STAND. COM. REP. NO.  564-08

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

RE:   H.B. No. 3301

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. 3301 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FISHING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to protect the fish stocks and coral reef habitats of areas in which the communities rely on nearby subsistence fishery resources by establishing community-based subsistence fishing areas in the shoreline and nearshore waters of the communities of Honaunau and Ho‘okena on the island of Hawaii.

     The Office of Hawaiian Affairs, The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii, Community Conservation Network, Hanalei Watershed Hui, and numerous concerned individuals testified in support of this bill.  Hawaii Tropical Fish Association, RT Distributors, Sea Quest Rafting Adventures, Fair Wind Cruises, Dolphin Discoveries, and numerous concerned individuals opposed this measure.  The Department of Land and Natural Resources provided comments.

     Your Committee finds that fish stock management and coral reef protection are issues that are better handled and more appropriately resolved by the ‘Aha Moku Council (Council), and trusts that the Council will take these matters under consideration upon its establishment.

     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. 3301 and recommends that it pass Second Reading 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