Saving Seafood

Questions arise over Papahanaumokuakea expansion plan

August 15, 2016 — LIHUE, Hawaii — The potential expansion of Papahanaumokuakea National Marine Monument was the main concern at Wednesday evening’s Kauai Office of Hawaiian Affairs Board of Trustees meeting.

Puanani Rogers, from Kealia, said when it comes to the potential marine monument expansion, she thinks there’s too much misinformation floating around in the community.

“This is the worst thing, it’s dividing the community, family against family and friend against friend,” Rogers said.

Because of that, she said she has reservations against supporting the expansion proposal, which is being evaluated by the federal Council for Environmental Equality, according to OHA chief executive officer, Kamana‘opono Crabbe.

Rogers said she’s also concerned that the military is exempt from the rules of the monument.

The proposal calls for the expansion of the monument on all sides except the southeast boundary, avoiding the islands of Kauai and Ni’ihau as well the Middle Banks fishing area.

If President Barack Obama approves it, the proposal would establish the largest protected marine area in the world.

The bid for Native Hawaiian sovereignty and OHA’s work with the United States Federal Emergency Management Agency and Department of Homeland Security were also part of the talks during the meeting at Wilcox Elementary School attended by about 70 people.

Read the full story at The Garden Island

CALEB MCMAHAN: Expanding the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument Would Set A Dangerous Precedent

August 12, 2016 — The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently held a public meeting to discuss the proposed expansion of the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument.

Proponents of the expansion stand behind the request of Hawaii Sen. Brian Schatz and a group of seven Native Hawaiians for President Barack Obama to consider invoking the Antiquities Act of 1906 to expand the existing 50 mile monument boundary four-fold. The new monument would include nearly all of the Exclusive Economic Zone surrounding the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands and a whopping 60 percent of the greater Hawaiian Islands EEZ.

Proponents argue that the expansion is necessary and justified on a variety of accounts. But the invocation of the Antiquities Act would mean that nearly 1.3 million square kilometers of U.S. waters would be made off-limits to American fishermen without public review or scientific analysis of the impacts or potential benefits.

Given the permanence of such a designation and the ramifications for the affected user groups, it’s no surprise that the recent meeting included a lively debate between those for and against expansion.

Read the full story at the Honolulu Civil Beat

Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council Asks for Transparent Analysis of Proposed Marine Monument Expansion

August 8, 2016 — The following is excerpted from a press release from the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council addressing transparency in the proposed marine monument expansion. In particular, the release highlighted the failure by White House officials to fulfill promises made during the expansion of the Pacific Remote Islands Monument in 2014:

The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council on Wednesday agreed to a resolution that asks the U.S. government to address a suite of concerns before acting on the proposed expansion on the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument (MNM) in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Council members Suzanne Case, Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources chair, and Julie Leialoha, Conservation Council for Hawaii president, voted against the proposal. National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Pacific Islands Regional Administrator Michael Tosatto abstained.

The resolution requests a “public, transparent, deliberative, documented and science-based process” to address the proposed expansion, which could prohibit fishing in two-thirds of the U.S. exclusive economic zone (EEZ), i.e., waters out to 200 miles from shore, around Hawaii. The resolution is being sent to President Obama, the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) and the Secretaries of Commerce, the Interior and State.

The Council’s resolution also requests that the U.S. government address the resources and tools needed to effectively manage and administer an expanded monument and to specify the technical, scientific and socioeconomic costs and benefits from monument expansion on marine resources, residents of Hawaii and the nation.

If any designation is made under the Antiquities Act of 1906 to proclaim an expanded monument, the Council recommends that the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act process continue to be used to develop, analyze and implement fisheries management in the U.S. EEZ waters enclosed by the monument.

Council Executive Director Kitty M. Simonds noted that the Homeland Security Department and U.S. Coast Guard did not receive additional enforcement assets to monitor the Pacific Remote Islands MNM after it was expanded in 2014, despite White House statements that additional enforcement would be provided.

Council members John Gourley of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) said promises made by the White House and Pew Charitable Trusts during the 2009 creation of the Marianas MNM were also not fulfilled, such as the construction of a monument visitors’ center and increased jobs, tourism and revenue.

