‘Last fishing village in Hawaii’ keeps its title as new rules are adopted

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Milolii on the southwest coast of Hawaii Island is known as the “Last Fishing Village in Hawaii.”

And it will keep that title thanks to new rules adopted Thursday by the State Board of Land and Natural Resources.

In 2005, the legislature named Milolii Hawaii’s first “Community Based Subsistence Fishing Area” and since then, the state’s been working on rules to preserve the resources.

The rules include:

• Size and/or bag limits
• Seasonal restrictions for certain fish
• No-take policies of certain fish
• No commercial aquarium fishing
• And specific gear and species restrictions within several sub-areas within the broader CBSFA boundary

The new rules are intended to protect species and ensure high-quality fishing can continue.

“This has been a long road for the people of Milolii,” said BLNR Chair Suzanne Case.

DLNR Division of Aquatic Resources administrator Brian Neilson said the community embraced the concept of “community-based” despite meeting some opposition.

“This community is dedicated to preserving its way of life now and in perpetuity,” Neilson added.

The Milolii Community Subsistence Fishing Area becomes official after Gov. David Ige signs off.

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