STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1649

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 1016

H.D. 1

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 1016, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE TAKING OF MARINE LIFE,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Authorize the Department of Land and Natural Resources to establish rules and fees for the issuance of a commercial marine vessel license;

(2) Provide that a single valid commercial marine vessel license satisfies the licensure requirement for all persons aboard the licensed vessel;

(3) Require any person who provides fishing charter services to obtain a commercial marine license;

(4) Allow marine charter fishing vessels to obtain commercial marine vessel licenses; and

(5) Require the Department of Land and Natural Resources to submit a report to the Legislature regarding the status of its administrative rules establishing a new commercial marine vessel license category.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources; Hawai‘i Fishermen's Alliance for Conservation and Tradition, Inc.; United Fishing Agency; and three individuals.

Your Committees find that currently, each individual on a fishing vessel must have their own commercial marine license to participate in a commercial fishing trip. Your Committees further find that this requirement can be unduly burdensome on small scale, boat-based commercial fishers and those who provide vessel-based commercial fishing charter services, especially in situations in which part-time crew members are needed for a trip or when visitors are invited on board. This measure allows for a single commercial marine vessel license to cover all individuals aboard a commercial marine vessel which will help clarify who is responsible for submitting catch reports for the vessel.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Specifying that a vessel used for or engaged in the taking of marine life for commercial purposes that is on a trip of seventy-two hours or less may obtain a commercial marine vessel license;

(2) Inserting an effective date of May 6, 2137, to encourage further discussion; and

(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1016, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1016, H.D. 1, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means,

________________________________ DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair

________________________________ KARL RHOADS, Chair