From the Hawaii Fishing & Boating Association’s latest newsletter:

(Photo courtesy of Hawaii Fishing & Boating Association)

Swap meet draws steady crowd, new members and donations

What a great day! Booth space was sold out. Most vendors reported a successful day at HF&BA’s first swap meet. There was food, fun, a silent auction with great items and prizes for new members.

Swap Meet Chairwoman Margaret Smith-Pierce called it a complete success, gave a big mahalo to her committee and those who volunteered their time and energies.

She will be looking for a new group of volunteers to man the oars for the next swap meet event.

A Big Mahalo goes out to those in our community who donated goods and services (Aloha Insurance, Atlantis Submarines, Mac Pies, Fairwind Snorkel Tours, Poncho and Lefty’s, Captain Zodiac, Bite Me Fish Market, Captain Bill Crawford, Huggo’s, Rosa’s Cantina and Kona Marine Supply) to make the event succeed.

One of our Swap Meet goals was met by signing up 45 new members. Nine signed up as voting members and five as business members bringing our total membership at this time to more than 1,325.

HF&BA T-shirts

Another big hit at the event were the new HF&BA T-shirts. In anticipation of future Swap Meet events, we have some T’s now in inventory that you may purchase at Kona Marine Supply, the Bite Me Store or Fish Market.

They are quality T’s with the HF&BA Logo in 4 colors on the back. Purchase and wear your HF&BA T proudly. . . Keep Honokohau Free.

At the end of the day, the club was able to bank more than $3,000. The proceeds of the Swap Meet provide funds for the newsletters, mailings, and have made it possible to continue to retain an attorney in our efforts to move the DLNR/DOBOR in a direction that will make Honokohau, and other small boat harbors in Hawaii, more efficiently managed with rules that are understandable and applied fairly to all users.

BLNR approves 30 day ‘grace period’ for permit renewal

At its March 24 meeting, the state Board of Land and Natural Resources considered our testimony regarding the proposed amendment to HAR 13-231-5.

While HF&BA is in favor of granting a 30 day extension to those who miss their renewal date and the subsequent terminations of permits, we submitted testimony in opposition at the public hearing Feb. 24.

Opposition testimony was given verbally and spoke primarily to the poor manner in which the amendment is written, thus creating ambiguities and potential for differential treatment.

We presume the amendment was passed as written. Any changes would require additional Public Hearings.

While the granting of a 30 day “Grace Period” is welcome, we will continue to press for a re-write of the entire Chapter of HAR’s as it is riddled with ambiguities, inconsistencies and contradictions.

However, we do consider this a partial victory that will put an end to the indiscriminate taking of permits with no recourse. It is a step in the right direction.

Save the Palm Trees

Roughly 30 of the palms planted to beautify Kealakehe Parkway and the entrance to Honokohau Harbor are in harm’s way as the Queen Kaahumanu Highway is widened.

We have fought to preserve those trees, each of which is a memorial to someone associated with Honokohau or boating and fishing in Kona.

The trees were originally planted by Red Butler with the support of the Hawaii Big Game Fishing Club and the Kona Outdoor Circle.

It appears our appeals have been heard and the trees and their memorial plaques will be preserved.

— Find out more:
www.hawaiifishingandboating.com