When is ʻōpakapaka season in Hawaii?

Hawaii keeps ʻōpakapaka open to fishing year-round for the 2026 regulation year — there is no closed season, though the daily bag and size limits below still apply every day.

What is the Hawaii bag limit for ʻōpakapaka?

The Hawaii daily bag limit for ʻōpakapaka is 5 / day combined across all 7 Deep 7 bottomfish species, non-commercial (DAR rule); commercial harvest governed by the federal 493,000-lb Annual Catch Limit. The possession limit is 5 combined Deep 7 bottomfish (non-commercial). Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.

What size ʻōpakapaka can you keep in Hawaii?

The Hawaii size rule for ʻōpakapaka is No recreational minimum size; 1 lb minimum applies only to fish offered for sale (HAR Chapter 13-95). Trophy rule: Trophy ʻōpakapaka 12-18 lb come from deep rocky drop-offs off all islands; HI state record 18.5 lb (Greg Holzman); the deeper onaga + ehu of the same Deep 7 complex run larger still.

Do you need a license to fish for ʻōpakapaka in Hawaii?

Yes. Hawaii requires a valid fishing license to fish for ʻōpakapaka, with the usual exemptions for young children, state free-fishing days, and some senior or disabled-veteran categories. A license is valid only in the state that issued it, so non-residents need a Hawaii license — compare resident and non-resident Hawaii fees on the state regulations page below.

Are there gear restrictions for ʻōpakapaka in Hawaii?

Yes. In Hawaii, ʻōpakapaka fishing carries these gear rules: Deep-drop hook-and-line + electric reel over rocky bottom in ~20-100 fathoms standard; Non-commercial 5 Deep 7 bottomfish / day combined; commercial sale requires a Commercial Marine Licence and falls under the federal Annual Catch Limit (493,000 lb, 2025-2027); Twelve Bottomfish Restricted Fishing Areas (BRFAs) closed year-round to bottomfishing (HAR Chapter 13-94); Fishery closes for the remainder of the Sep 1 – Aug 31 fishing year if NOAA projects the ACL will be reached (accountability measure); NO state recreational licence required for non-commercial bottomfishing (Hawaiʻi-only open-access model).

Do specific Hawaii waters have different ʻōpakapaka rules?

Yes. 2 named Hawaii waters carry rules that override the statewide ʻōpakapaka regulation, including Kona Coast — Honokōhau Harbor, Penguin Bank. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

2026 regulation year

Hawaii ʻŌpakapaka (pink snapper / Deep 7) 2026 — Season, Bag Limit, Size Rules

Pristipomoides filamentosus

Last updated June 3, 2026

ʻŌpakapaka — the pink snapper (Pristipomoides filamentosus) — is the most popular and most accessible member of Hawaiʻi's celebrated 'Deep 7' bottomfish complex: the seven deepwater snappers + grouper (ʻōpakapaka, onaga / Etelis coruscans, ehu / Etelis carbunculus, lehi / Aphareus rutilans, kalekale / Pristipomoides sieboldii, gindai / Pristipomoides zonatus, and hāpuʻupuʻu / Hyporthodus quernus) that anchor the islands' premium deep-drop fishery and dominate the high-end local seafood market. ʻŌpakapaka holds over rocky bottom in roughly 20-100 fathoms (~120-600 ft) — shallower and more reachable than the deeper onaga + ehu — and is taken by deep-drop hook-and-line, increasingly with electric reels, off all main islands. The Deep 7 are co-managed by the State (DLNR / DAR) and the federal government (NOAA Fisheries + the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council) under an Annual Catch Limit (ACL) of 493,000 lb for both the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 fishing years (final rule effective May 21 2026), with the fishing year running September 1 through August 31. If NOAA projects the ACL will be reached, the fishery closes for the remainder of that year — an in-season accountability measure (the fishery did close early in several past years). Non-commercial anglers may take or possess a combined total of 5 Deep 7 bottomfish per day; there is no recreational minimum size (a 1-lb minimum applies only to fish offered for sale). Twelve Bottomfish Restricted Fishing Areas (BRFAs) — the current 12-area configuration adopted in 2007 — are closed year-round to bottomfishing to protect spawning stock + essential habitat. NO recreational marine licence is required for non-commercial bottomfishing. Hawaiʻi state-record ʻōpakapaka 18.5 lb (Greg Holzman).

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Season

Open year-round Open year-round; the Main Hawaiian Islands Deep 7 fishing year runs September 1 – August 31, and the fishery may close in-season if NOAA projects the 493,000-lb Annual Catch Limit will be reached.

