(BIVN) – A fisherman has received the maximum administrative penalty for violating longline fishing laws off the Kona coast last May. 

Konane Zager, owner of the vessel Waiʻaka, will be fined $10,051.90 and have his Commercial Marine License revoked for one year, following a vote by the Hawaiʻi Board of Land and Natural Resources on Friday. 

All the investigative materials in the Zager case will also be shared with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Office of Law Enforcement (OLE) for further investigation of potential federal law violations. 

From the Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources:

The enforcement action stems from a May 7, 2025 incident off Hawaiʻi Island’s Kona coast. Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement (DOCARE) officers documented that Zager, operating the vessel Wai‘aka, deployed longline fishing gear extending 3.69 nautical miles – more than three times the legal limit – within Hawai‘i’s state waters where longline fishing is prohibited.

While on patrol, officers observed Zager’s longline gear deployed in state waters and, while retrieving the gear, documented the take of three yellowfin tuna, two of which were later sold to a local fish buyer. The third was found alive and released to the ocean. Zager admitted to deploying the gear and acknowledged knowing it exceeded the one-nautical-mile limit.

Hawaiʻi DLNR photo shows the vessel Waiʻaka during the enforcement action in May 2025.

Zager countered the DLNR presentation with his own testimony, raising jurisdictional issues, and framing the administrative record as incomplete and misleading.

“This action sends a clear message that illegal longline fishing in Hawai‘i’s state waters will not be tolerated,” said DLNR Acting Chair Ryan K.P. Kanakaʻole in a news release. “Our fisheries laws exist to protect Hawai‘i’s marine resources and ensure that fishing practices are conducted responsibly and sustainably.” 

“State law prohibits longline fishing in state waters to protect local fisheries and traditional fishing grounds,” added DAR Administrator Brian Neilson. “The board’s decision reflects the seriousness of this violation and the commitment of our enforcement and resource management teams to uphold these protections.” 

The DLNR says the total administrative fine and costs will be deposited into the Commercial Fisheries Special Fund, “which supports programs and activities related to the management and conservation of Hawai‘i’s aquatic resources used for commercial purposes.”