For assessment purposes, the Hawaiian bottomfish stocks are considered a single, archipelago-wide, multi-species complex. Scientific analysis of bottomfish catch data for the Hawaii Archipelago indicate that, at current levels, the amount of fishing effort on bottomfish in the main Hawaiian Islands (MHI) will not be sustainable in the long term. In other words, if no action is taken to reduce the fishing effort and mortality of MHI bottomfish,, declines in the populations of seven commonly caught deepwater bottomfish species—opakapaka, onaga, kalekale, hapuupuu, ehu, lehi and gindai (the “Deep 7”) will continue. The amount of fishing effort occurring in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, on the other hand, has been determined to be operating at sustainable levels.

• The Science behind the Overfishing Determination for MHI Bottomfish (2007) (pdf)
• Stock Assessment of Bottomfish Resources in the Hawaiian Archipelago (ppt)
• “Status of the Hawaiian Bottomfish Stocks, 2004" (pdf)
• Bottomfish Stock Assessment Workshop — Final Panel Report (2004) (pdf)