No aquatic life may be taken for commercial aquarium purposes off West Hawaii until an environmental review is completed, the state Department of Land and Natural Resources announced Friday.
The Hawaii Supreme Court ruled Sept. 6 that an environmental review must first occur before permits can be used to catch aquatic life for the commercial aquarium trade.
Following the ruling, Circuit Judge Jeffrey P. Crabtree terminated and canceled all fine mesh net permits. Under DLNR rules, a state aquarium permit is also required to take any aquatic life from waters off West Hawaii for commercial aquarium purposes.
Man gets 20 years for assault
HILO >> A former Hilo driver was sentenced to 20 years in prison after pleading no contest to allegations that he sexually assaulted a disabled woman.
Louis Sardis, 65, was a driver for the nonprofit organization The Arc of Hilo, which works with people who have developmental or other disabilities.
Two witnesses told police that they saw Sardis assaulting the woman last year in the van owned by the nonprofit.
Deputy Prosecutor Kimberly Angay said Sardis initially confessed to the attack but has since changed his story.
Sardis was sentenced Wednesday after pleading no contest in October to two counts of first-degree sexual assault, the Hawaii Tribune-Herald reported.
Sardis, originally from Chuuk in the Federated States of Micronesia, apologized in court.
The victim’s parents filed suit in September against Sardis and The Arc of Hilo, seeking unspecified monetary damages and changes made in the way the organization transports and supervises clients.
The Arc of Hilo filed a motion in November seeking dismissal of the civil complaint.
