Rule change requires registering lay gill nets
New rules for lay gill net fishing are now in place, and all nets in use must be registered with the Department of Land and Natural Resources, the department said in a news release.
Lay gill nets are set in a location for hours, usually with floats along one side and weights along the other. Fish that swim into it are trapped by their gills.
To register a lay gill net, the fisher must go to a Division of Aquatic Resources office on his or her island.
The person must have a valid photo ID and a description of the nets he or she wishes to register.
The description should include material (for example, monofilament) and dimensions (mesh size and overall net size).
Fishers do not need to bring their nets with them, except for the West Hawaii Fishery Management Area on the Big Island.
Fishers will receive codes and temporary tags to attach to nets, per instructions provided.
Permanent tags will be mailed to the fisher as soon as they become available.
CALL
Call DLNR Division of Aquatic Resources offices for hours:
Oahu: 1151 Punchbowl St., Room 330, Honolulu (587-0100)
Kauai: 3060 Eiwa St., Room 306, Lihue (274-3344)
Maui: 130 Mahalani St., Wailuku (243-5294)
Molokai: Puu Kapeelua Ave., Hoolehua (567-6696)
Big Island (Hilo): 75 Aupuni St., Room 204 (974-6201)
Big Island (Kona): 74-380B Kealakehe Parkway, Kailua-Kona (327-6226)
Lay net rules and maps are posted on the Division of Aquatic Resources Web site at www.hawaii.gov/dlnr/dar/regs/ch75.pdf.