StarBulletin.com

State hosting meetings to discuss fish regulations


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POSTED: Saturday, January 24, 2009

WAILUKU » State officials will be holding meetings on Oahu, Kauai and the Big Island during the next few weeks to consider changing fishing regulations.

Officials said they have no proposed regulation, but are looking at minimum-size rules and regulating at least three families of fish, including the parrotfish or uhu, goatfish or weke, and jacks or ulua/papio.

State aquatic biologist Skippy Hau said that although some fish in each of the families have size and bag limits, not all are covered by state regulation.

Hau said the meetings will provide the public with an opportunity to make suggestions on these and other issues.

On Oahu the meetings are scheduled for Thursday from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Castle High School cafeteria, 45-386 Kaneohe Bay Drive; Feb. 5 at Kawananakoa Middle School cafeteria, 49 Funchal St.; Feb. 12 at Waimalu Elementary School cafeteria, 98-825 Moanalua Road; and Feb. 19 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Waianae Public Library meeting room at 85-625 Farrington Highway.

On the Big Island the meetings will be held on Tuesday from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the County of Hawaii Aupuni conference room at 101 Pauahi St. in Hilo; and on Feb. 3 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Kealakehe High School library, 74-5000 Puohulihuli St., in Kailua-Kona.

On Kauai the meeting is scheduled from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Friday at the Kauai Community College, Electronics Technology building, Room 114, in Lihue.

Similar meetings were held on Maui.

For more information, contact the state Division of Aquatic Resources offices on Maui at 243-5294, on the Big Island at 974-6201, on Kauai at 274-3344, on Oahu at 587-0100 and on Molokai and Lanai at 567-3778.