An administrative case was not pursued against the third person cited for illegally collecting hundreds of aquarium fish in February 2020 off Kawaihae.
The state Department of Land and Natural Resources said it agreed not to pursue an administrative case, and thus fines, against Wayne Newman in exchange for his cooperation in administrative cases against Kacie against Tyron Terazono. Newman also cooperated in a criminal case against Tyron Terazono.
“DLNR believes Mr. Newman’s cooperation was one of the key reasons the Terazonos agreed to settle the administrative case and to plead in the criminal case without either going to a full hearing,” the department said in response to a Friday request for clarification on the case.
The Terazonos recently agreed to pay $76,400 in fines for illegally collecting 550 aquarium fish last year off Kawaihae. It was part of a settlement reached that included the couple dropping their request for a contested case hearing on the matter, the state announced Thursday.
The Division of Aquatic Resources had the three split a fine of $110,000.
The Terazonos and Newman were on board a vessel boarded Feb. 20, 2020, after Division of Conservation and Resource Enforcement officers were tipped off to illegal collection activities in West Hawaii Regional Fishery Management Area waters off South Kohala.
Officers conducted a commercial fishing gear and catch inspection and reportedly turned up aquarium fishing gear, including a small-mesh net, aboard the vessel, according to the department. The vessel’s hold also contained 550 live fish, all of which were returned live to the ocean.
Tyron Terazono and Newman were each criminally cited in connection with the case while Kacie Terazono was not. Tyron Terazono pleaded guilty to 11 counts last fall and was sentenced to pay $5,500 in fines and serve 30 days in jail. Newman pleaded no contest to two counts and was ordered to pay $260 in fines and fees.
The aquatic life collected had a retail value of nearly $37,500, according to a submittal to the Board of Land and Natural Resources.