The Mau and Hoomalu zones, located in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI), support limited entry commercial fisheries managed under the federal Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Bottomfish and Seamount Groundfish Fisheries of the Western Pacific Region. This FMP regulates the harvest of 14 bottomfish species found in federal waters (3 to 200 miles from shore) surrounding the Hawaii Archipelago.

The MHI is an open-access fishery. Fishermen operating 0 to 3 miles from shore are subject to Hawaii State Bottom Fishing regulations, which cover seven bottomfish species, referred to as the Deep 7. Federal and State fishery managers agreed on a Federal-State 2007 bottomfish seasonal closure in the MHI from May 15 to Sept. 30, 2007, for the Deep 7 and are working to develop compatible long-term management measures for MHI bottomfish.

The NWHI bottomfish fisheries are scheduled to close in 2011 by the Presidential proclamation that established the NWHI as a marine national monument.

• Bottomfish Management Measures in the Main Hawaiian Islands. Comments due March 7, 2008 (pdf)
  • Vessel Identification Requirements (pdf)
• NOAA Fisheries Letter on Documentation of NWHI Bottomfish & Imported Bottomfish During the MHI Closed Season – 2007 June 11 (pdf)
• Hawaii Bottomfish Informational Brochure (pdf)
• 2007 Bottomfish Seasonal Closure flyer / poster (pdf)
• DAR Letter on 2007 MHI Bottomfish Closed Season - 2007 May 21 (pdf)
• Federal Register Notice & NOAA Fisheries Letter on 2007 MHI Bottomfish Closed Season – 2007 May 21 (pdf)
• Guide to the 2007 Interim Seasonal Closure of the Main Hawaiian Islands Bottomfish Fishery (May 15, 2007) (pdf)