Council votes for bottomfishing restrictions

[PatMyGreen]

http://www.kpua.net/news.php?id=7742

-HONOLULU (AP) _ Bottomfishing in federal waters surrounding Hawaii will be prohibited from May first to August 31st.

The Western Pacific Fishery Management Council voted 11-to-2 today for the seasonal closure.

Bottomfishing involves trolling for fish like red snapper and opakapaka using hooks and lines. Large nets and longline fishing are already prohibited in Hawaii waters.

Council member Ed Ebisui says the closure is designed to reduce the mortality rate of bottomfish by 15 percent.

He says if bottomfishing isn't slowed, the state could reach a point where it is ``overfished,'' meaning the fish can't replenish themselves.

The vote only applies to federal waters, which represent about 20 percent of the waters surrounding Hawaii. -





Do you guys bottom troll for red snapper over there?

[thecrab87]

Do you guys bottom troll for red snapper over there?


No, our deepwater snapper are usually caught from anchored boats. Electric reels are often used, since they are found in 200 to 500 fathoms of water.

Opakapaka and onaga are the most well known, and if you eat in any high-end restaurant in Hawaii, you'll see them on the menu. Lehi is another big snapper. A little less common are gindai, kalekale, and ehu. The only big snapper that lives in freediving depths is uku, or grey snapper.

Pics below are state record paka, onaga, and lehi. That big, red onaga is a hell of a nice fish.