Committee urges state ban on commercial aquarium fish harvest, forwards resolution to full council

On Jan. 6 the Hawaii County Committee on Governmental Operations and External Affairs voted unanimously to send Resolution 4‑22‑25 to the full County Council with a favorable recommendation. The resolution urges the Hawaii state legislature to prohibit harvest of aquatic life from state marine waters for commercial aquarium purposes.

Public testimony at the committee meeting in Hilo and via Zoom was heavily weighted in favor of a statewide ban. Keihanani Springer, a practitioner and researcher from Keaau, told the committee she stood on her written testimony and said the commercial aquarium industry “removes reef fish essential to ecosystem balance and cultural practice” and “our reef still may look alive, but it feels increasingly empty.” Multiple speakers framed the trade as an extractive, export‑oriented industry that benefits a small number of collectors while harming subsistence fisheries, cultural practices and reef resilience.

Corey Horden, representing the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs, highlighted resource and enforcement concerns and cited figures presented at the hearing: “The permits would generate about $700 a year, but the estimated cost of management and enforcement would be over 400 times greater than that,” he said. Several testifiers, including Maki Morinoe and Inga Gibson, said the Division of Aquatic Resources’ (DAR) proposed rulemaking to reintroduce permitted take is inadequate because DOCARE enforcement and monitoring remain limited and past closures did not eliminate poaching.

Councilmembers who sponsored or supported the measure noted those enforcement and cultural concerns at the dais. Councilmember Inaba, who moved to forward the measure, said the resolution was intended to support aligning county public comment with expected state legislation; she noted Rep. Lowen has indicated she will introduce a bill consistent with the resolution. Members who spoke in support cited threats ranging from climate stress and coral bleaching to declining herbivore populations and the difficulty of policing take across large nearshore areas.

The committee recorded a 9‑0 vote to forward the resolution to the full council with a favorable recommendation. The resolution does not itself ban harvest; it asks the county to urge state lawmakers to enact a prohibition. The full council will consider the resolution and any accompanying transmittal before the legislature acts.

The committee hearing included extensive written testimony and comments from community organizations and residents across Kona, Hilo and Puna; several speakers urged legislative action rather than incremental rule changes at state agencies. The next procedural step is consideration by the full County Council and coordination with state legislators reportedly preparing companion legislation.