HONOLULU (KHON2) — A young Hawaiian monk seal has died after becoming entangled in fishing gear, and it’s prompted renewed calls for safer fishing practices throughout Hawaiʻi.
The seal, known as RS34 or Moana, was discovered earlier this month on Mānana Island. Officials with the Department of Land and Natural Resources said the cause was paddle-out or drone-out fishing using a “jug rig” variant.
Moana was 2 years old. She was born in 2023 as the fourth pup of her mother, RF34, and was named by students at Mālama Honua Elementary School in Waimānalo.
Dangers of jug fishing
Wildlife officials explained that jug rigs use very strong fishing line and often include an empty household jug to float baited hooks.
If a line breaks, the caught animal can drag hundreds of yards of line and the jug. This often leads to entanglement, exhaustion or death.
“Jug fishing is an extremely unsustainable and undiscerning fishing method,” said John Silberstein, Oʻahu Branch Chief of the DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement. “This incident is a reminder that the choices we make on the water affect more than just fish.”
Officials said that while these methods may look similar to bait casting or slide baiting, they create higher risks of lost gear that can harm marine mammals, turtles and other non-target species.
A call for pono fishing
“Moana’s death underscores the importance of responsible fishing practices,” said Luna Kekoa, manager of DLNR’s Division of Aquatic Resources Protected Species Program. “Abandoned fishing gear poses a significant threat to endangered wildlife, which is why promoting pono fishing is a priority for DAR.”
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and DLNR urged fishers to avoid paddle-out jug fishing and similar high-risk methods. Drone fishing, except for reconnaissance, is banned statewide; and penalties include escalated fines.
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Officials also encouraged fishers to report lost or taken gear right away so response teams can help animals at risk.
They recommended using only barbless circle hooks, recovering snagged gear at the end of trips and avoiding areas where fishing lines may endanger swimmers, surfers or boaters.
Protecting a rare species
There are about 1,600 Hawaiian monk seals left in the world. Each death affects the survival of the species, which is already endangered.
NOAA and DLNR stressed that fishing responsibly and reporting gear interactions are vital to protecting these animals.
You can follow this advice that comes directly from DLNR since your choices impact your long-term ability to continue fishing in Hawaiʻi waters:
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“Avoid paddle-out jug fishing and similar high-risk methods. These methods can pose a higher risk of entanglement and injury to non-target species. Use of aerial drones for the purpose of fishing (other than reconnaissance) is banned statewide. Penalties include escalating fines,” explained DLNR.
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“Report lost or taken gear immediately. We know that accidents can happen. If a seal takes hooked bait or runs off with fishing gear, reporting it to NOAA and DLNR gives response teams critical information to look out for the animal and intervene if needed,” DLNR advised.
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“Fish pono. Proper gear use and safe disposal help sustain both fishing resources and Hawaiʻi’s marine wildlife,” DLNR emplored.
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“If you do paddle lines out, it is recommended that you:
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Use only barbless circle hooks.
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Make a plan to paddle out and recover lost or snagged gear at the end of every trip. Never free a snagged line by cutting the main line from shore.
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Avoid fishing in areas where lines may pose a hazard to surfers, swimmers, boaters, or other ocean users,” DLNR suggested.
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To report entangled monk seals or lost gear, call the NOAA Marine Wildlife Hotline at 888-256-9840.
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