Summary Description
- Limits the bycatch of sharks.
- TopicThe topic of the legislation or policy covered by the text
- Wild-caught fishing
- SpeciesThe animal, or type of food production, covered by the text
- Fish
- JurisdictionCountry or geographical area where the text applies
- USA
- Sub-jurisdictionCountry or state where the text applies
- Hawaii
- Type of ActWhether the act is a law, regulation, or policy, or another type of text
- Legislation
- StatusIndicates whether the act is in force or not
- Bill Proposal
- Legal ValueWhether the text is binding or not
- N/A
- Date enactedDate the text was adopted
- N/A
- Date updatedDate when the entry was last updated by the CALF team
- June, 2023
- Official citation
- ACT 51. H.B. NO. 553. A Bill for an Act Relating to the Protection of Sharks (Hawaii, USA)
Strengths & Weaknesses
- Strengths
- Requires the government (the Department of Land and Natural Resources) to establish rules to prevent wanton waste of sharks and to limit gear such as gill nets in areas identified as shark nursery habitats.
- Violation is a misdemeanour but with possible significant penalties.
- Weaknesses
- The law does not apply to people with special activity permits; shark fishing for public safety purposes as authorized or conducted by the Department; sharks taken outside of state marine waters, with required documentation; sharks captured, entangled, or killed for self-defence or the defence of another; and sharks captured or killed according to a permit.