Gov. David Ige signed a bill Thursday that will add community service and an educational class to the list of potential punishments for violating regulations on aquatic life.
Those who catch too many fish, fish on prohibited days, use prohibited equipment/methods or otherwise violate aquatic life regulations are currently subject to fines and imprisonment. The new law would provide educational resources for offenders in addition to or in lieu of existing punitive measures.
Introduced by the State Judiciary and Department of Land and Natural Resources, the bill was signed at the University of Hawaii’s Richardson Law School during its free and public India-Hawaii Law Symposium that addressed topics such as climate change and environmental law.
Speakers from India, California, Colorado and Delaware were slated for appearances.

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