June 30, 2025 — A pilot program to fight agriculture-related crimes in Hawaii will go into effect July 1 on the Big Island and Oahu.
The program within the state Department of Law Enforcement is intended to strengthen laws relating to agriculture theft — including cattle rustling — plus trespassing and hunting without permission on private ag land.
The law, which goes into effect July 1, 2026, was introduced by Rep. Tyson Miyake, a Maui Democrat and majority whip, with Kahaloa and fellow Big Island Reps. Nicole Lowen and David Tarnas signing on as co-sponsors.
According to Eric Kingma, executive director of the Hawaii Longline Association, the local market for fresh ahi poke sold at retail largely has been replaced by foreign-caught, gas-treated tuna imported from Vietnam, the Philippines, China, Indonesia and other countries. He added the new law “should help Hawaii’s commercial tuna fishermen statewide.”
“This bill will hopefully drive consumer demand for more fresh Hawaii-landed ahi poke at retail because they will see that the previously frozen, gas-treated tuna is not from Hawaii,” Kingma said.