Categorized | Environment, Featured

NOAA reviewing humpback whale sanctuary future

NOAA staffers listen during the small group sessions Wednesday evening at Keauhou Beach Resort. (Hawaii 24/7 photo by Karin Stanton)

Karin Stanton | Hawaii 24/7 Contributing Editor

NOAA began its review of the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale Sanctuary with two meetings this week on the Big Islands. About 30 people attended Tuesday’s scoping meeting in Hilo; another 60 attended Wednesday’s meeting in Kona.

Following a round of informational meetings in May, NOAA and sanctuary staff are off on another statewide series of scoping meetings to solicit public comment and allow community members to provide views on the visioning document, and specifically, the possible roles the sanctuary could play in helping to achieve a broader vision for future ocean conservation efforts in Hawaii.

“It’s really an ongoing process,” said Allen Tom, Pacific Islands Regional Director for the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries. “This plan will really tell us where we are going.”

Speaking at Wednesday’s meeting, Tom said, the management plan review will take several years to complete and will likely result in a new management plan for the sanctuary. Management plans serve as “blueprints” for future sanctuary operations for the next 5-10 years and as a framework for addressing critical issues.

It lays the foundation for restoring and protecting the sanctuary’s target resources, details the human pressures and threats impacting the sanctuary and recommends actions that should be taken now and in the future to better manage the area.

Tom said he was pleased to see so many people come to the meetings (another eight are scheduled around the state in the coming weeks) so early in the process.

“The bottom line is people care about and are concerned about the marine environment,” he said. “That’s nice to see.”

Tom said he expects residents on different islands will have different issues they deem priorities. For example, he said, he expected to hear more about dolphins and tropical fish collecting in Kona, water quality on Maui and acoustic testing on Kauai.

People who live, work and play along Hawaii’s shores have much to say about how it is managed and protected, he said, and the sanctuary wants to hear those opinions.

“People are passionate about the ocean. They might complain a little, but they are also offering up ideas and solution,” Tom said.

At Wednesday’s Kona meeting, the attendees split into three groups and, led by facilitators, shared their concerns, ideas and opinions.

Afterward, the facilitators said they appreciated hearing the local knowledge and while not everyone is in agreement about every issue, there is one overall consensus – a healthy ocean and marine environment is critical to recreation, business and Native Hawaiian cultural practices.

Among the comments at Kona’s meeting:

* All marine mammals and coral reef ecosystems should be protected.
* Emphasis should be placed on education and outreach, especially to Hawaii’s youngsters and visitors.
* Concerns and needs of fishermen should be considered.
* Captains and tour operators should be formally educated.
* Better coordination between land and ocean agencies.
* The Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement (DOCARE) is spread too thin.
* The sanctuary should be expanded. (Currently, the Big Island portion of the sanctuary stretches along the western shore from Upolu Point to Keahole Point.)
* Halt all U.S. Navy sonar testing.

Among the questions at Kona’s meeting:

* What happens if NOAA and the state Department of Land and Natural Resources disagree?
* What is being done to address water quality within the sanctuary?
* What about Native Hawaiian fishing rights?

The staff expects to finish compiling all the comments into a public document by the end of the year. A draft management plan and Environmental Impact Statement will be developed in 2011.

Tom said the final plan will be presented to the governor and the U.S. Congress sometime in 2014.

The sanctuary

The sanctuary is located from the shoreline to the 100-fathom isobath (600 ft. depth) in the four island area of Maui; Penguin Bank; and off the north shore of Kauai, the north and south shores of Oahu, and the north Kona and Kohala coasts of the Big Island.

The primary purpose and mission of the sanctuary is to protect humpback whales and their habitat within the Hawaiian Islands. However, the sanctuary was mandated by Congress in the 1992 Hawaiian Islands National Marine Sanctuary Act to identify and evaluate additional resources and ecosystems of national significance.

During the last review of the sanctuary’s management plan in 2002, numerous public comments were received requesting the sanctuary to increase its scope to include the conservation and management of other resources and species. The governor expressed support for considering other marine mammals and sea turtles for possible inclusion to the sanctuary.

The marine resources listed for evaluation by state and community partners to date include dolphins, other whales, Hawaiian monk seals, sea turtles, and maritime heritage resources including historic downed aircraft and sunken ships.

Comments

Comments on the management plan review will be accepted through Oct. 16.

Written inquiries and comments may be sent to:

Management Plan Review Coordinator
Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary
6600 Kalanianaole Highway, Suite 301
Honolulu, Hawaii 96825

Comments may also be faxed to (808) 397–2650.

Electronic comments may be sent to: hihwmanagementplan(at)noaa.gov.

Note: All comments received are a part of the public record. All personal identifying information (for example, name, address, etc.) voluntarily submitted by the commenter may be publicly accessible. Do not submit confidential business information or otherwise sensitive or protected information. NOAA will accept anonymous comments. Attachments to electronic comments will be accepted in Microsoft Word, Excel, Wordperfect, or Adobe PDF file formats.

— Find out more:
http://hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov/management/management_plan_review.html

One Response to “NOAA reviewing humpback whale sanctuary future”

  1. Dianne Reategui says:

    Dear Allen,

    Many greetings from Peru! I am so excited about all that I am reading here about your work and the Humpback Marine Sanctuary. I wanted you to know that Carlos and I and my sister, Jane and her husband Tuffy Burton, will be in Hawaii the week of February 4 to 11. Can you believe after all these years! We would love to see you. We will be staying most of the time on the island of Kaua’i and of course we are very interested in seeing whales, knowing more about the marine sancutaries. I retired from school last year and I am working in Carlos business now. Peru is developing so much, you would be astounded at the changes from when you were here in 1997, April 22, Earth Day, when the hostages were released. I know you remember!! Your visit with the students to our school was a highlight of my teaching career. We send you our best wishes for the New Year, Warmest regards, Dianne and Carlos

Trackbacks/Pingbacks


Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

 

Quantcast