Hawai'i Fisheries Initiative - The Hawaii Institute for Public Affairs

or Olive Ridley sea turtles have been
reported in the bottomfish fishery,
despite the turtles known to be in the
same habitat regions. 252
Regarding species in Hawaiian waters,
federal protection under the Endangered
Species Act 253 is accorded seven species
of marine mammals, five species of
sea turtles, and one species of seabird.
Other marine mammals and seabirds
are protected under the Marine Mammal
Protection Act 254 or the U.S. Migratory
Bird Treaty Act. 255 Potentially, a species
can be listed both under the ESA and
the MMPA. 256
In the pelagics fisheries, the largest
component of bycatch is sharks, primarily
the blue shark, which have a high
post-release survival rate. Sharks and
other finfish are discarded for economic
and regulatory reasons. In the past, many
sharks were finned; however, both state
and federal regulations now prohibit this
practice. In 2001, 96 percent of the 45,000
sharks caught in the longline fisheries
were discarded, with the balance retained
whole. Interactions with seabirds and
sea turtles remain issues in the longline
fisheries; there have been no reported
interactions between longliners and
Hawaiian monk seals since 1993, and
very few interactions between longliners
and ESA-listed whales. Research into
sea temperatures is showing promise in
locating potential turtle territory so that
swordfish longliners, armed with this
information, can avoid that depth range. 257
Changes in species release and handling
procedures and fishing methods – such as
side setting and the use of circle hooks –
have shown to be effective means of
reducing seabird and sea turtle bycatch,
or dealing with caught species to limit
physical damage or mortality. 258 Side
setting shows potential for eliminating
seabird bycatch in the longline tuna fishery
and reducing bycatch by 87 percent in the
longline swordfish fishery. 259 Side setting of
longline gear moves operations from the
back of the boats to the side; crew set the
baited hooks close to the vessel’s side, and
seabirds are unable (or unwilling) to dive
on the bait. 260 The practice was voluntarily
adopted by 15 percent of the Hawai‘ibased
longline fleet before Wespac began
to formally consider including this seabirdavoidance
measure in its regulations. 261
Use of nets contributes to bycatch – fish
drop out before harvest either injured or
dead, and ghost (lost) nets continue to
capture and kill fish, and destroy coral and
valuable habitat. A major concern with
lay gillnets is the entangling and killing
of protected species such as sea turtles or
monk seals. Lay gillnets have been called
one of the most destructive near-shore
fishing methods, snaring indiscriminately
both targeted and non-targeted species,
as well as destroying bottom habitat.
Bycatch can amount to fifteen times the
amount of targeted catch. Recently, DAR
implemented gillnet regulations for size,
time, and area limitations. 262
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