HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.C.R. NO.

326

TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2010

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

 

REQUESTING the board of land and natural resources to place a moratorium on any new permits for open water COMMERCIAL mariculture finfish operations.

 

 

 

     WHEREAS, mariculture is a specialized branch of aquaculture that involves the cultivation of marine organisms for food and other products in the open ocean, tanks, or enclosed section of the ocean; and

 

     WHEREAS, commercial mariculture operations have caused many problems, including failing to respect the rights of native Hawaiian fishing traditions, threatening the marine environment with escaped farmed fish, polluting local waters with heavier concentrations of nitrogen from fish fecal contamination, and interfering with marine wildlife; and

 

     WHEREAS, the open water commercial finfish mariculture industry has not justified its existence, demonstrated an appreciable level of economic viability, or contributed to local food security concerns; and

 

     WHEREAS, the implementation of modern technologies to alleviate the problems associated with open water commercial finfish mariculture operations have not been successful and has done little to curb the environmental, cultural, and economic problems associated with the industry; and

 

     WHEREAS, due to the shortcomings of open water commercial finfish mariculture, the State and the local commercial fishing industry as a whole are focused on safer alternatives, including the development of land-based, closed-loop re-circulating aquaculture systems; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-fifth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2010, the Senate concurring, that the Legislature requests that the Board of Land and Natural Resources place a moratorium on any new permits for commercial finfish mariculture operations in the State; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a certified copy of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to Chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources.

 

 

 

 

OFFERED BY:

_____________________________

 

 

Report Title: 

Open Water Finfish Mariculture; Permit Moratorium