STAND. COM. REP. NO. 716-00

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 2000

                                 RE: H.B. No. 1947
                                     H.D. 2




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2000
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs, to which
was referred H.B. No. 1947, 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 limit the possession,
purchase, sale, or trade of shark fins.

     The Department of Land and Natural Resources, the Office of
Hawaiian Affairs, Kahoolawe Island Reserve Commission, the
Hawaiian Humane Society, the Earthjustice Legal Defense Fund, the
Environmental Defense, the Hawaiian Environmental Coalition, the
National Audubon Society's Living Oceans Program, and concerned
individuals testified in support of the measure.  

     The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council,
Hawaii Boaters Political Action Association, Honolulu Ship supply
Company, Insurance Agents Group, Inc., Five Services, Inc.,
Shimaya Shoten, Ltd. Dae Han Shipping Agency Inc., Waldron
Steamship Company, Ltd., Aala Catering, EFC of Hawaii, Inc.,
Honolulu Shipyard, Inc., Inchcape Shipping Services, Pan Tours
Hawaii, Inc., Dance America USA, HSI Electric, Inc., Ocean Global
Trading, American Customs Brokerage Company, Inc., EVA Hawaii Air
& Travel, Inc., Palama Meat Company, Inc., Evern Securities Inc.,
Japan Airlines, Armstrong Produce, Ltd., Naka's Travel 
Service, Inc., Compensation Consultants, Inc., DCL, Inc., Dennis
T. Fujimoto, CPA, Inc., Laura A. Suzuki, DDS, Carla C. Fukumoto,

 
 
 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 716-00
                                 Page 2

 
DDS, and concerned individuals testified in opposition to the
measure.

     Your Committee finds that shark finning is a wasteful,
inhumane practice detrimental to the public interest, health, and
safety and is a threat to the conservation of exhaustible natural
resources.  Your Committee further finds that this measure
addresses the wrongful resource practices of harvesting sharks
only for their fins.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by inserting a
provision that exempts vessels that do not off load cargo in the
State of Hawaii.

     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. 1947, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and
recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto
as H.B. No. 1947, H.D. 2.

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



                                   ______________________________
                                   ERIC G. HAMAKAWA, Chair