STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1701

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 1848

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 1848, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AQUATIC RESOURCES,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to establish the makai o ke kai community grant program to assist communities in near-shore resource management and monitoring.

 

     The measure also:

 

     (1)  Engages local communities in the management of Hawaii's near-shore fishery resources; and

 

     (2)  Establishes a community task force to advise the Department of Land and Natural Resources in its fisheries rulemaking process.

 

     Your Committee received comments in support of the measure from the Nature Conservancy of Hawaii and seven concerned individuals.  The Department of Land and Natural Resources, the Mayor of Maui County, and ten concerned individuals submitted comments on this measure.  The Malama Maunalua submitted comments in opposition to the measure.

 

     Your Committee finds that Hawaii's near-shore reef fisheries have declined by seventy-five per cent over the past century due to over-use, run off, sedimentation, and invasive species.  Scientists estimate that commercial reef-fish species, such as oio, weke, and kumu have declined by more than seventy-five per cent in the past one hundred years.

 

     The makai o ke kai program is a partnership in marine resource enforcement, education, outreach, monitoring, and surveillance between local community members and the Department of Land and Natural Resources, as well as other resource managers and regulators.

 

     This measure supports the makai o ke kai program by enabling communities to directly manage the marine resources surrounding their communities to ultimately preserve and protect Hawaii's near-shore habitat.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1848, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

 

 

 

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair