State officials say five of nine men cited for illegal fishing activity in the Pupukea Marine Life Conservation District last year have each been sentenced to fines of $500 to $1,000 and 50 hours of community service.

The sentences were issued following hearings on Feb. 22 and Tuesday at Wahiawa First Circuit Court, according to the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources.

A bench warrant is still out for the remaining four defendants, who failed to appear in court.

On Nov. 4, DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement officers cited nine Honolulu men for allegedly fishing illegally at Pupukea after noticing dive lights at night.

Officers approached the nine men as they emerged from the ocean at the east end of Waimea Bay Beach Park about an hour and a half later.

Upon further investigation, DOCARE officers discovered the divers had more than 150 fish of various species in their possession, including regulated species of manini, kala, uhu and weke.

The sentencing of the five poachers is being hailed as a significant win by the North Shore community.

“The sentencing of these five defendants by the Hawaii Environmental Court sends a strong message of punishment in response to the nighttime poaching of large quantities of fish illegally taken from the MLCD,” said Denise Antolini, president of Malama Pupukea-Waimea, in a news release. “It also sends a message about restorative justice through the community service program administered by the Judiciary.”

The community service program allows qualified misdemeanor defendants to complete their obligations by working on public service projects.

The defendants will be able to volunteer at Malama Pupukea-Waimea, which is a qualified community service work site, according to Antolini.

“We have offered to supervise some of the hours that these defendants must perform in the field as a way to have them give back to the resource that they damaged,” she said, “and to educate them through hands-on experience about the importance of respecting and protecting this precious state marine reserve.”