THE SENATE                           S.R. NO.              73
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                                
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                     SENATE RESOLUTION

REQUESTING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A TASK FORCE TO DEVELOP AND
   IMPLEMENT A COORDINATED PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR
   ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM.



 1       WHEREAS, Hawaii's vast ocean area contains bountiful
 2   natural resources and productive fisheries that have great
 3   commercial, recreational, social, cultural, and sustenance
 4   values to Hawaii's people; and
 5   
 6       WHEREAS, some of these fisheries are in decline and in
 7   critical need of effective conservation, habitat enhancement
 8   and management measures to prevent failure of the fisheries,
 9   and to maintain the wise use of resources for future
10   generations; and
11   
12       WHEREAS, the nearshore fisheries have shown the most urgent
13   need for conservation, habitat enhancement, and management for
14   a variety of species; and
15   
16       WHEREAS, scientific evidence based on commercial landings
17   data from the State, evaluated by federal agencies, including
18   the United States National Marine Fisheries Service and the
19   Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council, have shown
20   a decline in the landings, catch rate, and revenues of some
21   nearshore species; and
22   
23       WHEREAS, the scientific indicators of overfishing, namely
24   the percentage of sexually immature fish in the landings, the
25   spawning potential ratio, and the catch per unit of effort,
26   have suggested that several species are dangerously close to
27   being overfished; and
28   
29       WHEREAS, the health of these populations are critical for
30   sustenance and recreational and commercial fishing as well as
31   tourism; and
32   
33       WHEREAS, the State of Hawaii is responsible for the
34   protection, restoration, and allocation of Hawaii's marine
35   resources within three miles of Hawaii's shoreline; and

 
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                                  S.R. NO.              73
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1       WHEREAS, the Department of Land and Natural Resources has
 2   been reluctant and unable to take management action to prevent
 3   further decline of these fisheries in the Hawaiian Islands,
 4   citing the lack of adequate scientific data to demonstrate a
 5   need for more funds and management; and
 6   
 7       WHEREAS, the State of Hawaii has the largest reef
 8   ecosystems in the United States, amounting to 85 percent of the
 9   total national reef habitat; and
10   
11       WHEREAS, the creation of artificial reef habitat has shown
12   demonstrative results in restoring fish populations; now,
13   therefore,
14   
15       BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twentieth Legislature
16   of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 1999, that the
17   Department of Land and Natural Resources is requested, along
18   with the private sector, military, and other concerned
19   organizations to form a Task Force with the purpose of using
20   each of the aforementioned organizational resources to:
21   
22       (1)  Facilitate and create artificial near-shore habitats
23            where appropriate and desired by the local community;
24            and
25   
26       (2)  Create an adopt-a-reef program;
27   
28   and
29   
30       BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Task Force be appointed and
31   approved by the Division of Aquatic Resources of the Department
32   of Land and Natural Resources to include a representative of
33   each of the following:
34   
35       (1)  The artificial reef coordinator, the Division of
36            Aquatic Resources;
37   
38       (2)  Clean water branch, the Department of Health;
39   
40       (3)  The Division of Boating and Recreation;
41   
42       (4)  The United States Navy;
43   
44       (5)  The National Marine Fisheries Service;
45       (6)  Marine safety office, the United States Coast Guard;
46   
47       (7)  The Construction Industry of Hawaii;
48   
49       (8)  The Maritime Industry of Hawaii;
50   
51       (9)  Commercial Fishers;
52   
53      (10)  Recreational Fishers;
54   
55      (11)  Dive charter operators or employees;
56   
57      (12)  The Office of Hawaiian Affairs;
58   
59      (13)  An appointee to be named by the Speaker of the House;
60            and
61   
62      (14)  An appointee to be named by the President of the
63            Senate;
64   
65   and
66   
67      BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Land and
68   Natural Resources report the findings and recommendations of
69   the Task Force to the Legislature no later than twenty days
70   before the convening of the Regular Session of 2000; and
71   
72      BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this
73   Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the Board of
74   Land and Natural Resources, the Director of Health, the
75   Commander in Chief of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, the Director of
76   the National Marine Fisheries Service, U.S. Coast Guard
77   Commander of the 14th Coast Guard District, and the Chairperson
78   of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.
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82                         OFFERED BY:  ____________________________