COURTESY OF JOHN S. JOHNSON / ONE BREATH PHOTO
Violators of new rules for the use of lay gill nets face civil fines of up to $1,000 for a first violation and criminal penalties beginning at $250. Here, green sea turtle, a threatened species, nearly gets entangled in a gill net off Oahu's Leeward Coast.
|
|
Rules cut lay gill net coverage statewide
Stricter rules for the use of lay gill nets are now in effect, the state announced Wednesday.
All nets must be registered with the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, limited in size and used for no more than four hours at a time, in daylight hours only, a news release from the department said.
Lay nets are also banned around the entire island of Maui and on Oahu: between Portlock Point and Keahi Point (west of the Pearl Harbor channel); from Mokapu Peninsula to the northern boundary of Bellows Air Force Base; and in Kaneohe Bay seaward between the two ship channels, including Ahu O Laka.
The islands of Molokai, Lanai, Kauai and Niihau do not have banned areas for lay net use, but do have to follow other new rules. Existing rules in West Hawaii will continue.
Violators face civil fines of up to $1,000 for a first viola- tion and criminal penalties beginning at $250.
Full rules and maps are at www.hawaii.gov/dlnr/dar/regs/ch75.pdf.