collecting in Hawaii
- Thread starter tony1
- Start date
I doubt very strongly that it's legal AT ALL. Hawai'i's fish and coral/invert collection is HIGHLY regulated, and I doubt that you'd be able to get the required permits. Then there's the issue of getting the animals into your home state. A whole different ball of wax. Contact state's (yours and Hawai'i) Fish & Game (or whatever the agency's called).
Tony-
It is VERY legal with exceptions. Please use this link to the Hawai'i DAR (Divsion of Aquatic Resources) for specific information.
http://www.hawaii.gov/dlnr/dar/index.html
If you plan on using a fine mesh net to collect aquarium fish you will need a permit:
"10) Aquarium Permit - required for any person to use fine mesh net for collecting aquatic life for an aquarium. Report required if commercial. HRS §188-31."
I have done this many (3+) times and have never encountered any problems. The most trouble I had was at the airport (in Honolulu) when the Aqriculture inspectors thought a cowrie (via x-ray) was an orange and they searched all my bags - they were only looking for agricultural products and could have cared less about my aquatic life. Remember, Hawai'i IS a US state and there are no customs to go through when you get back to California. Follow the regulations on the DAR website and everything will be perfectly legal.
I have always brought my catch (usually hermits, brittle stars, cukes and snails) on the plane with me without any problems. I would suggest getting some Kordon breathable bags from Monolith Marine Monsters so that oxygen is not an issue (brought four Ventralis Anthias back from the Cook Islands - they were caught by a collector there - using this method - total bag time 26 hrs).
Remember though
!!!) all coral (soft and hard) collection in Hawai'i is absolutely forbidden (!!!) This also includes live rock.
Also, please make sure that where you are collecting from is not a marine conservation area (areas are indicated in the website).
Have fun!! I still have the brittle stars and cukes I collected there four years ago!
sedgro
It is VERY legal with exceptions. Please use this link to the Hawai'i DAR (Divsion of Aquatic Resources) for specific information.
http://www.hawaii.gov/dlnr/dar/index.html
If you plan on using a fine mesh net to collect aquarium fish you will need a permit:
"10) Aquarium Permit - required for any person to use fine mesh net for collecting aquatic life for an aquarium. Report required if commercial. HRS §188-31."
I have done this many (3+) times and have never encountered any problems. The most trouble I had was at the airport (in Honolulu) when the Aqriculture inspectors thought a cowrie (via x-ray) was an orange and they searched all my bags - they were only looking for agricultural products and could have cared less about my aquatic life. Remember, Hawai'i IS a US state and there are no customs to go through when you get back to California. Follow the regulations on the DAR website and everything will be perfectly legal.
I have always brought my catch (usually hermits, brittle stars, cukes and snails) on the plane with me without any problems. I would suggest getting some Kordon breathable bags from Monolith Marine Monsters so that oxygen is not an issue (brought four Ventralis Anthias back from the Cook Islands - they were caught by a collector there - using this method - total bag time 26 hrs).
Remember though
!!!) all coral (soft and hard) collection in Hawai'i is absolutely forbidden (!!!) This also includes live rock.Also, please make sure that where you are collecting from is not a marine conservation area (areas are indicated in the website).
Have fun!! I still have the brittle stars and cukes I collected there four years ago!
sedgro
Getting back to california is no problem as longs its not on the california's Fish & Game banned list. You don't have to worry about wildlife service because you are not crossing any federal borders, just state borders. But only problem I can see is collecting rights, which I have no clue what is legal or illegal. I think sedgro clears this up, so I would follow what he points out.
hi.
Check out Dr. Michaelson's website. He is a researcher in Georgia Tech, but I don't have his URL handy.
He went thru all the hoop with the collection, and there is a few pointers in his webpage that tell you how to do it legally. Hawaii is very strict about livestock collection, and please don't let the problem ruin your vacation.
Check out Dr. Michaelson's website. He is a researcher in Georgia Tech, but I don't have his URL handy.
He went thru all the hoop with the collection, and there is a few pointers in his webpage that tell you how to do it legally. Hawaii is very strict about livestock collection, and please don't let the problem ruin your vacation.
I have collected 2 times in hawaii and it is perfectly legal. I did all my collecting off the big island in Kona. There is a aquarium store in kona that will bag them up for you, its been 4 years but if I remember who they are I will post it. We actually checked the fish on the plane with us all the way back to florida. Everything did great and was healthy.
Collecting hard and soft corals for research purposes is still allowed. As far as I know, when they collect for research they aren't allowed to return corals to the wild. They ARE allowed to donate corals after being used for research to educational institutions, which in turn can donate frags to hobbyists. It's quite possible to have a Hawaiian coral in your tank!
From what I've heard, it is illegal to bring in any coral, invert, fish from out of state INTO Hawaii. I don't understand where reefers get their stuff from there, or how aquarium stores even exist. Anyone?
From what I've heard, it is illegal to bring in any coral, invert, fish from out of state INTO Hawaii. I don't understand where reefers get their stuff from there, or how aquarium stores even exist. Anyone?
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