Saving Seafood

HAWAII: Hawai‘i establishes Office of Marine Affairs to manage blue economy

July 8, 2026 — Hawai‘i Governor Josh Green has signed into law the establishment of an Office of Marine Affairs, which will be dedicated to managing the state’s blue economy.

“It’s difficult to articulate just how important the ocean is to our people,” Green said following a 6 July bill signing. “That relationship is at the heart of Hawai‘i’s identity, shaping our communities in every way. Protecting marine health and utilizing resources sustainably and with intention is a necessary commitment to our past and our future.”

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

Council appointments renew debate over Pacific monuments

July 7, 2026 — The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council (Wespac) will add two leaders from the Hawaiʻi longline industry to its ranks next month, a move supporters say brings extensive fisheries expertise to the council but one that conservation advocates argue further tilts the federal advisory body toward commercial fishing interests. According to a recent report by Civil Beat, the appointments come as the Trump administration continues efforts to expand commercial fishing access in federally protected Pacific waters.

Eric Kingma, executive director of the Hawaiʻi Longline Association, was appointed to one of Wespac’s at-large seats, while Roger Dang was reappointed to the council’s second open at-large seat. Dang owns interests in multiple longline vessels operating in Hawaiʻi’s longline fleet. Both appointments take effect Aug. 11.

Josh Green nominated Kingma and Dang, along with two other candidates, and both he and longtime Wespac executive director Kitty Simonds cited the pair’s extensive experience in seafood, fisheries management and policy.

The appointments follow recent actions by the Trump administration to reopen portions of the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument and two other Pacific marine monuments to U.S. commercial fishing. Kingma and Dang were among industry representatives present at the White House in June when President Donald Trump signed the proclamation beginning that process.

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HAWAII: Governor signs agriculture and biosecurity bills into law

July 1, 2025 — Some priority bills for local food and agriculture have become law with Gov. Josh Green’s signature, including one that the governor had previously intended to veto.

One of the measures Green signed into law is House Bill 427, which renames the state’s agriculture department as the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity, and gives it more powers and resources to fight invasive species.

It establishes a deputy for biosecurity and covers a swath of changes to state rules on invasive species, including allowing the governor to declare a biosecurity emergency in case a pest spreads or threatens to spread, as well as take control of goods, vessels and property and use funds to control the pest.

The bill also sets aside $8.5 million over the next two years for the Hawaii Invasive Species Council and appropriates $500,000 each for the Hawaiʻi Ant Lab and the Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle Response over the next two years.

Senate Bill 1249 aims to help fight agricultural crimes by adding resources and stronger penalties for ag crimes like theft and trespassing.

Read the full article at Hawaii Public Radio