Scoping Meeting Comments
Kaunakakai, Moloka‘i, Hawai‘i
Friday, April 12, 2002, 6:00 p.m.

Please note that these are the raw comments extracted from the scoping meeting held at the location listed above. They were edited for the purpose of clarity where necessary. Duplicate comments were not repeated. A synthesis of comments will be available soon.

(MHI) Main Hawaiian Islands
(NWHI) Northwestern Hawaiian Islands

• New species need-to protect them and the ones we don`t even know about before we loose them.
• Sanctuary species found in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands should be brought back to be raised in the 8 islands-bring stock back, to raise in perpetuity.
• Permits are obstacles to assessing stock, fish.
• If a sanctuary happens come back and tell us what is going on.
• Protection could backfire on the main Hawaiian Islands-if you stop fishing in Northwest Hawaiian Islands the boats will come down here.
• Corps/large aquarium stockers will also have access to fish just for show.
• Native Hawaiian advisory group practitioners to set policy based on Hawaiian principles.
• Bottomfhish getting weaker and smaller.
• Fish being overfished.
• Spawning experiments should be conducted to strengthen species (e.g. Opakapaka).
• Form an advisory group of Hawaiian practitioners; Native Hawaiians should be better represented on the advisory council.
• No clear representation of neighbor islands or native people on the advisory committee.
• There should be exemptions for Native Hawaiian Fishing permits.
• Do not agree that $170,000 should be given to Bishop Museum, as seen in the Reserve Operation Plan.
• Regulation should be consistent, ecotourism subject to same regulations.
• Fishermen should be allowed access to sanctuary, bottomfishers, local fishers
• Employ conservation fishing practices.
• Local fishers would like access to Northwest Hawaiian Islands, necessary for livelihood.
• Conservation is important; not always popular, think of the future.
• Subsistence fishing limitations will keep corporations out
• Konohiki oversight-observes seasons and Kapu for species.
• Native Hawaiian advisory council include those who know fishing Kapu and practices.
• Look at the species that need protection for a time observing seasons and kapu.
• Be more cultural with the limitations like looking at kapu used previously by native Hawaiians.
• Limitations need to be flexible, look at what is helping each year and make wise decisions.
• Need limitations on fishing and gear types, no factory boats.
• Molokai needs more education about the Northwest Hawaiian Islands and Sanctuary and process.
• Who will enforce? Conservation agencies?
• Native Hawaiian advisory board, visit Northwest Hawaiian Islands to learn more about place.
• Cultural resources (p.49 of ROP) does not recognize Native Hawaiian rights, no fishing permits for Hawaiians.
• Native Hawaiian rights should be especially protected.
• Kapu system should be integrated into management plan.
• All committees named in Reserve Operations Plan should include Native Hawaiian representation
• Need enforcement strategy before we open the place up- don`t want fishing boats from elsewhere fishing illegally and wiping out the stocks (E.G. shark finning)
• No overuse of area.
• Hawaiian Islands are all one, not separate, connect us to Northwest Hawaiian Islands
• Management of Northwest Hawaiian Islands applies to our home islands.
• Reefs in our backyard need help and protection, need to remind people that it is all one set of islands, can`t forget protect the Northwest Hawaiian Islands and forger about the Main Hawaiian Islands.
• Involving communities about nearby reefs/islands will later apply to Northwest Hawaiian Islands
• Creates mechanism to include all islands in marine resource management plan and resource distribution.
• Alien species, coral bleaching, lots of things killing our reefs, lots of fishing gear also impacts the reefs.
• Create mechanism to include all islands in marine resource management plan and resource distribution.
• Invertebrates - concerned about foreign species and polluted reefs.
• Plan for 7 generations of survival. Preserve the gene pool for our children.
• Modern fishing practices are more destructive and more efficient, but not in sync with malama ike kai.
• What is a Hawaiian Nation without resources? Investment in future Nation
• Northwest Hawaiian Islands priority due to lack of constant habitation, nobody monitoring or enforcing
• Only rich big boats can afford to fish the Northwest Hawaiian Islands
