STAND. COM. REP. NO. 254

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 255

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water and Land, to which was referred S.B. No. 255 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO COMMERCIAL MARINE LICENSES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to clarify Hawaii's commercial marine license laws by:

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

(2) Requiring any person providing fishing charter services to obtain a commercial marine license.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources; Coral Fish Hawaii, Inc.; Hawaii Seafood Council; S. Tokunaga Store, Inc.; United Fishing Agency, Ltd.; POP Fishing & Marine; Vessel Management Associates, Inc.; Waialua Boat Club; Hawaii Longline Association; Hawai‘i Fishermen's Alliance for Conservation and Tradition, Inc.; Ice Partners, LLC; Tropic Fish Hawaii, LLC; and sixteen individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Hawaii Marlin Tournament Series.

Your Committee finds that the current commercial marine license laws are unduly burdensome on small scale, boat-based commercial fishers and those who provide vessel-based commercial fishing charter services. Your Committee further finds that the establishment of a new commercial marine vessel license category is more convenient and cost-effective for Hawaii's boat-based fishers. This measure allows for a single commercial marine vessel license to cover all individuals aboard a commercial marine vessel, eliminates the need for individual commercial marine licenses, and clarifies who is responsible for submitting catch reports for the vessel.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

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

(2) Allowing marine charter fishing vessels to obtain commercial marine vessel licenses; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water and Land that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 255, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 255, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection.

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

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LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair