HCR199

WHEREAS, section 205A-62, Hawaii Revised Statues, charges the Coastal Zone Management Program of the Office of Planning to periodically update the Ocean Resources Management Plan and coordinate implementation of the plan; and

WHEREAS, the Office of Planning submitted the updated Ocean Resources Management Plan to the Legislature in December 2006; and

WHEREAS, the Office of Planning undertook extensive public outreach and agency coordination to update the Ocean Resources Management Plan; and

WHEREAS, the revised Ocean Resources Management Plan distinguishes itself from previous efforts in that it:

(1) Adopts an integrated approach rather than a sector-based perspective;

(2) Promotes an adaptive, learning approach with projects and phased implementation, coupled with opportunities to share experiences and lessons learned;

(3) Relies on community and private sector initiatives as well as government actions; and

(4) Identifies responsibilities and a schedule for plan implementation that emphasizes interagency collaboration and pubic-private sector partnerships; and

WHEREAS, throughout 2004 and 2005 the Office of Planning sought input from the Hawaii Ocean and Coastal Council, Marine and Coastal Zone Advisory Council, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs, various community groups, ocean users, environmental nonprofits, and members of the general public and held a workshop regarding issues, priorities, and recommendation that should be included in the updated Ocean Resources Management Plan; and

WHEREAS, the Hawaii Ocean and Coastal Council held monthly meetings between May and October 2005 and produced long-term goals and prioritized tiers of short- to mid-term goals; and

WHEREAS, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs held "Community Conversations" on each island to allow the Hawaiian community to share their concerns and knowledge about ocean and coastal issues for inclusion into the Ocean Resources Management Plan; and

WHEREAS, the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs gave approximately seventeen informational presentations to various public and private agencies on the ahupua‘a concept, the need for ecosystem management, the negative impacts of overlapping jurisdictions, and need for public involvement in the planning process; and

WHEREAS, the Office of Planning held meetings with a variety of ocean and coastal organizations regarding the Ocean Resources Management Plan; and

WHEREAS, on October 26, 2005, the Office of Planning conducted the Hawaii Ocean Resources Management Plan workshop in partnership with the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and Department of Land and Natural Resources to bring together a wide base of stakeholders from governmental agencies, nonprofit organizations, community groups, small and large businesses, and community members; and

WHEREAS, these meetings and workshops resulted in genuine appreciation on the part of these organizations for being included in the planning process and generated wide public support and interest in seeing the Ocean Resources Management Plan implemented; and

WHEREAS, the Ocean Resources Management Plan implementation working group was created, consisting of the Department of Agriculture, Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Department of Land and Natural Resources, Department of Health, Department of Transportation, the four county planning agencies, and private business representatives, and met to discuss the framework, identify priorities, and review drafts of the plan; and

WHEREAS, in September and October 2006, the Office of Planning held a series of public meetings throughout the State to gather input and comments on the final draft of the Ocean Resources Management Plan; and

WHEREAS, the draft was generally well received by the public; and

WHEREAS, the Ocean Resources Management Plan is built upon a three perspective framework for achieving management goals and strategic actions for five-year implementation phases over the next thirty years:

(1) Perspective 1: Connecting Land and Sea which reflects the traditional Hawaiian concept of ahupua‘a management that recognizes the interconnectedness of land and sea;

(2) Perspective 2: Preserving Our Ocean Heritage which reflects the traditional Hawaiian management of fisheries and coastal resources as well as a deep understanding of and caring for the marine environment; and

(3) Perspective 3: Promoting Collaboration and Stewardship which reflects the need for a holistic approach to natural resource management; and

WHEREAS, the Ocean Resources Management Plan provides a guide and integrated approach toward the management of our ocean and coastal resources; and

WHEREAS, the need to implement the Ocean Resources Management Plan is imperative as Hawaii is facing significant changes over the next twenty years, including increased urbanization, tourism, recreational and commercial ocean uses, sea level rise and other natural hazards, marine debris, and invasive species; and

WHEREAS, the Ocean Resources Management Plan establishes a proactive planning process that can mitigate the above impacts on Hawaii's environment; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the twenty-fourth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2007, the Senate concurring, that the Legislature hereby endorses the Ocean Resources Management Plan because it establishes a framework for making informed decisions about the use and management of our ocean and coastal resources that is widely supported by the public; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Office of Planning is requested to work with the county and federal governments to implement the goals and strategic actions in the 2006 Ocean Resources Management Plan; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, the Director of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, the Director of the Office of Planning, the Comptroller, the Chairperson of the Board of Agriculture, the Director of Finance, the Adjutant General and the Director of Civil Defense, the Chairperson of the Board of Education, the Superintendent of Education, the Chairperson of the Hawaiian Homes Commission, the Director of Health, the Director of Labor and Industrial Relations, the Chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources, the Director of Taxation, the Director of Transportation, the President of the University of Hawaii, the Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the Chairperson of the Marine and Coastal Zone Management Council, the Chairperson of the Hawaii Ocean and Coastal Council, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the National Marine Sanctuary Program, the National Marine Fisheries Service, the Pacific Services Center,

the Western Pacific Fisheries Management Council, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the President of the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs, and the Mayor and Council Chairperson of each county.

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title:

Office of Planning; Ocean Resources Management Plan

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.C.R. NO.	199
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2007
STATE OF HAWAII