• Need to learn more about our own cultural practices so we can put them in place to protect this area.
• Support sanctuary, caring for the environment.
• Sanctuary can integrate native Hawaiian resource management.
• Will sanctuary be for elite?
• Want Native Hawaiians access to Northwest Hawaiian Islands, to go, visit, and enjoy.
• Access not for scientists only.
• If you make a sanctuary leave some area open for the fishermen too.
• Create Native Hawaiian Northwest Hawaiian Islands committee.
• It is a matter of control and balance, need Native Hawaiian committee to make decisions about funding and control of management of the Northwest Hawaiian Islands
• Resources managed for 1000 years effectively, state and federal agencies took over and ruined things in less than 100 years.
• Need stronger rules and enforcement.
• User accountability: strong rules and consequences (heavy fines).
• Make education on Northwest Hawaiian Islands more accessible to general public.
• Need to travel to schools on the main Hawaiian Islands to deliver educational information. Information from the scoping meetings should be delivered to groups of interested people on the islands (Kapuna, civic clubs, etc.).
• Support sanctuary, environment, and conservation.
• Sanctuary can integrate Native Hawaiian resource management.
• Education should focus on relationship between our Hawaiian Islands and Northwest Hawaiian Islands.
• Preserve and create a safe environment for turtles.
• Concerned about how this topic relates to Native Hawaiians what is the relationship between the NWHI's
• Need access for Hawaiians to the NWHI's. Balance between animals, environment and Hawaiians, environmentalists should take back seat.
• Hawaiian`s have a very heavy issue.
• Hawaiians should be caretakers of the place and practice their culture.
• Hawaiians should be leaders for the issues, be involved in every part of the process.
• Pharmaceutical companies have had a silent interest in these islands - this is something we need to checkout.
• Need to malama area for cultural and historic reasons - who better than the host culture to do that
• Access should be allowed with subsistence because it is sustainable.
• Host culture should take the lead - our na`au comes from our Kupuna
• Concerned about initial diversity to place Reserve in the Department of Commerce, fox guarding the henhouse. Was a "compromise"
• Want Department of Commerce to keep promise that this sanctuary would be the best one- highest protection.
• Need for a "Kapu" period, where the place is left alone until we can observe what the natural state is without human activities.
• Active management after we have more information not just put a fence around.
• Worried about use of word "sustainability" means "careful take". Needs close monitoring. "Pu`u Honua."
• We need to decide on access- what and when
• Want it to be a good sanctuary not change from protection to place of harvest when no one is looking.
• Don`t want a pretend sanctuary where slowly activities be allowed
• How is it going to be invented, managed
• If it is going to be a sanctuary need to set aside money for enforcement.
• Make Midway an exception- continue create access so people can go, appreciate NWHI
• Mixed feeling about this sanctuary - Common Hawaiian doesn`t know meaning and difference between Sanctuary and Reserve.
• If fishing is denied in NWHI's then more take will occur in the main islands
• Mo`omomi can be a good example of how a preserve can work Konohiki style.
• Like general idea- but what is going to happen when people are denied right to fish?- They may come to Molokai and take all the fish here or the other Main Hawaiian Islands.
• Commercial fishermen should be allowed to fish at NWHI because otherwise they`ll come and take fish in Main Hawaiian Islands.
• Agree with Konohiki system. Hawaiian didn`t just take, also produced what they share.
• Before sanctuary is created, those who will manage should learn about what has worked and what can work.
• Concerned that everyone wants to eat- multiplying population and dividing resources.
• NWHI a place for breeding of fish to replenish diminished populations in the Main Hawaiian Islands and needs to be protected for that reason.
• Konohiki management style should be used
• In old days, wasn`t total Kapu- Kapu were based on observing patterns of reproduction and populations
• Konohiki system is based on common sense, if no breeding - no stock population.
• Hawaiians gotta eat. Current laws make criminals out of Hawaiians.
• Shouldn`t drill anything in the NWHI's
