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Press Release October 27, 2025

Land Board Advances Plan to Re-Open Hawaiʻi Waters to Aquarium Pet Industry

Rulemaking decision follows the agency’s prior vote to ban reef fish collection and intense public opposition to the capture and sale of native reef wildlife
document October 16, 2025

Appeal Hawai‘i Board of Land and Natural Resources Aquarium Collection 10-16-25

Appeal of September 26, 2025 State of Hawai‘i Board of Land and Natural Resources’ Order Denying Petition For Declaratory Ruling. Appellants take issue with and specifically appeal the Board’s conclusions…
document October 10, 2024

Aquarium Fish Trade Petition: Hawaii Dept. of Land and Nat. Resources

Petition challenging the Hawaii Board of Land and Natural Resources for a declaratory ruling, in connection with its approval of a petition for rulemaking to prohibit commercial aquarium collection in…
An aquarium collector takes fish from a reef in Hawai`i. (Brooke Everett)
From the Experts October 10, 2024

The Latest on Commercial Aquarium Collection in Hawai‘i

We’ve been working with reef advocates and Native Hawaiian cultural practitioners for 13 years to challenge commercial aquarium collection in court and before the state. We’ll keep at it until…
document September 3, 2024

Aquarium Fish Trade Challenge: Petition for a contested case hearing

Petition for a contested case hearing - State Board of Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources; aquarium pet trade challenge.
An aquarium collector takes fish from a reef in Hawai`i. (Brooke Everett)
Press Release August 28, 2024

Hawaiʻi Supreme Court Fails to Protect Coastal Reef Fish

Court opens door to fish collection permits for West Hawai‘i, subject to Land Board approval
How Earthjustice stopped Hawai‘i’s deadly aquarium pet trade. (Ceylan Sahin Eker for Earthjustice)
feature April 20, 2022

Hawai‘i’s Aquarium Pet Trade Was a Deadly Business.

How Earthjustice stopped Hawai‘i’s deadly aquarium pet trade.
Yellow tangs, called Lau’ipala by Native Hawaiians, are the most exploited Hawaiian aquarium fish. The industry has historically extracted approximately 300,000 individuals from local reefs per year and exported them. (Kaikea Nakachi)
Press Release October 9, 2021

Hawai‘i Land Board Rejects Aquarium Pet Trade Yet Again

Impact statement for O‘ahu falls short of state law requirements, Board says
document July 13, 2021

Coalition Sues Hawai‘i Land Board to Halt Reopening of Aquarium Pet Trade

Coalition Sues Hawai‘i Land Board to Halt Reopening of Aquarium Pet Trade
Yellow tangs, called Lau’ipala by Native Hawaiians, are the most exploited Hawaiian aquarium fish. The industry has historically extracted approximately 300,000 individuals from local reefs per year and exported them. (Kaikea Nakachi)
Press Release July 13, 2021

Coalition Sues Hawai‘i Land Board to Halt Reopening of Aquarium Pet Trade

The Hawai‘i Land Board's failure to reject impact statement violated state law
Yellow tangs, called Lau’ipala in Hawaiian, are the most exploited Hawaiian aquarium fish. The industry historically extracts and exports around 300,000 individuals per year. (Kaikea Nakachi)
Press Release June 25, 2021

Hawai‘i Land Board Deadlocked on Aquarium Pet Trade

New impact statement to be accepted on legal technicality
An aquarium collector takes fish from a reef in Hawai`i. (Brooke Everett)
case January 12, 2021

Protecting Hawai’i’s Reef from the Aquarium Trade

Press Release: Victory January 12, 2021

Hawai‘i Court Confirms Illegal Aquarium Collection Must Stop

Latest attempt by state to sidestep the court and allow continued collection shut down
An aquarium collector takes fish from a reef in Hawai`i. (Photo courtesy of Brooke Landt)
Article: Victory December 22, 2020

Hawaiʻi Scores Another Big Win in Stopping Harmful Aquarium Fishing, Protecting Reefs and Native Hawaiians

Court closes loophole that allowed industry to illegally extract over half a million marine animals from Hawai‘i reefs in the last two years.
document November 30, 2020

Aquarium Collection Minute Order

Department of Land and Natural Resources violated the law by allowing the aquarium trade to continue extracting hundreds of thousands of marine animals from HawaiÊ»i’s reefs without first reviewing the…
Press Release: Victory November 29, 2020

Hawai‘i Court Rules Commercial Aquarium Collection Without Environmental Review Illegal

Court closes loophole that allowed industry to illegally extract over half a million marine animals from Hawai‘i reefs since 2017
Yellow tangs, known as Lau’ipala by Native Hawaiians, are the most exploited Hawaiian aquarium fish. The industry historically has extracted roughly 300,000 individuals per year. (Kaikea Nakachi)
Press Release: Victory August 14, 2020

Environmental Council Unanimously Affirms Rejection of Aquarium Trade Environmental Impact Statement

Ban on collecting west Hawai‘i reef fish for aquarium trade effectively extended
document August 13, 2020

Decision: State of Hawaii, Docket No. DOH-EC-20-001

The Environmental Council's Findings Of Fact, Conclusions Of Law, And Decision And Order