Hundreds of dead Tahitian prawns were found in streams at Onomea in an apparent poisoning earlier this month.
The state Department of Land and Natural Resources said the dead prawns were discovered Oct. 2 downstream from an empty bottle of pesticide.
The day before, two men were seen on camera sneaking into Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden after being told to leave.
DLNR is asking for assistance in finding those men in connection with the prawn deaths. They are described as mid-20s, 5 feet 6 inches tall, 135 pounds with black hair and mid-30s, 5 feet 8 inches tall, 145 pounds with black hair and a short pony tail.
The agency described the affected area as the “Onomea Papaikou/Pepeekeo area and Alakahi Stream where it crosses Old Mamalahoa Highway to its ocean entrance past the Onomea Na Ala Hele Trail.”
DLNR issued a warning last May asking people to avoid buying prawns if they don’t know the source.
“While there’s no evidence anyone has gotten sick eating prawns killed by poisons, there are stories in the community of people getting sick after eating them,” the agency said.
Poisoning streams is a Class C felony.