HONOLULU – The Department of Land and Natural Resources announced today that it will temporarily ban the taking of seven species of bottomfish in state waters surrounding the main Hawaiian Islands beginning Monday.

Fishing for ehu, gindai, kalekale, lehi, onaga, 'opakapaka and hapu'upu'u will be prohibited during the closed season, according to a news release from the department.

DLNR officials said the closure declaration was made following a determination from commercial landings data that the current fishing season's total allowable catch of 178,000 pounds had been reached in mid-March. The total allowable catch represents the scientific measure intended to stop excess fishing effort of bottomfish species, specifically seven snapper and grouper species referred to as the "Deep 7."

The closure will be in effect through at least Aug. 31 and will complement a federal bottomfishing closure that will take effect April 16 in all federal marine waters — from 3 nautical miles and seaward — in the main Hawaiian islands.

"Since 2005, bottomfish in the main Hawaiian islands have been declared to be in a state of overfishing. If the federal total allowable catch were to be exceeded, this could have adverse consequences on Hawai'i's fishery in the future," said Laura H. Thielen, DLNR chairwoman.

In the interest of protecting the sustainability of this important fishery, the Board of Land and Natural Resources recently approved the closure of state waters to bottomfishing. All commercial and noncommercial (recreational and subsistence) fishers shall cease fishing for the "Deep 7" bottomfish species in the main Hawaiian islands until the fishery is reopened, the news release said.

Jurisdiction over the bottomfish fishery is jointly held by the federal and state government. Both state and federal fisheries agencies have been working cooperatively on regulations to implement and monitor the total allowable catch during the current fishing season. The current fishing season began on Oct. 1 and was scheduled to continue until May 1, 2008, had the total allowable catch not been reached sooner.

Maps of closed State marine waters to bottomfishing (seasonal closure and bottomfish restricted fishing areas) will be available on the DLNR Web site from the effective date, on Monday. Visit http://hawaii.gov/dlnr/dar/ or call the Division of Aquatic Resources office nearest you.