H.B. 853 Summary

• Prohibits knowingly capturing, taking, possessing, abusing, entangling, or killing sharks within Hawaii state marine waters with criminal penalties of $500 for first offense, $2,000 for second offense, and $10,000 for third or subsequent offense.

• Establishes additional administrative fines of up to $10,000 per shark violation, plus seizure and forfeiture of captured sharks, commercial marine licenses, vessels, and fishing equipment.

• Expands existing manta ray protection to cover all ray species, applying the same capture, possession, abuse, entanglement, and killing prohibitions with identical penalty structures as shark protections.

• Exempts special activity permits under section 187A-6, research permits not exceeding potential biological removal levels, Department of Land and Natural Resources actions for public safety, and sharks taken outside state waters pursuant to federal fisheries management.

• Preserves traditional and customary Native Hawaiian rights protected under the Hawaii State Constitution and becomes effective July 1, 2019.