This Guide references each species’ scientific, common and Hawaiian name, its spawning months and if known, its legal size.
Legal Size Limit Key:
HC = Home Consumption
CS = Commercial Sale
TL = Total Length: Straight-line distance from tip of snout to tip of tail.
FL = Fork Length: Straight-line distance from tip of snout to fork of tail.
CFL = Curved Fork Length: Tip of the upper jaw to the fork of tail measured along the contour of the middle of the body.
| Image | Species | Peak Spawning Months | Minimum Size | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | LAU‘ĪPALA YelIow Tang Zebrasoma flavescens | March-July | HC & CS = NONE | |||
 | ‘ĀLO‘ILO‘I Hawaiian Dascyllus Dascyllus albisella | July-October | HC & CS = NONE | |||
 | LAU WILIWILI Milletseed Butterflyfish Chaetodon miliaris | February-March | HC & CS = NONE | |||
 | MANINI Convict Tang Acanthurus triostegus | February-June | HC & CS = 5″ | |||
 | KŪMŪ Whitesaddle Goatfish Parupeneus porphyreus | January-June | HC & CS = 10″ | |||
 | ‘Ū‘Ū Menpachi Myripristis species | April-June | HC & CS = NONE | |||
 | WEKE‘Ā Yellowstripe Goatfish Mulloidicthys flavolineatus | April-June | HC = None CS = 7″ ‘OAMA = Weke‘ā <7" bag limit 50 ‘Oama[/av_cell][/av_row] [av_row row_style='' av_uid='av-3rga6t8'][av_cell col_style='' av_uid='av-1c5tfw']  | WEKE‘ULA Yellowfin Goatfish Mulloidicthys vanicolensis | March-June | HC = None CS = 7″ |
 | KOLE Goldring Surgeonfish Ctenochaetus strigosus | March-June | HC & CS = NONE | |||
 | ŌPELU Mackerel Scad Decapturus macarellus | April-August | HC & CS = NONE | |||
 | AKULE Big Eye Scad Selar crumenophthalmus | July-October | HC = None CS = 8.5″ *Illegal for non-dealers to possess or sell more than 200 lbs of Akule smaller than 8.5″ during July-Oct. | |||
 | ĀHOLEHOLE Hawaiian Flagtail Kuhlia sandvicensis | December-June | HC & CS = 5″ | |||
 | UHU Parrotfish Scaridae | JUNE-NOV (Bullethead Uhu) AUG-NOV (Palenose Uhu) | HC & CS = 12″ | |||
 | KALA Bluespine Unicornfish Naso unicornis | May-June | HC & CS = 14″ | |||
 | AKU Skipjack Tuna Katsuwonas pelamis | April-August | HC & CS = NONE | |||
 | ULUA & PĀPI‘O Giant Trevally Caranx ignobilis | May-August | HC = 10″ CS = 16″ *The bag limit is 20 for recreational take only. No commercial bag limits. | |||
 | A‘U KŪ Swordfish Xiphias gladius | March-July* | HC & CS = NONE | |||
 | ‘AHI Yellowfin Tuna Thunnus albacores | May-September | HC = None CS = 3 lbs | |||
 | A‘U Striped Marlin Kajikia audax | May* | HC & CS = NONE | |||
 | ONO Wahoo Acanthocybium solandri | April-September* | HC & CS = NONE | |||
 | A‘U Shortbill Spearfish Tetrapturus angustirostris | March- July/November* | HC & CS = NONE | |||
 | A‘U Blue Marlin Makaira nigricians | July-September* | HC & CS = NONE | |||
 | ‘OPIHI MAKAIAULI Black-foot ‘Opihi Cellana exarata | December & June | HC & CS = Shell diameter = 1.25″; meat only = 0.5″ |
*Spawning months for pelagic (open ocean) species, such as Swordfish, Shortbill Spearfish, Blue Marlin, Striped Marlin, and Wahoo, were determined through the collection of eggs and larvae from surface plankton tows in waters adjacent to the Kona coast.
For more information regarding legal size limits, see http://hawaii.gov/dlnr/dar/admin_rules.html.
Additional fish species and applicable state regulations can be found at http://hawaii.gov/dlnr/dar/regulated_fish_mfv.html.
For a list of regulated fishing sites on Hawai‘i Island, visit http://hawaii.gov/dlnr/dar/regulated_areas_hawaii.html.