Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water, Land, and Agriculture, to which was referred H.B. No. 98, H.D. 2, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to prohibit net fishing in the waters of Kahului harbor.

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs and one individual submitted testimony in support of this measure. A petition with approximately five hundred signatures was also submitted in support of this measure. The Department of Land and Natural Resources and the Department of Transportation submitted testimony in opposition to this measure.

Your Committee finds that restrictions on activities such as net fishing will help to ensure the viability of marine resources. As such, this measure provides net fishing restrictions in Kahului harbor; however, your Committee also recognizes the importance of traditional and cultural practices of fishing for subsistence. Thus, this measure also provides an exception for persons who use throw nets, opae nets, crab nets, or nehu nets not longer than fifty feet.

Your Committee has amended this measure by making a technical, nonsubstantive formatting change.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water, Land, and Agriculture that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 98, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 98, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.