STAND. COM. REP. NO. 540

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 1999

                                 RE: H.B. No. 1706
                                     H.D. 2




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs, to which
was referred H.B. No. 1706, H.D. 1, entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FISHERIES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to control the harvesting of
sharks and strictly limit the harvesting of shark fins by:

     (1)  Stipulating that no person shall knowingly harvest for
          sale, possess for sale, buy, sell, or trade shark fins
          that are not from sharks landed whole in the State; and

     (2)  Establishing fines of not less than $5,000 and not more
          than $15,000 for violators.

     Testimony in support of this bill was submitted by the
Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), Hawaii Audubon
Society, Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, Big Island
Fishermen's Association, EnviroWatch, Inc., Hawaiian Fishermen's
Foundation, and numerous individuals.

     Additional comments were submitted by the Western Pacific
Regional Management Council.  The Boat Owners Association of The
State of Hawaii testified in opposition to this bill.

     Your Committee finds that the practice of finning is
wasteful and may have adverse impacts on the ocean ecosystem and
species populations.  To minimize such damaging results the

 
 
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practice of finning must be discouraged by strictly limiting the
possession, purchase, sale or trade of shark fins.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

     (1)  Inserting language clarifying the purpose of this bill;

     (2)  Refining the definition of landed;

     (3)  Deleting the requirement that individuals possessing
          shark fins possess documentation that fins were taken
          from a shark landed whole in the State; and 

     (4)  Making technical and non-substantive changes for
          purposes of style and clarity.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to
this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and
purpose of H.B. No. 1706, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and
recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Finance, in
the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1706, H.D. 2.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Judiciary &
                                   Hawaiian Affairs,



                                   ______________________________
                                   PAUL T. OSHIRO, Chair