Open Season for Lobster and Kona Crab Comes to an End

Male and female Kona Crab. DLNR Division of Aquatic Resources photo.

The open season is coming to an end for ula, known as spiny lobster, ula papapa, known as slipper lobster, and Kona crab.

Open season for the catches will close on Sunday through the end of August. During the closed season, it is illegal to take, possess, or sell the shellfish.

“These rules are in place to protect lobsters and Kona crabs during the summer months, which are the peak of their reproductive season, and to help ensure their populations will continue to be sustainable,” said Suzanne Case, chairperson of the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Spiny and slipper lobster are allowed to be sold during the closed season if they were caught lawfully during open season.

Even in open season, the catch, take, or possession of female spiny and slipper lobsters and female Kona crab is prohibited.

The Hawai‘i Fishing Regulations booklet, available at all Division of Aquatic Resources offices and most fishing supply stores, shows how to determine the sex of spiny lobsters and Kona Crabs. The information can also be reviewed online.

Information on regulations concerning these and other marine invertebrates, including minimum sizes, can also be reviewed online.

The public can report fishing regulation violations by calling the Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement at 643-DLNR.