STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3324

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 1554

H.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water and Land, to which was referred H.B. No. 1554, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Clarify that the Department of Land and Natural Resources' rulemaking authority includes adopting, amending, or repealing any rule to impose restrictions or requirements deemed necessary to implement the purposes of section 187A-5, Hawaii Revised Statutes; and

(2) Expand the Board of Land and Natural Resources' authority to temporarily adopt, amend, or repeal certain rules by formal action at a publicly noticed meeting if the Board of Land and Natural Resources finds that an adoption, amendment, or repeal is necessary to implement effective and adaptive management measures in light of newly available technology or in light of newly available data.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Kuaʻāina Ulu ʻAuamo, and one individual.

Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Hawaii Fishermen's Alliance for Conservation and Tradition and one individual.

Your Committee finds that the Department of Land and Natural Resources (Department) is responsible for ensuring healthy, well-managed fisheries in Hawaii and for protecting the State's aquatic resources from over-exploitation using management tools expressly authorized by the provisions of section 187A-5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, and other authorizing statutes. Despite the variety of management tools available, your Committee finds that broadening the suite of management tools would allow the Department to more effectively manage the State's aquatic resources. This measure expands the Board of Land and Natural Resources' adaptive management authority to encompass new information and new technology, allowing the Department to better manage the State's aquatic resources.

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 H.B. No. 1554, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

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

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LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair