STAND. COM. REP. NO.  567-08

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

RE:   H.B. No. 2687

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Water, Land, Ocean Resources & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 2687 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to require the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DNLR) to conduct a review of any new administrative rules adopted after January 1, 2008, concerning:

(1)  The protection and propagation of introduced and transplanted aquatic life; or

(2)  The conservation and allocation of the natural supply of aquatic life;

and determine whether the rules have achieved their intended purpose.

     Hawaii Nearshore Fishermen, Hawaii Tropical Fish Association, and several concerned individuals testified in support of this bill.  The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii supported this measure with amendments.  The Conservation Council for Hawaii and the Pacific Forum Ocean Law & Policy Institute opposed this bill.  DLNR provided comments.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

(1)  Extending the time between each review after 2009 from three to five years;

(2)  Specifying that the study include lay gill net and bottomfish management rules;

     (3)  Providing funding for the study; and

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

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water, Land, Ocean Resources & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2687, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2687, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water, Land, Ocean Resources & Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

KEN ITO, Chair