STAND. COM. REP. NO.  545

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

RE:   H.B. No. 1848

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Water, Land, Ocean Resources & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 1848 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AQUATIC RESOURCES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to balance the public's fishing area needs with the important of conserving the state's aquatic resources by:

(1)  Requiring the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) to discuss with communities, demonstrate a scientific need, and rule out other conservation measures and enforcement of existing regulations, prior to adopting any new fishing prohibitions or limitations, and to make all new closed area regulations temporary;

(2)  Establishing the Hawaii Fishery Policy Advisory Task Force (Task Force) to identify and recommend to the 2008 Legislature, revisions to the rule-making process regarding fisheries to improve the incorporation of public participation and peer-reviewed science in the process; and

(3)  Appropriating funds for the Task Force.

The Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs, Kewalo Keiki Fishing Conservancy, and numerous concerned individuals testified in support of this bill.  DLNR, The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii, Conservation Council for Hawaii, Malama Hawaii, The Sierra Club-Hawaii Chapter, and a large number of concerned individuals opposed this measure.  The Hawaii Audubon Society provided comments.

Your Committee has amended this bill by:

(1)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to

     encourage further discussion; and

(2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for style,

     clarity, and consistency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water, Land, Ocean Resources & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1848, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1848, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water, Land, Ocean Resources & Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

KEN ITO, Chair