Illegal lay-net actions highlight need for public’s help

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources is asking the public for help in keeping a lookout for illegal activity following a rash of lay-net citations in recent months.

One 56-year-old Kaneohe man was busted at two separate beaches for nighttime lay-netting two weeks in a row, resulting in three citations with a total of more than 50 violations.

Lay-netting is prohibited along the South Shore of Oahu from Maunalua Bay to an area near Daniel K. Inouye International Airport.

On Jan. 20, Bryan Okawa of Kaneohe was cited at Wailupe Beach Park for four violations: restricted lay-­netting, using eight panels of unregistered lay nets, prohibited lay-netting at night and taking undersize fish.

The citations came after two state Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement officers observed Okawa lay-netting at night for well over an hour about 100 yards offshore of Wailupe.

On Feb. 3, following a tip from an anonymous man, Okawa was busted again at Paiko Beach in East Oahu. He was issued two citations with a total of 47 violations, including using lay nets, lay-netting at night, lay-­netting in a prohibited area, unregistered lay net and multipanel lay-netting.

“This is a perfect example of why we ask everyone to be observant of natural and cultural resource violations and to report them immediately,” DOCARE Enforcement Chief Robert Farrell said in a news release. “We can’t have eyes and ears everywhere, so without the anonymous citizen’s report we may not have been able to catch this repeat offender.”

Michael Cananilla Jr., 54, was issued three citations Sunday, based on 11 different lay-net and fish violations at Waiahole along Kaneohe Bay.

Officers said Cananilla had about 1,200 feet of lay net, which for that area is 10 times the legal limit. On top of four lay-net violations, Cananilla is alleged to have taken out-of-season and undersize fish and live coral rocks. He also had violations related to boats and equipment.

DLNR’s statewide reporting hotline is 643-DLNR (3567). The DLNRTip app is available for download for free via the Google Play Store, iTunes App Store or by visiting the DOCARE website at dlnr.hawaii.gov/docare.