STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1530

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2005

RE: H.R. No. 197

H.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water, Land, & Ocean Resources, to which was referred H.R. No. 197 entitled:

"HOUSE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON WATER, LAND, AND OCEAN RESOURCES TO CONDUCT INFORMATIONAL BRIEFINGS ON ALL ISLANDS ON THE NEED TO ESTABLISH MORE MARINE MANAGED AREAS THROUGHOUT THE STATE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this resolution is to request the House Committee on Water, Land, and Ocean Resources (WLO Committee), together with the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), to meet with marine resource stakeholders on all islands to discuss the problem of Hawaii's depleting marine resources and the need to establish more marine managed areas throughout the state.

DLNR, The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii, Pacific Fisheries Coalition, and a concerned individual testified in support of this resolution.

Conducting statewide informational briefings on the need for marine managed areas is only a part of the solution to ensure the viability and sustainability of Hawaii's marine resources. Your Committee believes that a more expansive, inclusive, and meaningful approach to stemming the depletion of the state's unique and precious marine resources is warranted.

 

Your Committee has amended this resolution by:

(1) Amending its title to read, "AUTHORIZING THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON WATER, LAND, AND OCEAN RESOURCES, TOGETHER WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES, TO CONDUCT COMMUNITY MEETINGS THROUGHOUT THE STATE TO SEEK PUBLIC PARTICIPATION TOWARDS ENSURING THE VIABILITY OF HAWAII'S MARINE RESOURCES NOW AND FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS";

(2) Authorizing, rather than requesting, the WLO Committee to conduct the statewide community meetings;

(3) Recognizing that DLNR has successfully established marine managed areas throughout the state;

(4) Clarifying that the community meetings also need to focus on adopting measures that would ensure the viability of Hawaii's ocean marine resources for present and future generations; and

(5) Making other technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water, Land, & Ocean Resources that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.R. No. 197, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as H.R. No. 197, H.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water, Land, & Ocean Resources,

 

____________________________

EZRA R. KANOHO, Chair