THE SENATE                           S.R. NO.              81
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________


                    SENATE  RESOLUTION

  REQUESTING DEVELOPMENT OF A STATE OCEAN AND COASTAL RESOURCES
    PLAN AND STATE WATERS RECREATION MASTER PLAN.


 1        WHEREAS, Hawaii is the only state in the United States
 2   surrounded by water, geographically consisting of only 6,423
 3   square miles of land, but over 833,000 square miles of water
 4   within the 200 nautical mile zone surrounding the Hawaiian
 5   Archipelago, 4,470 square miles of which are within our
 6   territorial waters, and over 1,052 statute miles of tidal
 7   shoreline; and
 8   
 9        WHEREAS, the waters of Hawaii have always been considered
10   an integral part of the lives of its islanders, providing a
11   source of food, economic growth, recreation, relaxation, and
12   inspiration; and
13   
14        WHEREAS, Hawaii is noted the world over for its pristine
15   waters, white sand beaches, legendary surf, unique marine life,
16   and various ocean sports including world class surfing,
17   windsurfing, boogie boarding, canoeing, and kayaking; and
18   
19        WHEREAS, Hawaii's reputation as an ocean state is of vital
20   importance to tourism, the State's single largest industry and
21   economic driver; and
22   
23        WHEREAS, more cognizance of the connection between the
24   ocean resources and the State's economy is needed, especially
25   at a time when economic revitalization is a goal for the State;
26   and
27   
28        WHEREAS, in its report to the 1999 Legislature, the Office
29   of Planning reviewed the Hawaii Ocean Resources Management Plan
30   completed in 1991 and adopted in 1994, wherein a number of
31   general issues emerged, including a lack of strategic and long
32   range planning and a lack of recognition of the ecological and
33   economic importance of ocean and coastal resources for Hawaii;
34   and
35   
36        WHEREAS, while many view the plan as an ecological
37   document, it would be better viewed as the foundation to a
38   State Ocean and Coastal Resources Plan, wherein the State can
39   apply those same methodologies to planning for areas of water
40   as applied to the land areas that make up our State; and
41   

 
Page 2                                                     
                                  S.R. NO.              81
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1        WHEREAS, the varying and ever growing needs of ocean
 2   users, including tourism, ocean research, aquaculture, ocean
 3   mining, fishing, boating, diving, surfing, cruise lines, and
 4   maritime commerce, demands that the State develop a
 5   comprehensive plan to provide for ocean resources and develop
 6   initiatives and strategies promoting an understanding of the
 7   economic importance of ocean and coastal resource development
 8   and management; and
 9   
10        WHEREAS, perceived conflicts between community users,
11   commercial users, and good ecological management can and should
12   be addressed by a State Waters Recreation Master Plan that is
13   supported by all stakeholders; and
14   
15        WHEREAS, in an island ecosystem in which the ocean is an
16   integral component, the policies and vision of leadership must
17   reflect the interconnectedness of Hawaii's ecology and economy;
18   and
19   
20        WHEREAS, various ocean communities across the State have
21   developed area specific plans to limit commercial use of ocean
22   resources in order to sustain the resources, minimize social
23   impact on the surrounding community, and assure local use of
24   the resource; and
25   
26        WHEREAS, these restrictions have greatly impacted small
27   ocean-related businesses, which prior to 1990 generated an
28   estimated $24,000,000 annually just on Oahu, but only generated
29   $7,000,000 in 1998, a devastating reduction of over sixty-seven
30   per cent, forcing most companies to reduce jobs and many to go
31   out of business completely; and
32   
33        WHEREAS, a State Ocean and Coastal Resource Plan can and
34   should support these industries by determining alternate sites
35   and usage times that meet the commercial users' needs, thereby
36   allowing the primary site necessary ecological respite, as well
37   as use periods for the surrounding community; and
38   
39        WHEREAS, for effective ocean and coastal resource planning
40   to be fostered in the long-term, coordination must be enhanced
41   between the Department of Business, Economic Development, and
42   Tourism, the Department of Land and Natural Resources, the
43   Department of Health, the Department of Transportation, the
44   Department of Agriculture, and the University of Hawaii; and
45   
46        WHEREAS, efforts to apply natural resource accounting

 
Page 3                                                     
                                  S.R. NO.              81
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1   methods developed in other parts of the world are currently
 2   under way at the University of Hawaii Economic Research
 3   Organization and can result in alternative methods of valuing
 4   the natural resource, which would include an explanation of
 5   values in terms of extended cost-benefit analyses, opportunity
 6   costs, and willingness to pay for resources, thereby providing
 7   managers, government leaders, and the public with valuable
 8   planning and decision making tools; now, therefore,
 9   
10        BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twentieth Legislature
11   of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 1999, that the
12   Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism,
13   Office of Planning, in conjunction with the University of
14   Hawaii Economic Research Organization, the Department of Land
15   and Natural Resources, the Department of Health, the Department
16   of Transportation, and the Department of Agriculture, is
17   requested to develop a State Ocean and Coastal Resources Plan
18   as a long-term plan to manage and maintain these resources; and
19   
20        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the plan include a State
21   Waters Recreation Master Plan, which seeks to address the needs
22   of all stakeholders, builds on Hawaii's legendary ocean sports
23   reputation and enhances accessibility, maintenance, and
24   management of Hawaii's ocean, marine, and coastal resources;
25   and
26   
27        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Business,
28   Economic Development, and Tourism, Office of Planning, report
29   to the Legislature twenty days prior to the Regular Session of
30   2000 on the progress of the development of the State Ocean and
31   Coastal Resources Plan and the State Waters Recreation Master
32   Plan; and
33   
34        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this
35   Resolution be transmitted to the Director of Business, Economic
36   Development, and Tourism, the Chairperson of the Board of Land
37   and Natural Resources, the Director of Health, the Director of
38   Transportation, the Chairperson of the Board of Agriculture,
39   and the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization.
40 
41 
42 
43                         OFFERED BY:  ____________________________