(BIVN) – State law enforcement officers are cracking down on ʻopihi picking violations in Kona.

• Two people from Pāhoa were cited for possession of 144 undersized ‘opihi on the Aliʻi Drive shoreline of Kailua-Kona on Saturday.
• A third man from Kona was arrested the same day after he was found with 156 undersized ‘opihi. He was arrested on a bench warrant for Contempt of Court for failing to appear on a previous ‘opihi-related case.

From the Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources news release detailing the incidents:

A DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement (DOCARE) Marine Patrol Unit spotted several people who appeared to be picking ‘opihi along the Ali‘i Drive shoreline in Kailua-Kona on Saturday.

Photo courtesy Hawaiʻi DLNR

DOCARE Marine Patrol officers relayed their observations to officers on shore who were on patrol in the area. Officers on land approached 54-year-old Theodore Benedicto and 47-year-old Tracy Benedicto, both of Pāhoa, and did a routine inspection of their catch.

The pair was found to be in possession of 144 undersized ‘opihi and were issued citations for violating Hawai‘i Administrative Rules (HAR) Section 13-92-1(a)(1) OPIHI. They were summoned to appear in Kona District Court on May 15.

All the undersized ‘opihi were alive and in good condition. The suspects were directed to place them face down in a tide pool along the shoreline where they will have a higher chance of reattaching and surviving.

DOCARE Chief Jason Redulla pointed to this case as an important reason for marine patrol units, now on O‘ahu, Maui, Kaua‘i, and Hawai‘i Island. “The perspective officers get from the ocean is entirely different than what land-based officers may be seeing,” Redulla said.

Photo courtesy Hawaiʻi DLNR

Also, on Saturday, DOCARE officers then approached a separate subject picking ‘opihi along the Ali‘i Drive shoreline and inspected his catch. 60-year-old James Kanuha of Kailua-Kona was cited after being observed in possession of 156 undersized ‘opihi. His citation was for a violation of the administrative rule noted above and his court appearance in Kona District Court is May 8.

Kanuha was also instructed to return the ‘opihi to a tide pool. Officers used Hawai‘i’s eBench Warrant System and discovered Kanuha had a bench warrant for Contempt of Court, for failing to appear on a previous ‘opihi-related case.

The warrant was related to a 2023 case in which Kanuha was cited by DOCARE officers for violating the same administrative rule pertaining to undersized ‘opihi

Officers confirmed Kanuha’s warrant, arrested him, and he was transported to the Kona Police Station where he was booked. Kanuha posted $250 bail and was released.