Read the full release from the WPRFMC here

Ni’ihau owner warns against potential expansion of the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument

August 8, 2016 — LIHUE, H.I. — One concern with the potential expansion of the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument is the possibility of interference with military operations.

At a recent Lihue community meeting where the Obama Administration was gathering comments on the expansion from Kauai residents, Keith Robinson voiced his concerns.

“I’m against the expansion of the reserve because I don’t want environmentalists to have an excuse to cripple Navy operations,” Robinson said in the meeting. “The Navy has never caused any environmental problems.”

Robinson, who owns the island of Ni’ihau with his brother Bruce, also operates a private botanical garden on Kauai.

Robert Purdy, spokesman for Kauai’s Pacific Missile Range Facility, said the facility is still evaluating the potential expansion.

“The remarks are those of interested parties who were voicing their personal opinions and/or views at a public meeting, and though PMRF will not speculate on their comments, we welcome the feedback of concerned individuals and encourage public engagement while we work with the local community on this issue,” Purdy said.

He continued: “The subject of expansion is currently being discussed at various government and community levels, and speculating on the subject or its impact on current or future PMRF and/or military operations would also be inappropriate at this time.”

In his Tuesday public comments at the Kauai Community College forum, however, Robinson offered a glimpse of insight into further reasons for his concern about the military’s activities.

“My family was informed by the U.S. military very secretly about the coming attack on Pearl Harbor eight years before it happened. We tried to prepare very secretly,” Robinson said. “History seems to be repeating itself now and Russia and China are becoming quite aggressive in the Western Pacific.”

Read the full story at The Garden Island

Activists Push for Hawaii National Monument Expansion After Public Meetings

August 5, 2016 — Native Hawaiians, marine scientists, conservationists, and the commercial longline fishing industry have been speaking out about U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz’s (D-HI) proposal to expand the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Public hearings conducted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on the Hawaiian islands of Oahu and Kauai concluded Tuesday.

“It’s really important for people to have an opportunity to be heard,” Schatz said in a statement. “I am grateful to President Obama and his Administration for accepting my invitation to hear directly from Hawai’i residents before making any decisions.”

President George W. Bush created Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument 10 years ago by executive order. The 139,797 square-mile protected area is almost the size of California and is home to 7,000 species of birds, fish, and marine mammals, at least a quarter of which are found only in Hawaii, according to the NOAA.

Read the full story at NBC News

KELI’I AKINA: OHA Violates Trust Responsibility to Native Hawaiians

August 3, 2016 — The state Office of Hawaiian Affairs is angling for a “co-trusteeship” of an expanded Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument. But a July 22 letter to President Barack Obama from former U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka and former state Govs. Ben Cayetano and George Ariyoshi point out, “The proposed expansion will impact the state’s ability to continue its trust responsibility to native Hawaiians.”

I agree. Papahanaumokuakea expansion would put money in OHA’s pockets at the expense of Hawaii’s local food supplies and native Hawaiian fishermen. Unfortunately, Papahanaumokuakea is not the only place where OHA’s interests are diametrically opposed to those of native Hawaiians. In fact, it’s the latest example of a long-running pattern.

According to Trustee Lei Ahu Isa, OHA wasted $33 million on its failed effort to impose federal tribal recognition on native Hawaiians — $33 million that could have done wonders to ease homelessness and other issues plaguing native Hawaiian communities. But this money was directed instead toward Washington lobbyists and a handful of politically connected OHA insiders pushing an agenda opposed by thousands of Hawaiians at last year’s Interior Department hearings.

Read the full opinion column at the Honolulu Civil Beat

HAWAII: Public meetings held on the expansion of Papahanaumokuakea National Monument

August 2, 2016 — A public meeting at the Filipino Community Center in Waipahu Monday night drew more than 300 people.

The topic was whether to expand the current boundaries of the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument.

Some fishermen, local chefs, and others, including former Governor George Ariyoshi are opposed to it.

“The position i’m taking is don’t ban everything. The ocean is our background. We are totally surrounded by the ocean. And it’s our ocean and we should be the ones to decide what to do with the ocean,” said Ariyoshi.

