From The Coral Reef Alliance (CORAL):

Aloha Kakou,

We know how important the sustainability of our ocean resources is to you. As you may or may not be aware, there has been a decade long endeavor to develop and fine tune a number of essential fisheries management recommendations for West Hawaii. This effort is finally coming to fruition; but to ensure that, we all need to help.

Attached please find a summary of the proposed West Hawaii rules package and a background document on the process of developing the rule recommendations. Also attached is the Board Submittal which will go before the Board of Land and Natural Resources on May 25th at 10am in Honolulu at the DLNR Kalanimoku Building on Punchbowl. At that time the Board will decide whether to allow DLNR/DAR to hold a public hearing regarding this rules package.

It is important for those who support these rules and the sustainability of our resources to provide testimony expressing their support of the rules package to the Board Members.

If you want more information or a copy of the rule itself and an in-depth comparison with the previous West Hawaii rule, contact DAR at darofc@hawaiiantel.net

HOW TO SUBMIT TESTIMONY:

Written testimony must be received before May 25 in order for the Board to consider the testimony in their decision making.

Fax: 808 587 0390 – Attention Board Members
Email: adaline.f.cummings@hawaii.gov
Mail: Department of Land and Natural Resources
Attn: Board Members
1151 Punchbowl Street, Room 130
Honolulu HI 96813

Please provide the Board members with a written summary of you oral comments if you are going to attend the Board meeting.

Mahalo nui.
Kara Osada-D’Avella
Field Representative
The Coral Reef Alliance (CORAL)

West Hawaii Regional Fishery Management Area (WHRFMA) Rule Proposals

In accordance with Act 306 (1998) and Hawaii Revised Statute §188-F, the Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR) is proposing changes to the rules governing the WHRFMA which encompasses the regional ocean area of the west coast of Hawaii Island from Upolu Point to Ka lae.

Due to the complexity and potential confusion in amending the current WHRFMA rule chapter (HAR §13-60.3), DAR is proposing to repeal this chapter and concurrently adopt a new chapter (§13-60.4) incorporating all proposed changes.

Substantive changes to the rules governing the WHRFMA are listed below. These recommended changes are the result of ten years of research, committee meetings, and community discussions, all facilitated by the West Hawai’i Fisheries Council (WHFC).

The overall goals of these changes are to ensure continued resource sustainability, to enhance nearshore resources, and to minimize user conflicts in the WHRFMA. Except for minor changes to address inconsistencies, ambiguity, and to clarify or remove superfluous language, all other existing rules governing the WHRFMA remain substantively the same.

The following new provisions are proposed for the WHRFMA:

* Prohibition of SCUBA spearfishing to include the possession of SCUBA gear and a spear or speared aquatic life.

* Establishment of a 1,500 foot section of Ka‘ohe Bay (Pebble Beach), South Kona, as a Fish Replenishment Area (FRA) where no aquarium collecting or recreational fish feeding will be allowed.

* Establishment of a list of 40 fish species permitted for aquarium take (see “white list” at end).
* Establishment of a West Hawaii Aquarium Permit required to collect aquatic life for aquarium purposes within the WHFRMA.

* Nets or containers used to capture or hold aquatic life for aquarium purposes must be labeled with the commercial marine license (CML) number(s) of the person(s) who own(s) or is using such equipment.

* Possession of aquarium collecting gear or aquarium life on a vessel after sunset or before sunrise requires prior notification to the DAR Kona office.

* Size and/or bag limits for aquarium collectors for kole and Achilles tang.

* Size and bag limits for all fishers for yellow tang.

* Prohibition on take and possession of certain vulnerable species.

* Minimum mesh size for “lay nets” does not apply to nets that are permitted for use under an aquarium permit, and labeled with the CML number of the person owning or using the net.

In addition to the above provisions this submittal also includes proposed rule changes involving updates to two FMAs contained within the WHRFMA and an update to DLNR’s lay net rule.

* Clarification of the boundaries of the Puako Bay and Puako Reef Fisheries Management Area (FMA) (out to the edge of the fringing reef), the types of nets prohibited (all except thrownets) and inclusion of a more accurate map of the FMA.

* Clarification of the boundaries of the Keauhou Bay Fisheries Management Area rule to be consistent with the no-laynetting boundaries established under the WHRFMA rule and inclusion of a more accurate map of the FMA.

* Technical amendments to department lay net rules (HAR §13-75-12.4) are made to reflect differences in the proposed replacement chapter (§13-60.4).