Brock, Richard

Carlson, Bruce

Harrison, John T.

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University of Hawai'i at ManoaEnvironmental CenterA Unit of Water Resources Research Center2550 Campus Road· Crawford 317 • Honolulu, Hawai'i 96822Telephone: (808) 956-7361 • Facsimile: (808) 956·3980RL:01465HB 1706 H.D.1RELATING TO FISHERIESHouse Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian AffairsPublic Hearing, February 16, 19992:00 p.m., Room 325, State CapitolByJohn Harrison, Environmental CenterRichard Brock, Sea GrantBruce Carlson, AquariumHB 1706 H.D.l would amend Chapter 188, HRS, to prohibit the possession, purchase, sale, ortrade of shark fins unless possessing documentation that the fins were taken from a shark landed whole inthe State.Our comments on this measure are compiled from voluntarily submitted opinions of the listedacademic sources, and as such, do not constitute an institutional position of the University of Hawaii.Our reviewers strongly concur that the practice of "finning" is wasteful, as well as ecologicallyunwise. However, we note that at the reported prices and considering the nonselective nature oflonglining and the size of the incidental shark catch, curtailing this practice will not be easy. Even if thepractice of finning were eliminated, the wasteful dumping of shark carcasses would continue unless amarket-driven processing industry for whole sharks arose. This measure provides incentive for such amarket stimulus, while providing a means through simple documentation to allow a reasonablecontinuation of the lucrative shark-fin trade. Those boats with appropriate storage capacities couldremain profitably involved in the shark fishery, while longliners lacking space to store sharks would beinduced to release hooked sharks.

HB 1706, HD 1, Relating to Fisheries, House Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs, Public Hearing, February 16, 1999, 2:00 P.M., Room 325, State Capitol

http://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/bitstream/10125/26476/1/RL01465.PDF

HB 1706, HD 1, Relating to Fisheries, House Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs, Public Hearing, February 16, 1999, 2:00 P.M., Room 325, State Capitol

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