Hawaiʻi Supreme Court Halts Commercial Aquarium Fishing

Blue-lined butterflyfish are native to the Hawaiian Islands. Used by source article with permission.

Protections for Reefs and Native Hawaiians

Scuba diver Rene Umberger knows that the aquarium fishing industry is a deadly business. And not just for the fish. While out on a diving and snorkeling expedition in 2014 to document destructive fishing activities off the Kona Coast on the Big Island of Hawaiʻi, she was attacked by a man collecting aquarium fish on a nearby reef.

The man, who had his back turned when she first came upon him, began charging at Umberger after realizing she was filming him. Before she knew what was happening, the man ripped off Umberger’s breathing device, cutting off her air supply 50 feet below the water.

For an inexperienced diver, the aggressive move could have been fatal. Luckily, Umberger, who’s had more than 10,000 dives over her 30-year career, was able to quickly replace her gear and safely surface as the man threateningly gestured toward her. “Never in a million years did I think this guy would try and kill me,” says Umberger.

The underwater assault underscores a turbulent battle that’s been brewing for years over the state’s commercial aquarium fishing industry. Recently the Hawaiʻi Supreme Court weighed in, finding that Hawaiʻi’s Department […]

Full article: Hawaiʻi Supreme Court Halts Commercial Aquarium Fishing, Protecting Reefs and Native Hawaiians