Fishing for striped mullet will close Dec. 1 for three months to allow the fish to spawn. 

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources the fishing season for ‘ama‘ama, or striped mullet, will resume March 31.

“‘Ama‘ama are about to enter their peak spawning season, which increases their vulnerability to fishing pressure,” said Bruce Anderson, DLNR Division of Aquatic Resources administrator. “The annual winter closure is designed to help the fish reproduce successfully and protect the species from overfishing.” 

There are two kinds of penalties, criminal and civil for seasonal violations. The criminal penalties are a petty misdemeanor punishable by fines of up to $500 a violation and/or 30 days in jail.

First offense civil penalties are up to $1,000 a specimen and $1,000 a violation. Copies of statewide fishing regulations for ‘ama‘ama and all other marine species are available at the DLNR Division of Aquatic Resources office, 1151 Punchbowl St., Room 330, and at all neighbor island DAR offices. 

Fishing regulations can also be found on the DAR website at dlnr.hawaii.gov/dar. To report violations of fish catch size or net use, call the DLNR enforcement hotline at 643-3567.