Posted at 12:37 a.m., Monday, October 1, 2007
Reminder issued about new lobster, crab fishing rules
Advertiser Staff
The Department of Land and Natural Resources has issued a reminder to lobster and Kona crab fishermen regarding new laws that prohibit the take of female lobsters and certain female crabs, and the DLNR also issued a reminder on how to distinguish male from female lobsters.The open fishing season for lobster and Kona crab began on Sept. 1.
Taking of all female spiny lobsters, female Kona crabs and female Samoan crabs is now prohibited as a result of the passage of Act 77 by the 2006 Legislature.
Other current rules also apply to spiny lobsters: they must be a minimum of 3-1/4 inches in carapace (head shell) length, spearing of spiny lobsters is prohibited, and lobsters must be possessed whole (head, tail, and swimmerets attached).
Kona crabs must be at least 4 inches in carapace width; slipper lobsters must be at least 2-3/4 inches in tail width. As with spiny lobsters, the spearing of Kona crab and slipper lobsters is prohibited. There currently is no requirement to release female slipper lobsters.
As to the use of lobster nets, the DLNR considers lay nets and lobster nets to represent different and distinct net gear types. Specifically, a lobster net has a larger mesh size (4-7 inches), is made of stout multifilament colored cordage (usually bright orange or red) rather than monofilament or other slender line, and usually characterized by having only a 2-3 foot net face or panel, as compared to a 6-7 foot vertical net face or panel for a typical lay net.
The Hawai'i Fishing Regulations booklet, available at all Division of Aquatic Resources offices, various fishing supply outlets and online at www.hawaii.gov/dlnr/dar shows how to determine the sex of spiny lobsters, Kona and Samoan crabs.
