STAND. COM. REP. NO.  379-14

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

RE:   H.B. No. 1911

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Water & Land and Ocean, Marine Resources, & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 1911 entitled:

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

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish a Nonresident Permit Program for marine or fresh water game fish and make it unlawful for nonresidents to fish in Hawaii without a nonresidential permit.  This measure also establishes the Aquatic Resources Special Fund into which nonresident permit fees would be deposited for the management and administration of the State's aquatic resources.

Two individuals testified in support of this measure. The Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Department of Budget and Finance, Department of Land and Natural Resources, and an individual provided comments.

     Your Committees recognize the merit of the measure's intent, but find that many issues need to be further clarified and addressed, including those surrounding traditional native Hawaiian rights and customary practices and their relationship to the conservation of aquatic resources.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Removing provisions establishing the Nonresident Permit Program and Aquatic Resources Special Fund;

     (2)  Requiring a study and report to be completed by the Department of Land and Natural Resources regarding the feasibility of establishing a Noncommercial Fishing License Program;

     (3)  Appropriating an unspecified sum for the study; and

     (4)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Water & Land and Ocean, Marine Resources, & Hawaiian Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1911, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1911, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Water & Land and Ocean, Marine Resources, & Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________ FAYE P. HANOHANO, Chair

____________________________ CINDY EVANS, Chair