The state Board of Land and Natural Resources has voted to ban the take of pakuikui, or Achilles Tang, within the West Hawaii Regional Fishery Management Area to replenish the fish population.

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources in a news release today said the land board voted to adopt the Hawaii Administrative Rule to protect the “dangerously depleted” population of pakuikui in the area.

It’s the first time the DLNR’s Division of Aquatic Resources has adopted rules under a new adaptive management authority, which allows the DLNR to approve temporary management measures in rapidly changing conditions.

The rule change begins on Dec. 19 and will be in effect for up to two years as the DAR works toward long-term regulations for sustainable pakuikui take along the management area, located along west coast of Hawaii island.

The rules can be extended up by to one year at a time if approved by the BLNR and the Hawaii State Legislature.