Hawaii coral shops still a thing?

[Cherub]

I will be on the big island later this month and am wondering if there are any corals shops in Hawaii or if they have been banned with fish collection?

 

[EmdeReef]

From what I understand reading the rule, it won't have a huge impact in the next 2-3 years. That said, if I remember correctly stony corals can't be legally sold in Hawaii, I'm sure we have some reefers who live there.

 

[Cherub]

From what I understand reading the rule, it won't have a huge impact in the next 2-3 years. That said, if I remember correctly stony corals can't be legally sold in Hawaii, I'm sure we have some reefers who live there.

ouch, even imported? Seems crazy xD Oh well guess I'll have to settle for enjoying myself when I'm there

 

[EmdeReef]

ouch, even imported? Seems crazy xD Oh well guess I'll have to settle for enjoying myself when I'm there

I may be wrong but a dive master told me they aren’t allowed to keep any stony corals. It was a few years ago so I may be off, hopefully someone else can verify.

 

[Livinlocal]

I have also heard that you cannot keep corals, especially importing them because the risk of invasive species taking over the native corals

 

[Cherub]

so don't move to Hawaii if you want a reef tank, got it sounds terrible there but makes sense... I guess.

 

[EmdeReef]

Haha guess not

http://dlnr.hawaii.gov/dar/habitat/coral-reefs/coral-and-live-rock-laws-of-hawaii/

“Unlawful to take, break or damage, any stony coral, including any reef or mushroom coral.
Unlawful to damage any stony coral by any intentional or negligent activity causing the introduction of sediment, biological contaminants, or pollution into state waters.
Unlawful to sell or offer for sale any stony coral, except that stony coral rubble pieces or fragments imported for the manufacture and sale of coral jewelry, or dead stony coral obtained through legal dredging operations in Hawaii for agricultural or industrial puposes, may be sold.”

 

[Pelagic One]

I was in Hawaii a couple times last year, on Oahu then the Big Island, so I thought it would be great to do the LFS tour that many of us do when arriving at a new place. I was so excited to see the fabulous creatures that came from reefs just a swim away from shore, but was disappointed when I walked into my first shop and was reminded of the statewide harvest and collection ban.

The most promising shop I found on Yelp had me ditching my family for an hour to head over to Honolulu Airport to find a nearby shop. I walked in to find one of the most attractive set of well-planted freshwater displays. I continued further into the store, walked around tons of driftwood displays and stepped over diatom filters cleaning their tanks, and came back to the counter looking disappointed.

When the lovely wahine asked me why I looked so sad, I told her I was looking forward to seeing their gorgeous reefs. She pointed out the window to the ocean, smiled, and said she would lend me a snorkel set she had in her car.

She did have really nice driftwood.

 

[Singlefin]

pretty much the only thing allowed is zoas. Only one shop on Oahu has them on occasion. Big Island is pretty bare as far as shops go. grab a snorkel.