Posted on: Friday, March 30, 2001

Ezra allows longline tuna fishing except in April, May

Advertiser Staff

U.S. District Court Judge David Ezza today upheld a ban on longline swordfishing and banned longline tuna fishing in April and May in an area south of Hawai'i to the equator.

The ruling frees tuna fishermen to fish during other months of the year, but they must take steps to help sea turles hooked or entangled in longline gear.

Ezra's order modifies a temporary, 75-day injunction that had barred all longline fishing while the National Marine Fisheries Service completes a final Environmental Impact Statement on fishing regulations to protect the endangered sea turtles.

Ezra received the fisheries service report on Tuesday and based his latest ruling on the impact statement.

Longline fishing for swordfish has proven more dangerous for sea turles than longline fishing for tuna, according to federal studies.

The studies had suggested a longer ban on tuna longlining, but the latest impact statement suggests the shorter, two-month ban would be as effective in protecting sea turtles.