Deepwater bottomfish catch limits are reduced
The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council reduced the annual catch limit for 2011-2012 for seven prized species of deep water bottomfish in the main Hawaiian Islands by 6 percent from 346,000 pounds to 325,000 pounds.
The 6-percent reduction was set to make sure the quota was not exceeded, the council said.
The bottomfish season in the main Hawaiian Islands opens on Sept. 1 and includes opakapaka, onaga, hapuupu, ehu, kalekale, gindai and lehi.