Beachgoers in north Ka'anapali may now be noticing signs warning them not to feed the marine life nor catch certain types of fish.

The signs, which were put up last week, are to inform people about the Kahekili Herbivore Fisheries Management Area, which stretches from the shoreline into the waters off a stretch from Hanaka'o'o Beach to Honokowai Beach Park.

In the management area, people may no longer kill, possess or remove rudderfish (nenue), parrotfish (uhu), or surgeon fish and sea urchins.

People also may no longer feed nor deliberately introduce any attractant in the area of marine life, unless fishing for permitted species.

"The point of that is to help increase or bring up the stocks of a number of these species, so there is more grazing pressure on the reef. That way we should be better able to control the growth of seaweed that is occurring on this reef," said Russell Sparks, education specialist with the state Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Aquatic Resources.

Sparks explained that he restricted fish families and sea urchins are "grazers" that feed on seaweed that grows on the coral.

He said the seaweed grows relatively fast compared to coral and there is always competition for space on the reef between coral and seaweed.

"The seaweed is kept in check by grazing. All the animals on the reef eat it," he said.

According to data going back 15 years, roughly 50 percent of the living coral has disappeared from the area, Sparks said.

But he said if the state and the public act now, there is still structure in the reef that can support reef life in the future, with roughly 30 percent of coral cover still existing in the area.

"We are thinking here, it's not too far gone. There is still habitat to support the fish," Sparks said.

Although the new rule was approved by Gov. Linda Lingle in July, it took the department several months to create the signs, which is why they haven't been posted until now.

DLNR enforcement officers have held off on enforcing the new rules until the signs were posted, said Randy Awo, Maui branch chief for the state's Division of Conservation and Resource Enforcement.

Sparks said if violations are deemed criminal they would be classified as a petty misdemeanor and would be subject to fines. A first-time offense would result in a fine of at least $100.

Sparks said the state still welcomes fishing for species not on the restricted list.

Critics of the plan have complained the state is singling out fishing, when there are actually many causes of the reef's decline. Sparks said, however, that his department chose implementing fisheries rules, as that is what they have the tools and jurisdiction for and could do the quickest.

According to DLNR, the management area's northern boundary is a straight line extending 1,292 yards west from Honokowai Beach Park, and the southern boundary is a straight line extending 335 yards west from Hanaka'o'o Beach. The seaward boundary is a straight line connecting the seaward endpoints of the north and south boundaries.

For a map, see: http://hawaii.gov/dlnr/dar/regulated_areas_maui.html.