HB1817 • 2026

RELATING TO PROTECTING HAWAII'S FISHERIES.

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor: KITAGAWA, LEE, M., MARTEN, MATAYOSHI, POEPOE, SHIMIZU, SOUZA, TAM, Iwamoto
Last action: 2026-02-20
Official status: Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on JHA with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Quinlan excused (1).
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not specify the exact number of fish allowed per day, only that a statewide bag limit must be established.

Protecting Hawaii's Fisheries: Striped Mullet Bag Limit

This bill requires the Board of Land and Natural Resources to set a daily limit on how many striped mullet (ʻamaʻama) people can catch in Hawaii.

What This Bill Does

Requires the Board of Land and Natural Resources to create rules by June 30, 2027, setting a statewide daily bag limit for catching ʻamaʻama during their open season.
The new rule will apply only to areas that do not have specific management plans as of when the rule takes effect.

Who It Names or Affects

Fishermen and people who fish for striped mullet in Hawaii
The Board of Land and Natural Resources

Terms To Know

Bag Limit: A rule that sets the maximum number of a certain type of fish or animal that can be caught by one person each day.
Management Plans: Specific rules and guidelines for managing natural resources in particular areas to protect them.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify what will happen if the Board of Land and Natural Resources fails to create these rules by June 30, 2027.
It is unclear how this rule will affect areas that already have management plans for striped mullet.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: This amendment requires the Board of Land and Natural Resources to establish a statewide daily bag limit for ʻamaʻama (striped mullet) by June 30, 2030.

The board must create rules establishing a daily bag limit for ʻamaʻama fishing by June 30, 2030.

The amendment does not specify the exact number of fish allowed per person or the areas where this rule will apply.
It is unclear why the effective date of July 1, 3000, was chosen and whether it is a typographical error.

Bill History

2026-02-20 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on JHA with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Quinlan excused (1).
2026-02-20 H
Reported from WAL (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 710-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA.
2026-02-17 H
The committee on WAL recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 8 Ayes: Representative(s) Hashem, Morikawa, Belatti, Ichiyama, Iwamoto, Woodson, Shimizu, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Poepoe.
2026-02-11 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by WAL on Tuesday, 02-17-26 9:00AM in House conference room 411 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-01-26 H
Referred to WAL, JHA, referral sheet 1
2026-01-23 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2026-01-22 H
Pending introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO PROTECTING HAWAII'S FISHERIES.
BLNR; Fishing; Striped Mullet; ʻAmaʻama; Bag Limit
Requires the Board of Land and Natural Resources to adopt rules no later than June 30, 2030, establishing a statewide daily bag limit for ʻamaʻama during the open season; provided that the rules shall apply only to areas without management plans as of the effective date of the rules. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB1817

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1817

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING
TO PROTECTING HAWAII'S FISHERIES
.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

����
SECTION 1.

�
The legislature finds that the
population of native
ʻ
ama
ʻ
ama, also known as the
striped mullet, has been in decline.
�
Many factors contribute to the decline in
ʻ
ama
ʻ
ama, including the
presence of the invasive Kanda mullet and the prized nature of
ʻ
ama
ʻ
ama in Hawaii.
�
The legislature further finds that the
lifecycle of the
ʻ
ama
ʻ
ama is complex, as
ʻ
ama
ʻ
ama must reach three
or four years of age before spawning, which occurs only during the winter
months.

����
Although
the department of land and natural resources regulates the fishing season for
ʻ
ama
ʻ
ama, there is no
statewide bag limit to prevent overfishing of
ʻ
ama
ʻ
ama.

����
The
legislature additionally finds that one of the most effective ways to help
increase the population of
ʻ
ama
ʻ
ama is to establish a
statewide bag limit.
�
A bag limit for
ʻ
ama
ʻ
ama has already been
successfully implemented in Hilo Bay.

����
Therefore,
the purpose of this Act is to require the board of land and natural resources
to adopt rules no later than June 30, 2027, establishing a statewide daily bag
limit of ten
ʻ
ama
ʻ
ama per person during
the open season.

����
SECTION
2.
�
No later than June 30, 2027, the board of land and natural resources
shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 91, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to establish
a statewide daily bag limit of ten
ʻ
ama
ʻ
ama (striped mullet) per person during the
open season.

����
SECTION 3.
�
This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

BLNR; Fishing; Striped Mullet;
ʻ
Ama
ʻ
ama;
Bag Limit

Description:

Requires
the Board of Land and Natural Resources to adopt rules no later than June 30,
2027, establishing a statewide daily bag limit of ten
ʻ
ama
ʻ
ama
per person during the open season.

The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.