The owner of a local company that sold decorative fishhooks carved in the Philippines as “Made in Hawaii” products is going to jail for six months for smuggling walrus ivory into and out of the country.

Curtis P. Wilmington, 65, owner, president, treasurer and director of Hawaiian Accessories Inc., pleaded guilty in March on behalf of himself and his company to one count each of conspiring to smuggle walrus ivory and whale teeth and to import black coral without a permit.

The U.S. Endangered Species and Marine Mammal Protection acts prohibit the trafficking of walrus ivory and whale teeth. An international treaty, of which the U.S. is a signatory, restricts the commercial trade of black coral.

In addition to handing down the jail term, U.S. District Judge J. Michael Seabright on Monday fined Wilmington $40,000 and fined Hawaiian Accessories $50,000.

Wilmington told Seabright he takes full responsibility for his actions.

“I know what I did was wrong,” he said.

Wilmington admitted to buying the walrus ivory and whale teeth from a seller in Alaska, sending the walrus ivory, hidden among pieces of koa wood, to the Philippines, then having the ivory and koa sent back to Hawaii as carved fishhooks. The seller turned out to be an undercover government agent, according to court documents. Wilmington imported the black coral from Mexico.

The government says Wilmington, a 1969 Kameha- meha Schools graduate, sold the ivory fishhooks for $250 each at his retail stores on Oahu and at the Merrie Monarch hula festival in Hilo.

Kali Watson, a lifelong friend, fellow Kamehameha Schools alumnus and former Department of Hawaiian Home Lands director, told Seabright that Wilmington helps perpetuate the Hawaiian culture by selling products that spread aloha.

As part of its plea agreement with Wilmington, the government dropped false labeling, trafficking wildlife products and other smuggling charges. For his part, Wilmington agreed to testify against his co-defendants, including his daughter, who are either employed by or have a business relationship with Hawaiian Accessories. They all ended up pleading guilty and are awaiting sentencing.