Hawaii Bottomfish Handline 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

Marine mammals, including bottlenose dolphins and Hawaiian monk seals, have been reported as depredating bait or catch from bottomfish handlines (Shallenberger, 1981; Nitta and Henderson, 1993). Depredation behavior may increase the risk of marine mammals becoming hooked or entangled. Stranding records and other information suggest several marine mammal species may be killed or injured in unidentified hook-and-line fisheries (Bradford and Lyman, 2015; Baird et al., 2014). However, at this time, no mortality or serious injury of marine mammals has been reported or documented in the fishery. The fishery was observed at 18.3-33.3% coverage from October 2003-December 2005 with no marine mammal interactions.

Distribution

Fishing can occur in both state and federal waters. Trips last 1-3 days. Fishing generally occurs in depths from 300 to 1200 ft. Fishing occurs year-round, but effort is concentrated in the late fall and winter and peaks during periods of low wind and sea conditions.

As reported to the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources/Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR), in 2013, 496 licensees used deep-sea handline gear on 3,824 trips, including trips for non-Deep 7 bottomfish species.

Gear Description

Fishing from a vessel using a vertical mainline with single or multiple baited hooks on short leaders and a terminal weight, used on or near the bottom. The line is retrieved manually, or by any other powered method. Chum bags are often used to attract the fish.

Management

Hawaii’s commercial and non-commercial bottomfish fisheries harvest a complex of 14 species that include nine snappers, four jacks, and a single species of grouper, although the target species. The species of primary management concern are six deep-water snappers and the grouper, commonly referred to as the “Deep 7 bottomfish.” These include onaga (Etelis coruscans), ehu (E. carbunculus), gindai (Pristipomoides zonatus), kalekale (P. sieboldii), opakapaka (P. filamentosus), lehi (Aphareus rutilans), and hapuupuu (Epinephelus quernus).  Generally, Deep 7 bottomfish are found along high-relief, deep slopes, ranging from 80-400 meters, while the remaining non-Deep 7 bottomfish management unit species including the jacks (Caranx ignobilis, Caranx lugubris, Seriola dumerili, Pseudocaranx cheilio), the gray jobfish (Aprion virescens), and the other lutjanid snappers (Lutjanus kasmira and Pristipomoides auricilla) can be found at shallower depths.

The federal fisheries management regime under the Fishery Ecosystem Plan for the Hawaiian Archipelago (Hawaii FEP) and implementing regulations under 50 CFR 665.200 through 665.219 includes three fishing zones: the main Hawaiian Islands (MHI) Zone, and two zones in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI), the Mau Zone and the Hoomalu Zone. All bottomfish fishing currently takes place in the MHI zone due to the closure of the NWHI commercial bottomfish fishery under Presidential Proclamation 8031. The MHI bottomfish fishery is managed collaboratively by the Hawaii DAR, NOAA Fisheries, and the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council. This fishery corresponds to the following fishing method(s) defined by DAR: deep-sea handline.

The State of Hawaii prohibits the sale of opakapaka, onaga and uku less than one pound and jacks less than 16 in fork length. In June of 1998, DAR established spatial management rules for the Deep 7 bottomfish by closing 19 areas to bottomfishing. DAR modified and relocated the areas in 2006 and now there are 12. The State does not have a specific bottomfish permit, but does require that vessels engaging in bottomfishing be registered with DAR, and requires fishermen who sell bottomfish to obtain a commercial marine license and report all catch within five days of fishing.

Federal regulations requires that all non-commercial bottomfish vessel owners and fishermen fishing in federal waters of the MHI possess a valid federal MHI non-commercial bottomfish permit and report catch within three days of fishing. Non-commercial fishermen are subject to a daily bag limit of five fish Deep 7 bottomfish.

The Council recommends and NOAA Fisheries approves an annual catch limit (ACL) for the Deep 7 bottomfish and a fishing season that starts on September 1 of each year. The catch limit is reviewed annually and is published in the Federal Register. The State of Hawaii regulates the fishery with a complementary rule. The catch limit applies to both commercial and non-commercial sectors of the fishery. To ensure the catch limit is not exceeded, NOAA Fisheries and DAR monitor the catch of Deep 7 bottomfish during the annual fishing season. If the catch limit is reached, all bottomfishing is closed in the MHI until the start of the next season. There is no prohibition on fishing for other bottomfish species during a closure for Deep 7 bottomfish.  

ACLs have also been specified for non-deep 7 bottomfish, as well as most other management unit species under the Council’s FEPs, but the Deep 7 bottomfish is the only sector for which the State of Hawaii has a complementary rule to close the fishery if the ACL is reached. For most of these other species, the fishing year starts January 1.  

Historical Information

Timeline of Changes

References

Baird, R.W., S.D. Mahaffy, A.M. Gorgone, T. Cullins, D.J. McSweeney, E.M. Oleson, A.L. Bradford, J. Barlow, and A.N. Zerbini. 2014. Evidence of high levels of fisheries interactions for false killer whales around the main Hawaiian Islands: Variations by social groups and correlation with increased mortality levels. PSRG-2014-15. 10 p.

Bradford, A.L. and E. Lyman. 2015.  Injury determinations for humpback whales and other cetaceans reported to NOAA Response Networks in the Hawaiian Islands during 2007-2012. NOAA Technical Memorandum NOAA-TM-NMFS-PIFSC-45. 29 p.

Nitta, E.T. and J.R. Henderson. 1993. A review of interactions between Hawaii’s fisheries and protected species. Marine Fisheries Review 55(2): 83-92.

Shallenberger, E.W. 1981. The status of Hawaiian cetaceans. Final Report to U.S. Marine Mammal Commission, MMC-77/23. 79 p.