HONOLULU – A Native Hawaiian fisherman is asking a state board to declare that only people who are lawfully admitted to the United States can get commercial fishing licenses.
The petition was filed Wednesday in response to an Associated Press investigation that found hundreds of foreign fishermen confined to boats and some living in subpar conditions. Hawaii grants the foreign fishermen licenses to fish but they aren't allowed to enter the country.
Malama Chun, who lives on Maui and engages in fishing as a cultural practice, filed the petition with the state Board and Natural Resources, which regulates fishing licenses. Chun's family has seen a massive decline in fish stocks over generations. He blames overfishing and says in the petition that giving licenses to people who aren't in the U.S. legally contributes to the problem.
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