• "Production" of stocks through fishponds, traps and Ko`a- caring for these.
• Have selective fishing- not mass fishing.
• Konohiki system allowed for taking certain fish - even during spawning season e.i. Moi during spawning season- we only have Moi here but should we be able to take some males but not females.
• Public needs to be educated on selective fishing (don`t take females and young
• If Hawaiians want to visit and go through Kahu first
• No cruise ships - waste and sewage is damaging
• Pu`uhonua like Kahoolawe, Waipio Valley for education and cultural access.
• Build a bond between people islands through caring for and experiencing area
• Might be a good idea to put a Hawaiian caretaker on islands for a 24hour watch- Nihoa for example
• Agree with the caretaker concept - concept of Konohiki should be included.
• No tourism, cruise ships because of pollution.
• Konohiki system is a long process, not learned overnight with 4 years of college. Sometimes blood matters.
• Hawaiians should have authority/Kuleana over area
• There are fishermen who used to go there- put them in charge
• We can/could decide who should work up there; those who have Kuleana
• Not only "naha" put the values and system into action
• Money is needed for enforcement
• Should have proportional representation on policing and staff
• Need Hawaiian representation by the community - not only by another state/feds agency i.e. representative from ilioulaokalani should be part of decision process.
• Process( decision making) should validated by involvement of Hawaiians.
• Enforcement - Hawaiian police
• Not saying "only should include Hawaiians" but Hawaiians should be involved - so can help decide how to make things work.
• Advices should be nominated by the community- ideally by vote of the people
• Choose people by consensus makes us part of decision-making process
• If Department of Commerce is serious about looking into Konohiki system - all Konohiki should be trained on Molokai at Mo`omomi, and federal government needs to put money into it so the people training aren`t over taxed.
• Want to see Hawaiians "doing it"- practicing Konohiki system.
• Do resource management the way Hawaiians did it
• Put a family on inhabitable islands to serve as caretakers- use people on Ka`u as model
• Process (decision making should be validated by involvement of Hawaiians
• Hawaiians that are included in decision-making should represent communities not agencies or interests i.e- someone from Iliuoulaokalani should be included.
• The Hawaiians that are included need to have the right heart. Not appointed by governor
• The real harm comes from commercial and intensive fishing- caretakers living there would have very little impact
• Enforcement is needed- should use satellites to do so- to watch activities of foreign vessels (like long liners)
• The NWHI's could benefit from the creation of an ohana like PKO.
• Put artifacts back - living museum.
• People are part of the system- are those who know how other species live together.
• Islands would be better off without people on them but- Keep access to Midway open would be nice for them to be Hawaiian. I know it is expensive to get up there.
• Some places should be left alone- but up there, don`t need people to malama - Need money to do this
• Use fishponds as a way of thinking – NWHI's are like one big pond, or nursery. The more we malama up there, the better it will be here. Need to manage that place and our activities here.
• System could manage itself
• Hawaiians are tie to the land and their health depends on health of the land. Hawaiians have special relationship the NWHI's
• How else can we learn about the ocean and fish? Without people we cannot get that information could come back to us by doing research up there. A few times a year isn't enough.
• Need information about fish populations- everything - limu, coral, etc. Government should pay people to collect this data- those with the interest.
• A benefit would be Haku Mele, Hula
• Re-connecting with past, new experience
• Could enhance Hawaiian culture and heritage.
• Access should be allowed for Kumu hula and other Hawaiian artists.
• In support of current levels of fishing in NWHI, and is in support of the needs of the fishermen in NWHI
  

For more information contact the Reserve office at:

Northwestern Hawaiian Islands
Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve
Sean Corson, Sanctuary Designation Coordinator
6700 Kalanianaole Hwy, #215
Honolulu, HI 96825
(808)397-2668
sean.corson@noaa.gov