Officers from the DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement (DOCARE) responded to a call the morning of Sunday, Jan. 13, 2019, in Windward O‘ahu after two recreational divers reported a possible abandoned lay net.
PC: DLNR
When DOCARE officers arrived on the scene just north of Punalu‘u Beach, the local divers told them that they saw the net just after starting their dive around 7 a.m. The officers then swam out to recover the net, only to discover that there were several types of aquatic life already caught, including regulated and unregulated fish, live rock and crustaceans.
There was also a juvenile green sea turtle caught by its fin, which unfortunately did not survive. The turtle was subsequently turned over to field response members from the Hawai‘i Marine Animal Response for further species research.
The net was approximately 100 feet long and did not have any registration tags nor any buoys attached to the end of the float lines.
PC: DLNR
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DOCARE wants to thank the divers for reporting the net and also wants to remind people regarding responsible lay net practice.
Lay net regulation information is available through the DLNR Dept. of Aquatic Resources website.
Anonymous reporting to DOCARE officers is also available through the DLNRTip app and tip411, as well as by telephone through the statewide hotline at (808) 643-DLNR (3567).
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