Chave, Keith

Gerritsen, Frans

Grigg, Richard

Miller, Jacquelin

Moberly, Ralph

Tabata, Ray

ScholarSpace at University of Hawai'i at Manoa

,University of Hawaii at ManoaEnvironmental CenterCrawford 317. 2550 Campus RoadHonolulu. Hawaii 96822Telephone (808) 948-7361RL:0704HB 653COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENTStatement forHouse Committees onPlanning, Energy and Environmental ProtectionTransportationPublic Hearing - March 5, 1987ByJacquelin Miller, Environmental CenterRichard Grigg, Hawaii Institute of Marine BiologyRay Tabata, Sea GrantFrans Gerritsen, Ocean EngineeringKeith Chave, OceanographyRalph Moberly, GeologyHB 653 would revise HRS 205A-44 to prohibit the mining or taking ofdead coral or coral rubble from the shoreline and restricted nearshoreareas and the taking of any live stony coral of the Funjiidae orPocilloporidae families for any reason.The statement on this bill does not represent an institutional positionof the University of Hawaii.We recognize the intent of the legislature to protect both living anddead corals as an important natural biological resource of our marin eenvironment. We wish to point out, however, certain concerns with the billas presently drafted which should be considered in drafting its final form.Page 1, lines 3,4. The prohibition of mining or taking of dead coral orcoral rubble would appear to preclude its removal even for scientificpurposes or the maintenance of pUblic waterways and channels. Thisprohibition seems unduly restrictive. Amendment to include provision forstate or county maintenance purposes, inclUding the purposes under HRS46-11.5 (management of storm waters) would be appropriate and we offer somesuggested wording in the next paragraph.• Unllfwater...... Resean:fI e..AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYERHB 653Page 2Page 3, lines 19,20. The rationale for selectively protecting the twofamilies of corals cited in HB 653 is not clear. The Acroporidae are rarein Hawaii and should be fully protected. We suggest that, except by permitfrom the Deparbnent of Land and Natural Resources, prohibition of taking orselling of any dead or live stony corals from Hawaiian waters would be moreappropriate. Specific rules directing the conditions under which thispermit would be issued can then be developed by DLNR so that the coralresources of the state can be appropriately managed consonant with othermarine resources of the state.We suggest that the proposed amendment to page 1, paragraph (a) bereworded as follows:The mining, or taking of sand, dead or live coral or coral rubble,rocks, soil, or other beach or marine deposits from the shorelinearea.•.•.. is prohibited with the following exceptions:(4) The taking or selling of dead or live coral from Hawaiian watersmay be allowed under permit issued by the Department of land andNatural Resources. Such permits shall be based on an evaluation of theinventory and depletions proposed, sustainable yield, impacts to othermarine activities such as diving, and issued pursuant to acceptedfishery management practices; shoreline maintenance requirements; andscientific research needs.To assist in the enforcement of this provision, without jeopardizingthe imported coral, retail induBtxy in the state, local retailers of coralsshould have proof of import to be sure that Hawaiian stony corals are notbeing marketed without the required permit.If not already available, we suggest that DLNR be provided with fundsto conduct a baseline inventory of the coral resources of the state and asummary of the collection/harvesting and retailing statistics for thevarious families/varieties of corals marketed in the state. The inventoryshould include such information as the location and the physical andenvironmental characteristices of the coral resources of the state, ie.depth, substrate, families/species, size, nUmbers, etc. The departmentshould also identify and consider present uses of coral resourcesincluding but not limited to, such uses as charter diving, tropical reeffish collecting, and fishing. It is our understanding that a significantpercentage of the stony corals sold at the tourist stands in the state areimported from out of the state. A tabulation of the numbers, species, andvolume of corals imported and sold along with relevant economic datareflecting the size of the local industry should be compiled. TheDepartment of Land and Natural Resources should then be able to assess thetotal resource and the environmental, economic, management and enforcementimplications of permitting either personal or commercial harvesting, orboth, and advise on the content of legislative or regUlatory actionneeded, if any, as supported by appropriate documentation.

HB 653, Coastal Zone Management - Statement for House Committees on Planning, Energy, and Environmental Protection; Transportation Public Hearing - March 5, 1987

http://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/bitstream/10125/30936/1/RL0704.PDF

HB 653, Coastal Zone Management - Statement for House Committees on Planning, Energy, and Environmental Protection; Transportation Public Hearing - March 5, 1987

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

ScholarSpace at University of Hawai'i at Manoa