WHEREAS, the State of Hawaii is the most isolated archipelago in the world with one of the highest proportions of unique and valuable marine species that exist nowhere else on earth; and

WHEREAS, the replenishment and preservation of these rare resources are of vital economic, environmental, cultural, and social importance to Hawaii's residents, visitors, and future generations; and

WHEREAS, over the years, members of Hawaii's fishing communities and marine specialists from private and government agencies have observed and documented dramatic declines in the size, number, distribution, and quality of a wide variety of important and desirable native marine species and habitats; and

WHEREAS, one way to address this problem is by resurrecting traditional Hawaiian stewardship practices which carefully managed nearshore resources by imposing wise limitations on harvest, such as prohibiting fishing during spawning seasons or in species' nursery areas; and

WHEREAS, these types of management strategies could lead to resource replenishment within and outside of the managed areas; and

WHEREAS, through administrative rules, the State has taken steps to establish similar managed areas; although these have proven to be successful, these managed areas represent only a fraction of Hawaii's coastline and have yet to be incorporated into a comprehensive, integrated, and sustainable statewide network; and

WHEREAS, elsewhere, marine reserves have resulted in improved fish stocks and catch in Australia, Belize, Chile, Ecuador, New Zealand, Philippines, South Africa, the United States, and Guam; in these and other areas, research indicates that coordinated and integrated networks or reserves of sufficient size, habitat, diversity, and geographic area are necessary to ensure adequate long-term sustainability of marine resources; and

WHEREAS, during the last three legislative sessions, bills statutorily establishing marine managed areas throughout the state have failed to advance; in 2003 and 2004, these measures did not progress beyond the first referral committee in the House; in 2005, H.B. 131 was reported out of its first two referral committees; it was subsequently stalled in the third committee due to strong opposition from certain members of Hawaii's fishing communities; and

WHEREAS, despite these setbacks, the public, especially certain members of the fishing community, must be educated about Hawaii's marine resource depletion problem and the urgent need to better manage this precious resource for tomorrow's fishermen and for future generations; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2005, the Senate concurring, that the House Committee on Water, Land, and Ocean Resources, together with the Department of Land and Natural Resources, is requested to meet with marine resource stakeholders on all islands to discuss the problem of Hawaii's depleting marine resources and the need to establish more marine managed areas throughout the state; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the discussion include, but not be limited to, a review of the various types and levels of marine managed areas employed throughout the world as well as their level of effectiveness; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chair of the House Committee on Water, Land, and Ocean Resources, and the Chair of the Board of Land and Natural Resources who, in turn, is requested to transmit copies of this Concurrent Resolution to all registered private and governmental marine resources organizations.

Report Title:

Informational briefings on Marine Managed Areas.