STAND. COM. REP. NO.  664-08

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

 

RE:   H.B. No. 3260

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Water, Land, Ocean Resources & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 3260 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FISHING,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this bill is to prevent the overharvesting of uhu and goatfish by establishing:

 

(1)  A fishing bag limit of no more than two of each of kumu, moana ukali, munu, and uhu per person, per day, for recreational, subsistence, or commercial purposes; and

 

(2)  Creating a minimum size limit of twelve inches in length for all species of uhu, and ten inches in length for kumu, moano ukali, and munu.

 

     A member of the Maui County Council, Sierra Club Hawaii, Maui Tomorrow Foundation, Hanalei Watershed Hui, Save Our Seas, Pacific Whale Foundation, and numerous concerned individuals testified in support of this bill.  The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) supported the intent of this measure.  Several concerned individuals opposed this bill.  The Aha Kiole Advisory Committee representative for the island of Maui provided comments.

 

 

 

     Your Committee finds that the issue of overharvesting is particularly serious on the island of Maui.  Accordingly, this bill has been amended by limiting the application of the size restrictions to the island of Maui. 

 

     This bill has also been amended by:

 

(1)  Providing that the law is repealed on the effective date of comparable administrative rules adopted by DLNR; and

 

(2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for style, clarity, and consistency.

 

     Your Committee also finds that adequate penalty provisions are necessary for the effective enforcement of these requirements.  Therefore, your Committee respectfully requests the Committee on Judiciary to consider whether the penalty provisions provided in Chapter 188, Hawaii Revised Statutes, provide a sufficient incentive to comply with these requirements or if an increase in the penalties is warranted.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water, Land, Ocean Resources & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 3260, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 3260, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

KEN ITO, Chair