STAND. COM. REP. NO. 16

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 309

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Water & Land, to which was referred H.B. No. 309 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FISHPONDS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish a working group within the University of Hawai‘i Sea Grant Program to develop an inventory of state-owned fishponds.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources; Hawai‘i Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission; Hawai‘i Alliance for Progressive Action; Green Party of Hawai‘i; Historic Hawai‘i Foundation; Kua‘āina Ulu ‘Auamo; Hawai‘i Farmers Union United; Hawai‘i Fishermen's Alliance for Conservation and Tradition, Inc.; Strata Farms; and numerous individuals.

Your Committee finds that an inventory conducted in 1901 found approximately three hundred sixty loko i‘a, or fishponds, in the State, with approximately ninety-nine in active use at the time. Your Committee further finds that since that survey, a range of factors have impacted loko i‘a to varying degrees. While some loko i‘a remain relatively intact, many have fallen into disrepair, are in ruins, or have been destroyed. Your Committee believes that in addition to preserving traditional Native Hawaiian culture and practices, loko i‘a play a vital role in enhancing the State's ecological well-being and offer opportunities to expand food security and community-based resource management. This measure is intended to fulfill the State's responsibility as a steward of the land and ensure future generations can benefit from the opportunities loko i‘a provide by developing a comprehensive inventory of loko i‘a in the State, their condition, and their potential for restoration.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying that the inventory shall be of all fishponds on state land and shall include information on the function of each fishpond;

(2) Specifying that the literature review shall include a review of Hawaiian language newspapers;

(3) Changing the appropriation to an unspecified amount;

(4) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

(5) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

Your Committee respectfully requests your Committee on Finance, should it deliberate on this measure, to consider an appropriation amount of $250,000.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water & Land that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 309, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 309, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Higher Education.

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

____________________________

MARK J. HASHEM, Chair