Trilogy II is shown during a Molokini snorkel in 2014. On Monday, emergency rules were relaxed on commercial and recreational boats, allowing 50 percent of U.S. Coast Guard-rated capacity on board. Rules put in place in March limited operators to just 10 passengers and crew. Maui News file photo

The increase in allowable passengers and crew aboard commercial and recreational boats, announced Monday by the state, is a “game changer” and “works for most of the industry,” a Maui tour boat company official said Tuesday.

When the coronavirus took hold in Hawaii in March, the state reduced boat capacity to no more than two unrelated people. This effectively shut down tour boats, which were not operating anyway due to the lack of visitors with the tourism industry shutdown.

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources increased vessel capacity to no more than 10 people on a vessel at a time, including passengers and crew, on June 3. This helped smaller recreational and commercial vessels but not the larger operations.

On Monday, DLNR Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation relaxed the rules further, allowing commercial and recreational boats with a rated U.S. Coast Guard capacity of more than 10 people to take aboard 50 percent of its capacity.

The four counties, including Maui County, backed the relaxed rules, which took effect Monday.

“We’re really happy that they’ve made that call,” said Jim Coon, president of the Ocean Tourism Coalition and co-founder of Maui’s Trilogy Excursions.

He said Tuesday that the change will work for most larger operators but maybe not all. For example, there are Kaanapali boats that are Coast Guard rated for 49 passengers, which means they can carry 24 passengers, but elsewhere the vessel might be able to take on 80 passengers.

“That’s still way, way better than 10,” Coon added. “At least it is doable.”

The initial 10 person limit did not help Trilogy with its boats carrying 40 to 60 passengers out of Maalaea and Lahaina small boat harbors, but the expanded capacity “works for us,” Coon said. The tour company will be opening “right now” for local residents’ birthday and graduation parties and other gatherings “until tourists get back,” Coon said.

While his staff will be happy to be back at work, the opening will be “muted” and “tentative” because the number of returning tourists ultimately will determine how the company will do, Coon said.

“It really depends on how many tourists are coming here,” Coon said. “I don’t think anybody knows that.”

Coon also thanked the state for expansion of boat passengers before the Aug. 1 lifting of the quarantine on travelers from out of state who get a negative COVID-19 test.

DLNR said the new rules are based on state Department of Health and federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines with input from Hawaii boaters. The rules cover physical distancing, hygiene protocols, staffing, cleaning and disinfecting.

* Lee Imada can be reached at leeimada@mauinews.com.