You may have heard about the new rule that prohibits the take of pākuʻikuʻi in West Hawaiʻi, beginning Dec. 19, 2022. In early December, the State Board of Land and Natural Resources (BLNR) approved the adoption of Hawai‘i Administrative Rule 13-60.41 to prohibit the take of pāku‘iku‘i within the West Hawai‘i Regional Fishery Management Area on Hawai‘i Island. This new rule was established using the State’s adaptive management rulemaking authority. This is the first time that the Department of Land & Natural Resources Division of Aquatic Resources (DLNR-DAR) has adopted rules under this authority, which allows for approval of temporary management measures in response to rapidly changing resource conditions.
A pākuʻikuʻi (Achilles tang, Acanthurus achilles) swims among butterflyfish and schooling surgeonfish on a reef in West Hawaiʻi (Image credit: Lindsey Kramer).
Why were the new rules needed?
Recent surveys by DLNR-DAR, the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and others have indicated a significant decline in this species, beginning in the early 2000s. Experts recently described this species as “dangerously depleted”.
Pākuʻikuʻi is a popular fish for both subsistence fisheries and the aquarium trade. Because pākuʻikuʻi are typically found in very shallow water and tend to be territorial, they’re a relatively easy target compared to other types of surgeonfish. Typically, commercial aquarium fishers captured juveniles and smaller size classes (when the aquarium fishery was open), while subsistence fishers tend to go for larger individuals. Along with the intermittency of larval recruitment of this species, this doubled-down harvest resulted in a decline across all life phases.
More about pākuʻikuʻi (Achilles tang, Japan fish, Acanthurus achilles)
Pākuʻikuʻi means “to strike or splash the water,” a method sometimes used to scare the fish into nets. These beautiful dark navy blue and orange fish are part of the surgeonfish family (Acanthuridae), and are characterized by having two razor sharp spines at the base of their tails. These spines are used for predator and territory defense, and are usually surrounded by bright colors, like the strikingly orange spot and tail markings of pākuʻikuʻi (that looks a bit like the flag of Japan). When in a feisty mood, a pākuʻikuʻi will develop a white patch on its chest and an overall reddish glow, meaning “get out of my territory” to other surgeonfish species.
Pākuʻikuʻi are herbivores and usually graze on algal turfs and certain types of filamentous and fleshy macroalgae. They prefer life in shallow surge zones with intensive wave action, and tend to stay within a relatively small territory, sometimes in small groups. Like many other reef fish, juveniles of this species recruit in their larval form to deeper finger coral habitats, emphasizing the critical importance of maintaining and protecting Hawaii’s fragile mid-depth coral species.
What do the new rules mean for me?
The new pākuʻikuʻi prohibition rules will be effective for a maximum of two years, with the option of an extension up to one year at a time, upon approval by BLNR and the Hawaiʻi State Legislature. In the meantime, DLNR-DAR is working towards longer-term regulations for sustainable take of pāku‘iku‘i.
Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund is excited to support this adaptive management measure to protect a declining native species. We’re hoping that within the 2-year closure period, a substantial recovery of pāku‘iku‘i will be documented in West Hawaiʻi, allowing for continued (sustainable) fishing and enjoyment of this local favorite!
More information about the new pāku‘iku‘i rule can be found at:
Learn more about pākuʻikuʻi (Acanthurus achilles) here:
https://www.fishbase.se/summary/acanthurus-achilles.html
https://ww.marinelifephotography.com/fishes/surgeonfishes/acanthurus-achilles.htm
