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Hawaii officers cite 2 divers for night fishing, other violations, in Waikiki

COURTESY DLNR
                                Officers from the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement confiscated diving equipment and fish from two divers caught night fishing in Waikiki, Saturday, Oct. 8.

COURTESY DLNR

Officers from the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement confiscated diving equipment and fish from two divers caught night fishing in Waikiki, Saturday, Oct. 8.

State conservation officers on Saturday cited two Honolulu men for illegal night diving in the Waikiki Fisheries Management Area.

The Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources said spear fishing is prohibited in the area from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. daily.

Two officers from the DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement who received a tip found the two divers Saturday night, and cited Alvin Lucio, 42, and Rettios Rouk, 36, for prohibited night diving.

The divers, DLNR said, had initially spotted them and were attempting to avoid contact by turning off their dive lights and remaining offshore. However, after about an hour, DOCARE officers were able to contact them.

Upon inspection, officials found Lucio and Rouk had a total of 32 illegally taken fin fish, including three undersized Kala.

In addition to prohibited night diving, they were cited for taking and possessing undersized Kala, and diving without a required diver flag. DOCARE confiscated their diving equipment as evidence.

A court date for the pair is set for Nov. 25 in Honolulu District Court.

DOCARE encourages anyone who sees suspicious activity related to natural resources violations to report it to 643-DLNR or via the free DLNRTip app.

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