Hawaii Black Coral Diving Fishery - MMPA List of Fisheries

Current Classification on the List of Fisheries

^ Number of participants estimates are based on state and federal fisheries permit data. The estimated number of participants is expressed in terms of the number of active participants in the fishery, when possible. If this information is not available, the estimated number of vessels or persons licensed for a particular fishery is provided. If no recent information is available on the number of participants, then the number from the most recent LOF is used. NOAA Fisheries acknowledges that, in some cases, these estimations may be inflating actual effort.

*Observer coverage levels include the latest information reported in the most current final Stock Assessment Report (SAR).

¹ Indicates the stock or species is driving the classification of the fishery.

Basis for Current Classification

There are no known incidental mortalities or serious injuries of marine mammals in this fishery, and there is a remote likelihood of marine mammal interactions because the fishing method is highly selective (collection by hand or with handheld tools).

Distribution

Fishing can occur in both state and federal waters, in depths between 100 ft and 300 ft.

Gear Description

Divers using SCUBA or rebreathers to harvest black coral by hand or with handheld tools.

Management

The fishery is monitored and managed by the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources/ Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR), NOAA Fisheries, and the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council, as appropriate In general, fisheries are managed for the species harvested rather than by gear, but in some cases there are specific management measures for particular gear types or methods.

The federal fisheries management regime under the Fishery Ecosystem Plan (FEP) for the Hawaii Archipelago and implementing regulations under 50 CFR 665.260 through 665.270 includes mandatory permit and reporting requirements for black coral harvest in the Auau Channel Bed to facilitate monitoring of catch and effort. Regulations allow only selective harvest techniques, such as hand harvest or submersibles, and prohibit harvest of trees with a stem diameter less than 1 inch or a height of less than 48 inches. Black coral harvest at the Auau Channel Bed is also subject to an annual catch limit to prevent overfishing. 

A commercial marine license issued by DAR is required for all commercial fishing activities. This fishery corresponds to the following fishing method(s) defined by DAR: black coral dive. It is unlawful to take, destroy, or possess any black coral with a base diameter of less than 0.75 inches from state waters.  

Historical Information

Timeline of Changes