STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1395-14

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

RE:   H.C.R. No. 170

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Water & Land, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 170 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES TO ADOPT RULES TO MANAGE MANTA RAY DIVE SITES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to urge the Department of Land an Natural Resources to adopt rules to better manage manta ray dive sites to ensure the safety of ocean users and the maintenance of order at these dive sites.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources; Ocean Wings Hawaii, Inc.; and two individuals.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by clarifying that the presence of a variety of recreational and commercial ocean users concentrated at manta ray dive sites creates a potentially dangerous situation.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water & Land that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 170, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 170, H.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water & Land,

____________________________

CINDY EVANS, Chair