court understands the ruling "will cause economic hardship to aquarium fishers, their families, employees, and vendors. That is truly unfortunate, especially during the hardships already occurring from the pandemic," Crabtree wrote.

A group of 41 current license holders reporting aquarium fish catches will retain their licenses, state officials said in a statement. The one-year licenses remain valid because the court declined to issue an injunction stopping the practice.

The state Supreme Court halted aquarium fishing in September 2017 by ruling that fish collection without environmental review violates the Hawaii Environmental Policy Act.

The activity is opposed by some Native Hawaiians and marine conservation groups. Many reef advocates have urged more state scrutiny for decades.

"We are relieved that the court shut this illegal loophole so our reefs can finally rest while the agency examines the industry's harmful effects," plaintiff and Big Island resident Kaimi Kaupiko said.

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