Hawai’i nears legal prohibition of drones for fishing

The state legislature of Hawai‘i is moving closer to passing a law that would prohibit the use of drones for fishing, which supporters call both unfair and a threat to traditional methods of manually casting from the shore relying on physical strength and technique.

The proposed legislation, SB2065 SD2 HD2, “(p)rohibits the possession or use of unmanned aerial vehicles on, in, or near state marine waters for purposes of fishing, unless permitted by the department of land and natural resources.” Its measures were introduced in January, and after considerable debate were finally passed by the lower house earlier this month. The state senate is currently hearing testimony on the bill from interested parties, and also appears likely to approve it.

At issue is the limited yet not insignificant number of people who use drones to snag fish off the shores of Hawai‘i. The practice involves attaching the line, hook, and bait to a specialized delivery device…