Hawaiʻi Division of Aquatic Resources

Hawaiʻi Division of Aquatic Resources
Name	Division of Aquatic Resources
Native name	Na Kuhina ʻAuamo i ke Kai
Formed	1969
Jurisdiction	Hawaii
Headquarters	Honolulu
Parent agency	Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources

Hawaiʻi Division of Aquatic Resources is the state agency within the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources responsible for stewardship of marine and fresh water resources across the Hawaiian Islands, including Hawaiʻi (island), Maui, Oʻahu, Kauaʻi, Molokaʻi and Lānaʻi. The division administers fisheries management, habitat conservation, aquaculture permitting, and enforcement programs, working alongside tribal, federal, and local entities such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and regional offices of the Pacific Islands Fishery Science Center.

History

The division traces institutional roots to territorial-era marine boards and the creation of the Territory of Hawaii conservation apparatus, culminating in statutory organization under the Hawaii Revised Statutes and reorganization within the Department of Land and Natural Resources during the mid-20th century. Over decades the agency responded to landmark events including shifts in commercial fisheries tied to the Longline fishing in the Pacific Ocean industry, the emergence of aquaculture operations such as oyster farming and marine shrimp farming, and environmental crises like coral bleaching episodes linked to the 1998 global coral bleaching event and the 2014–2017 North Pacific warm blob. Policy evolution reflected influences from native Hawaiian marine tenure concepts like ahupuaʻa and co-management movements associated with the Native Hawaiian sovereignty movement and the establishment of marine protected areas modeled after sites such as the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument.

Organization and Governance

The division operates under the administrative authority of the Board of Land and Natural Resources and cooperates with offices including the Hawaii State Legislature, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and county agencies such as the City and County of Honolulu. Regional offices coordinate with federal partners: NOAA Fisheries, the U.S. Coast Guard, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture for aquaculture permitting and biosecurity. Governance mechanisms draw on statutes like the Magnuson–Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act for fisheries allocation, and state rules codified in the Hawaii Administrative Rules for licensing, permitting, and territorial waters jurisdiction.

Programs and Initiatives

Major programs include fisheries stock assessment and management for species such as yellowfin tuna, kona crab, and coastal reef species like the humuhumunukunukuāpuaʻa and various parrotfish; habitat protection efforts for coral reefs and seagrass beds; invasive species control addressing organisms such as lionfish and caulerpa taxifolia; and aquaculture development supporting projects at sites like the Hawaii Ocean Science and Technology Park. Initiatives also encompass community-based fisheries management models including Community-Based Subsistence Fishing Area designations, traditional resource management programs in partnership with cultural organizations like Hoʻokuleana and Paepae o Heʻeia, and educational outreach in collaboration with institutions such as the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, Hawaiʻi Pacific University, and the Bishop Museum.

Research and Monitoring

The division conducts or commissions research on stock assessments, habitat mapping, and ecosystem health, leveraging scientific collaborations with the Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, the University of Hawaiʻi Sea Grant College Program, and the Joint Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Research. Monitoring employs methods from acoustic telemetry studies used in work with species studied by the Pelagic Fisheries Research Program to genetic analyses in cooperation with labs at the John A. Burns School of Medicine and NOAA Laboratories. Projects address climate impacts highlighted by Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change assessments, including studies on ocean acidification, thermal stress, and species range shifts documented in peer networks such as the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council.

Regulation and Enforcement

Regulatory authority covers licensing, gear restrictions, size and bag limits, and closed seasons for both commercial and recreational fisheries under state statutes and federal mandates like the Magnuson–Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. Enforcement is carried out through cooperative operations with Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement, the Hawaii Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement rangers, and the U.S. Coast Guard for offshore incidents; case work may involve the Hawaii State Judiciary and prosecutorial coordination with county Prosecuting Attorney offices. Enforcement priorities include illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing linked to global concerns such as those addressed by the Port State Measures Agreement and transshipment protocols monitored by International Maritime Organization standards.

Partnerships and Community Engagement

The division engages tribal, nonprofit, and academic partners including Office of Hawaiian Affairs, The Nature Conservancy, Conservation International, and community groups such as ʻAha Moku advisory councils and local fishers’ associations. Outreach campaigns coordinate with educational entities like Kamehameha Schools and the Hawaiʻi Department of Education for curricula on marine stewardship, and with conservation networks like the Coral Reef Alliance for reef restoration projects. International collaboration occurs through forums with the Pacific Islands Forum and regional agreements involving the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission to address migratory species and shared ocean governance.

Category:Government of Hawaii Category:Marine conservation organizations in the United States