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HRS §190-3

Rules for protecting Hawaii's marine life

The Department of Land and Natural Resources must make rules to protect and increase Hawaii's marine life, like fish and coral. These rules can limit fishing, close areas, and ban harmful activities. Once in effect, they replace any conflicting state laws.

state agencies

The statute, as written — Rules

The department of land and natural resources pursuant to chapter 91, shall adopt rules governing the taking or conservation of fish, crustacean, mollusk, live coral, algae, or other marine life as it determines will further the state policy of conserving, supplementing and increasing the State's marine resources. The rules may prohibit activities that may disturb, degrade, or alter the marine environment, establish open and closed seasons, designate areas in which all or any one or more of certain species of fish or marine life may not be taken, prescribe and limit the methods of fishing, including the type and mesh and other description of nets, traps, and appliances, and otherwise regulate the fishing and taking of marine life either generally throughout the State or in specified districts or areas. The rules shall upon taking effect supersede any state laws inconsistent therewith.
Read the official text at capitol.hawaii.gov ↗as published Jan 6, 2026our copy taken Aug 20, 2026

LawTrove is not legal advice. The summary above is a computer-generated restatement — the authoritative text is the official version linked above.