Bag & possession

Daily bag: 5 / day combined across all 7 Deep 7 bottomfish species, non-commercial (DAR rule); commercial harvest governed by the federal 493,000-lb Annual Catch Limit
Possession: 5 combined Deep 7 bottomfish (non-commercial)

Size, slot, trophy rules

Size: No recreational minimum size; 1 lb minimum applies only to fish offered for sale (HAR Chapter 13-95)
Trophy rule: Trophy ʻōpakapaka 12-18 lb come from deep rocky drop-offs off all islands; HI state record 18.5 lb (Greg Holzman); the deeper onaga + ehu of the same Deep 7 complex run larger still

Gear restrictions

Deep-drop hook-and-line + electric reel over rocky bottom in ~20-100 fathoms standard
Non-commercial 5 Deep 7 bottomfish / day combined; commercial sale requires a Commercial Marine Licence and falls under the federal Annual Catch Limit (493,000 lb, 2025-2027)
Twelve Bottomfish Restricted Fishing Areas (BRFAs) closed year-round to bottomfishing (HAR Chapter 13-94)
Fishery closes for the remainder of the Sep 1 – Aug 31 fishing year if NOAA projects the ACL will be reached (accountability measure)
NO state recreational licence required for non-commercial bottomfishing (Hawaiʻi-only open-access model)

Named water-body overrides

Where statewide rules differ on specific Hawaii waters:

Kona Coast — Honokōhau Harbor
Deep-drop ʻōpakapaka + onaga + ehu over the steep Kona ledges that fall to 1000+ ft within a mile of shore; 5 / day non-commercial combined Deep 7
Penguin Bank
Premier Deep 7 ground (ʻōpakapaka + onaga + ehu + hāpuʻupuʻu); BRFA closed zones + the 493,000-lb federal ACL apply; 5 / day non-commercial combined

Official source

Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) — Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR) publishes the authoritative 2026 Hawaiifishing regulations. Always verify the current rule before fishing — emergency closures and in-season changes can override what's published here.

The ʻōpakapaka rules on this page are sourced from Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) — Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR)'s official ʻōpakapaka regulation page.

Visit official Hawaii fishing regulations →

Emergency-order channel

ʻŌpakapaka closures, slot-limit changes, and harvest pauses are posted to Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources's emergency-order feed — check it before any Hawaii trip during the active season.

Frequently asked questions

When is ʻōpakapaka season in Hawaii?: Hawaii keeps ʻōpakapaka open to fishing year-round for the 2026 regulation year — there is no closed season, though the daily bag and size limits below still apply every day.
What is the Hawaii bag limit for ʻōpakapaka?: The Hawaii daily bag limit for ʻōpakapaka is 5 / day combined across all 7 Deep 7 bottomfish species, non-commercial (DAR rule); commercial harvest governed by the federal 493,000-lb Annual Catch Limit. The possession limit is 5 combined Deep 7 bottomfish (non-commercial). Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.
What size ʻōpakapaka can you keep in Hawaii?: The Hawaii size rule for ʻōpakapaka is No recreational minimum size; 1 lb minimum applies only to fish offered for sale (HAR Chapter 13-95). Trophy rule: Trophy ʻōpakapaka 12-18 lb come from deep rocky drop-offs off all islands; HI state record 18.5 lb (Greg Holzman); the deeper onaga + ehu of the same Deep 7 complex run larger still.
Do you need a license to fish for ʻōpakapaka in Hawaii?: Yes. Hawaii requires a valid fishing license to fish for ʻōpakapaka, with the usual exemptions for young children, state free-fishing days, and some senior or disabled-veteran categories. A license is valid only in the state that issued it, so non-residents need a Hawaii license — compare resident and non-resident Hawaii fees on the state regulations page below.
Are there gear restrictions for ʻōpakapaka in Hawaii?: Yes. In Hawaii, ʻōpakapaka fishing carries these gear rules: Deep-drop hook-and-line + electric reel over rocky bottom in ~20-100 fathoms standard; Non-commercial 5 Deep 7 bottomfish / day combined; commercial sale requires a Commercial Marine Licence and falls under the federal Annual Catch Limit (493,000 lb, 2025-2027); Twelve Bottomfish Restricted Fishing Areas (BRFAs) closed year-round to bottomfishing (HAR Chapter 13-94); Fishery closes for the remainder of the Sep 1 – Aug 31 fishing year if NOAA projects the ACL will be reached (accountability measure); NO state recreational licence required for non-commercial bottomfishing (Hawaiʻi-only open-access model).
Do specific Hawaii waters have different ʻōpakapaka rules?: Yes. 2 named Hawaii waters carry rules that override the statewide ʻōpakapaka regulation, including Kona Coast — Honokōhau Harbor, Penguin Bank. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

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