The Hawaii Department of Land and Resources, has through their inaction, allowed the resumption of collecting reef fishes from west Hawaii for the recreational aquarium trade.

As seen in the film The Dark Hobby, millions of herbivorous reef fish are collected each year and shipped to the mainland, many of the suffering and dying along the way. Also, Kona reefs are suffering when herbivores, or algae eating fish are removed, thereby allowing coral impacted by runoff to overgrow with algae.
The most commonly fished herbivores are parrotfish (uhu), chubs/rudderfish (nenue), and surgeonfish (manini, kole, kala, etc.). These species play many important roles in Hawaiʻi’s nearshore waters.

Coral reefs rely upon abundant populations of herbivores to remain healthy and resilient. Herbivorous fish maintain a balance in coral reef ecosystems by grazing the reef and preventing corals from becoming overgrown with algae.

The state of Hawai'i has adopted a new program Holomua 30 X 2030 to solicit public comment and buy-in of new regulations to manage herbivorous fish catch in Hawaii.

Regulations will be used to ensure responsible and sustainable fishing practices. The formal public comment period is closed but we can sill contact the DLNR to deny permits to aquarium trade collectors, or reduce their catch limit to the same number as the public, thereby limiting their impact.

https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/marine30x30/herbivoremanagement/participate-in-the-process/

West Hawai‘i – Chris Teague (808) 327-6226 christopher.h.teague@hawaii.gov

Please join us on our other petitions to ban the US shark fin trade
https://www.change.org/p/i-helped-support-the-usa-ban-on-the-shark-fin-trade-to-save-threatened-sharks-with-shark-stewards-you-can-too
and the ban on metal leaders in Hawaii longlines and protect sharks.
https://www.change.org/p/national-oceanographic-oceanographic-adminstration-tell-national-marine-fisheries-to-support-zero-kill-of-hawaii-sharks