Banner, A.H.

Conant, Sheila$Cox, Doak C.

Ford, John

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niversi yof awaii at ManoaOffice of the DirectorEnvironmental CenterCrawford 317. 2550 Campus RoadHonolulu. Hawaii 96S22Telephone (SOS] 948-7361HB 1082 and HB 1083RELATING TO IMPORTATION OF EELSRL:0208Statement forHouse Committee on Water, Land Use Development and Hawaiian HomesPublic Hearing, 2 March 1977. byA. H. Banner, Hawaii Institute of Marine BiologyJohn Ford, ZoologySheila Conant, Dept. of General ScienceDoak C. Cox, Environmental CenterHB 1082 would make an appropriation to the Departme t of Land andNatural Resources fer the importati on of Angui 11 Hormes eel s for experimenta Ipurposes. HB 1083 would amend Sec. 150A-6 of Hawaii Revised Statutes to makeit legal to import and maintain a population of up to 50,000 of these eels.This statement on the two bills has been submitted for review to the legislativesubcommittee of the Environmental Center of the University of Hawaii. It doesnot represent an institutional position of the University .Although the appropriation that would be provided by HB 1082 would beexpended for the importation of eels solely for experirnenta purposes, t heeventual objective must surely be to make it possible to raise Angilliformeeels in Hawaii for food. Without question eel is a food delicacy. However,potential serious environmental problems with raising such eels in Hawaii arethe reason for the specific ban against their importation provided in HRS Sec.150A-6.It must be recognized that, although the eels in question live in freshwater, they return to the ocean to breed. Preventing escape of captive eelswould be extremely difficult, especially because they can travel for somedistance on land. If any escaped, they might easily become established in ourstreams, and threaten their unique fauna which includes some endangered species .Even associated with an experimental program~ therefore, there is a graveenvironmental risk. Extensive recognition was given to this risk when importa-tion of these eels was proposed in 1973 . The potential benefit of the importa-tion is no greater now than it was then, and the risk has not been abated.AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

HB 1082 and HB 1083, Relating to Importation of Eels - Statement for House Committee on Water, Land Use Development and Hawaiian Homes Public Hearing - 2 March 1977

http://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/bitstream/10125/31115/1/RL0208.pdf

HB 1082 and HB 1083, Relating to Importation of Eels - Statement for House Committee on Water, Land Use Development and Hawaiian Homes Public Hearing - 2 March 1977

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ScholarSpace at University of Hawai'i at Manoa