STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3102

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 1616

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Agriculture and Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 1616, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AQUACULTURE,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to the Department of Agriculture to develop the concept of and conduct a feasibility study that includes cost estimates for the establishment of a primary quarantine and laboratory facility for aquatic species used in the Hawaii agricultural industry.

 

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, Hawaii Aquaculture Association, Day2 Resources, LLC, Aquatic Innovations, Paradise Shrimp Farm Corp., and two individuals.  Testimony in support of the intent of this measure was submitted by the Department of Agriculture.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by adding as Part II the content of Part II of H.B. No. 1615, S.D. 1, which appropriates funds to the University of Hawaii Sea Grant College program for an opihi restoration project to obtain a current baseline population of Hawaiian opihi throughout the islands.  The opihi restoration program is planned to be a hatchery-based restocking program which has proven to be the most viable method for enhancing the natural populations of opihi.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture and Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1616, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1616, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Agriculture and Hawaiian Affairs,

 

 

 

____________________________

JILL TOKUDA, Chair