STAND

STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1780

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2005

RE: H.C.R. No. 88

S.D. 1

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.C.R. No. 88 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES CONSIDER IMPOSING RESTRICTIONS ON PUBLIC ACCESS TO THE AHIHI-KINAU NATURAL AREA RESERVE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to request the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) to consider imposing restrictions on public access to the Ahihi-Kinau natural area reserve.

Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by DLNR and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.

The Ahihi-Kinau natural area reserve contains numerous ancient Hawaiian archeological and cultural sites, anchialine ponds, and isolated coves. These resources have made the area a very popular attraction both with residents and tourists. However, the ponds, the coves, and the marine life there are being threatened with too much human activity. Thus, this measure requests the DLNR to perform an expedited review of the Ahihi-Kinau natural area reserve.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting the provision that suggests DLNR consider the privatization of the management and protection of the Ahihi-Kinau natural area reserve;

(2) Requiring the DLNR's Advisory Council to submit a report of the review;

(3) Providing that not all of the trails should be rerouted, as some trails are ancient Hawaiian pathways;

(4) Limiting or prohibiting access to the anchialine ponds and allowing access only by permitted persons possibly through the use of signs or other means but without the use of fencing, as it may be unsightly;

(5) Clarifying that restrictions on commercial or private kayak and canoe uses should not include traditional canoe uses; and

(6) Making technical, nonsubstantive changes for style, consistency, and clarity.

Your Committee also recognizes that for many years, the Lu'uwai family, who has a traditional fishing permit to the area and ancestral links to the area for over a century, has worked diligently and endlessly to protect and preserve the aquatic resources in the area. As such, your Committee appreciates the efforts that the Lu'uwai family provides to the stewardship of the marine resources in the Ahihi-Kinau natural area reserve.

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 concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 88, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 88, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water, Land, and Agriculture,

		____________________________ RUSSELL S. KOKUBUN, Chair