Read the full story at KHON

NOAA: Drone technology aids whale research off Hawaii

July 29, 2016 — HONOLULU — Federal researchers returning from a 30-day expedition to study whales and dolphins around the Hawaiian Islands said Thursday they are looking for clues to help sustain healthy populations of the marine mammals.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration scientists told reporters that gathering data on the animals is often difficult, especially around the windward coasts of the Hawaiian Islands.

The researchers worked from a large ship, instead of using their normally small survey boats, and explored the coasts of the main Hawaiian Islands where wind conditions and severe weather make it difficult to navigate and remain at sea for extended periods of time.

The team also used a hexacopter drone to photograph the whales and dolphins, something they have never done before in this region.

Using drones allows researchers to get better images of groups of whales because they are not disturbed by the approaching boat, said NOAA’s Erin Oleson, who led the expedition.

The vantage point of the drone also allowed them to more accurately count the number of individuals in a pod, including mothers and calves that sometimes stay underwater. The number of calves helps researchers gauge the whale’s reproductive health. The perspective also allows the scientists to get more accurate size estimates for individual whales.

Read the full story from the Associated Press at The Daily News

‘That Ocean Belongs To Us,’ Former Governor Tells Feds

July 27, 2016 — Former Gov. George Ariyoshi said Tuesday that he doesn’t want “somebody from the outside” dictating how Hawaii residents can use the waters around the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.

A few dozen opponents of the proposed fourfold expansion of Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument stood behind him in the Capitol Rotunda, holding signs saying “Not so fast” and “Protect our local food source.”

“That ocean belongs to us,” Ariyoshi said.

Former U.S. Sen. Dan Akaka followed suit, saying the public needs to know more about the proposal before President Barack Obama considers using his executive authority under the Antiquities Act to expand the monument.

“It’s unconscionable for us to enact a new policy of expanding Papahanaumokuakea without proper transparency,” Akaka said. “What does it do to the people of Hawaii?”

Supporters — a few of whom were at the rally to try to counter the opposition — want the president to expand the monument in September when Hawaii hosts the world’s largest conservation conference. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s World Conservation Congress is set to meet in Honolulu Sept. 1-10.

While no public hearings are required, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are planning to hold two public meetings next week, one on Oahu and the other on Kauai.

Opponents say that’s not good enough. Hawaii Longline Association President Sean Martin said the feds should have a more robust public process to vet the proposal, one in which comments are tabulated and and submitted. 

Read the full story at the Honolulu Civil Beat

SENATOR DANIEL AKAKA, GOVERNOR GEORGE ARIYOSHI, GOVERNOR BENJAMIN CAYETANO: OHA’s Power Grab will harm State’s ability to continue trust responsibility to Native Hawaiians

July 27, 2016 — The following is an excerpt from a letter to President Barack Obama published in the Hawai’i Free Press:

We oppose the proposed expansion of the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument (PMNM).Native Hawaiian rights and Hawaii State rights have not been considered and there is no transparency in this process. No economic impact study was taken to determine the impact of this proposed expansion.Hawai’i is the only State in the union comprised of small islands surrounded by the ocean and remotely located thousands of miles from any other land mass. We depend on the ocean for food, livelihood,recreation, and the perpetuity of traditional native Hawaiian cultural practices.

Hawaii is the only State that met the Convention on Biological Diversity’s Aichi Target 11 to protect 10 percent of coastal and marine areas by 2020. Nearly 23 percent of the waters surrounding Hawai’i are in no-take reserves even though scientists recommend protecting 20 percent of the waters to maintain healthy oceans.

Your office is considering using the Antiquities Act of 1906 to extend the protection of the waters and submerged lands from 50 to 200 miles offshore of the Northwest Hawaiian Islands – we oppose that.That is a 350 percent expansion of the PMNM from 140,000 square miles to 583,000 square miles. The proposed monument area is equal in size to the landmass of all of the West Coast States (Washington,Oregon and California) and Texas combined.

The proposed expansion would include the entire U.S. exclusive economic zone (EEZ) surrounding the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (i.e., 53 percent of the EEZ around the State of Hawai’i). The expansion would prohibit the State of Hawai’i from using the living and non-living resources within the U.S. EEZ as provided for in the United Nation’s Convention on the Law of the Sea, Proclamation 5030 on the Exclusive Economic Zone of the United States, and the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA).

See the full letter at the Hawai’i Free Press