6/4/25 – ‘OPIHI PICKER BANNED FROM PŪPŪKEA AFTER ILLEGAL COLLECTING

JOSH GREEN, M.D. GOVERNOR

DAWN CHANG CHAIRPERSON

‘OPIHI PICKER BANNED FROM PŪPŪKEA AFTER ILLEGAL COLLECTING

Environmental Court Takes Hard Line on Violations

HONOLULU –  Environmental Court Judge in Wahiawā yesterday barred 55-year-old Armando Posadas of ʻEwa Beach from entering the Pūpūkea Marine Life Conservation District (MLCD) on Oʻahu’s North Shore for six months. It may be the first time a violator had a “geographic restriction” added to a sentence.

Posadas was sentenced on charges of taking 55 ‘opihi from the MLCD on March 26, 2025. The Pūpūkea MLCD is one of 11 in the state where aquatic life is protected to the greatest extent possible. He accepted a plea deal which includes the geographic ban, $1,000 in fines, forfeiture of his equipment, six months’ probation and proof that he has complied with all terms by November 18, 2025. The offense is designated a petty misdemeanor that includes the possibility of 30 days in jail and a $1,000 fine.

Denise Antolini is the chairperson of Mālama Pūpūkea-Waimea, the community organization that stands watch over the MLCD and works closely with the DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement (DOCARE) on reporting and providing information on violations.

“Mālama Pūpūkea-Waimea is grateful to the Department of the Attorney General Criminal Justice Division and DOCARE for their vigilant enforcement of the laws that protect the precious marine life of the Pūpūkea Marine Life Conservation District.

The substantial fines and conditions imposed yesterday by the Hawaiʻi Environmental Court in the Posadas case, as well as two additional MLCD cases that involved illegal fishing and/or harvesting of ʻopihi in this state-protected marine reserve, show that these cases are being taken seriously by law enforcement and the courts.”

Another man, Elmer Ceredon, was also cited along with Posadas on March 26, 2025, and has yet to stand trial for allegedly taking 203 ‘opihi from the MLCD.

“Under state law, Marine Life Conservation Districts enjoy the greatest level of protections for their unique and outstanding aquatic resources,” said DOCARE Chief Jason Redulla. “We’re pleased with the dispositions in all these cases and hope this sends a strong message to the defendants and their circle of fishers that we take respect for the law in MLCDs seriously.”

Anyone who sees suspected resource violations is urged to call the 24-hour DOCARE Hotline at 643-DLNR or report it via the DLNRTip app.

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RESOURCES

(Images Courtesy: DLNR)

 

Photographs – Pūpūkea MLCD ‘opihi citations (March 26, 2025):

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/cfwjahdy5zgq627rx6hop/AP4hQ3ESBYTQpKIoj_pHRoM?rlkey=a8mua8t635ozl2heeysw7igsr&st=8zf1jtl5&dl=0

 

 

Media Contact:

Dan Dennison

Communications Director

Hawaiʻi Dept. of Land and Natural Resources

808-587-0396

Email: Dlnr.comms@hawaii.gov