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2026 regulation year

Bottomfish Restricted Fishing Areas (12 BRFAs) 2026 — Hawaii Fishing Regulations

Hawaii statewide rules apply unless overridden below.

Last updated

Bottomfish Restricted Fishing Areas (12 BRFAs) carries a special-regulation overlay on top of Hawaii's 2026 fishing rules. Verify the agency booklet before launching: in-season changes are not yet wired to this page.

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State-level special regulation

  • Twelve Bottomfish Restricted Fishing Areas (the current 12-area configuration in place since 2007) are closed year-round to bottomfishing for the Deep 7 complex (ʻōpakapaka + onaga + ehu + lehi + kalekale + gindai + hāpuʻupuʻu) to protect spawning stock + essential fish habitat (HAR Chapter 13-94); the Main Hawaiian Islands Deep 7 fishery runs September 1 – August 31 under a 493,000-lb federal Annual Catch Limit (NOAA Fisheries / WPRFMC, 2025-2026 + 2026-2027), with non-commercial anglers limited to 5 Deep 7 bottomfish per day combined and the fishery closing for the remainder of the year if NOAA projects the ACL will be reached

    Source: Hawaii special-water list

Official source

Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) — Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR) publishes the authoritative 2026 Hawaii fishing regulations. Special-regulation lakes and rivers are listed in the agency booklet — always verify before fishing.

Visit official Hawaii fishing regulations →

Emergency-order channel

In-season closures, slot-limit changes, and run-count-driven 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.

Other special-regulation waters in Hawaii

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Frequently asked questions

What special fishing regulations apply at Bottomfish Restricted Fishing Areas (12 BRFAs)?
Bottomfish Restricted Fishing Areas (12 BRFAs) carries one special-regulation overlay that overrides Hawaii's statewide 2026 rules. It reads: "Twelve Bottomfish Restricted Fishing Areas (the current 12-area configuration in place since 2007) are closed year-round to bottomfishing for the Deep 7 complex (ʻōpakapaka + onaga + ehu + lehi + kalekale + gindai + hāpuʻupuʻu) to protect spawning stock + essential fish habitat (HAR Chapter 13-94); the Main Hawaiian Islands Deep 7 fishery runs September 1 – August 31 under a 493,000-lb federal Annual Catch Limit (NOAA Fisheries / WPRFMC, 2025-2026 + 2026-2027), with non-commercial anglers limited to 5 Deep 7 bottomfish per day combined and the fishery closing for the remainder of the year if NOAA projects the ACL will be reached." Every overlay on this water body is listed in full above.
Do I need a fishing license to fish Bottomfish Restricted Fishing Areas (12 BRFAs)?
Yes. Bottomfish Restricted Fishing Areas (12 BRFAs) is in Hawaii, so a valid Hawaii fishing license is required just as it is anywhere else in the state, issued by Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) — Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR). The special regulations on this page change the bag, size, slot, or gear rules for Deep 7 BRFAs; they do not waive the license requirement. Free-fishing days and youth exemptions follow the statewide Hawaii rules.
Do Bottomfish Restricted Fishing Areas (12 BRFAs)'s special rules replace Hawaii's statewide limits?
Only where they conflict. Hawaii's statewide 2026 regulations apply on Deep 7 BRFAs by default; the overlays above replace the matching statewide rule for the species or gear they name, while everything not specifically overridden still follows the statewide rule. When a water-body rule and the statewide rule disagree, the water-body rule wins.

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