1/9/26 – MAXIMUM ADMINISTRATIVE PENALTIES FOR LONGLINE FISHING VIOLATION

MAXIMUM ADMINISTRATIVE PENALTIES FOR LONGLINE FISHING VIOLATION

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HONOLULU - Konane Zager, owner of the vessel Waiʻaka, will be fined $10,051.90 for violating longline fishing laws last May. His Commercial Marine License will also be revoked for one year. The Board of Land and Natural Resources (BLNR) unanimously voted to adopt the DLNR Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR) recommendations of the maximum administrative penalties for this violation.

The enforcement action stems from a May 7, 2025 incident off Hawaiʻi Island's Kona coast. Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement (DOCARE) officers documented that Zager, operating the vessel Wai'aka, deployed longline fishing gear extending 3.69 nautical miles - more than three times the legal limit - within Hawai'i's state waters where longline fishing is prohibited.

While on patrol, officers observed Zager's longline gear deployed in state waters and, while retrieving the gear, documented the take of three yellowfin tuna, two of which were later sold to a local fish buyer. The third was found alive and released to the ocean. Zager admitted to deploying the gear and acknowledged knowing it exceeded the one-nautical-mile limit.

Following the DOCARE investigation, DAR recommended that the board impose the maximum allowable administrative fines totaling $10,051.90, including:

• $1,000 for the first-offense violation of longline fishing within state waters
• $3,000 ($1,000 per ahi taken/injured)
• $6,051.90 in DLNR administrative costs for investigation and enforcement

The board approved the maximum administrative fines and also approved revoking Zager's Commercial Marine License for one year and barred him from reapplying for a new license until the revocation period has expired. Furthermore, the board directed DAR to transmit all its investigative materials to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Office of Law Enforcement (OLE) for further investigation of potential federal law violations.

"This action sends a clear message that illegal longline fishing in Hawai'i's state waters will not be tolerated," said DLNR Acting Chair Ryan K.P. Kanakaʻole. "Our fisheries laws exist to protect Hawai'i's marine resources and ensure that fishing practices are conducted responsibly and sustainably."

DAR Administrator Brian Neilson added, "state law prohibits longline fishing in state waters to protect local fisheries and traditional fishing grounds. The board's decision reflects the seriousness of this violation and the commitment of our enforcement and resource management teams to uphold these protections."

The total administrative fine and costs will be deposited into the Commercial Fisheries Special Fund, which supports programs and activities related to the management and conservation of Hawai'i's aquatic resources used for commercial purposes.

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RESOURCES

(All images/video courtesy: DLNR)

Photographs - Waiʻaka fishing vessel (May 7, 2025): https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/u0oh7ikm9p0t00kbt3qfn/APZ0SQ4WFqyM7qS4X6DT7Rk?rlkey=40cvvty9jra8t071qh6qz2l6k&e=1&st=yroclo0w&dl=0

Media Contact:

Patti Jette

Communications Specialist

Hawai'i Dept. of Land and Natural Resources

Email: [email protected]