Vessels registered in the Hawaii longline fishery are the main producers of line-caught premium quality bigeye tuna (ahi), yellowfin tuna (ahi), swordfish and other open ocean fish available from Hawaii. They operate beyond 50 nautical miles from Hawaii shores, often far off shore within international waters. The Hawaii longline fleet operates in waters managed by the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission and the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission in the eastern Pacific. The fleet follows U.S. regulations where ever they fish.

These regulations are designed to ensure compliance with international management measures.

When fishing beyond the 200 mile territorial limit they still follow the strict U.S. fishing regulations and carry with them federal observers on 100% of the swordfish trips and more than 20% of the tuna directed trips. The international management goal is to achieve 5% observer coverage by the 2012. Trollers, handliners and pole & line boats mostly fish within 50 nautical miles of Hawaii shores.