CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 35-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: S.B. No. 2767

S.D. 1

H.D. 1

C.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sirs:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 2767, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FISH AGGREGATION DEVICES,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to the Department of Land and Natural Resources for the deployment, replacement, and maintenance of fish aggregation devices.

Your Committee on Conference finds that the State's system of fish aggregation devices, or FADs, maintained by the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology provides enhanced fishing opportunities for island fishers. Maintenance of the FAD program is labor-intensive as the devices are prone to breaking off and frequently need to be replaced or recovered and re-deployed, resulting in less fish for personal or community consumption and increased operational costs. Sufficient and timely upkeep and replacement of FADs may minimize the length of time off-station and the resulting lost fishing opportunities.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by inserting an appropriation of $350,000 to support the Fish Aggregation Device Program.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2767, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2767, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ DAVID A. TARNAS Co-Chair	____________________________ LORRAINE R. INOUYE Chair
____________________________ PATRICK PIHANA BRANCO Co-Chair	____________________________ BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI Co-Chair