2019-10-29 Game Management Advisory Commission Minutes

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Hawaii Game Management Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes – October 29, 2019 NP: Thank you so much. Next we have Ryan Kohatsu - he’s our East Hawaii State GMAC Commissioner and he’s going to bring us maybe a little more up- to-date of what he knows is happening with the State Commission. RK: Good evening Commission. I guess I’ll start with some general stuff about the State GMAC and then, of course, can answer any questions and get more specific. Current Events – don’t quote me on this – I think June is our last meeting because that was when few members had turned out so I believe Molokai and Kauai members turned out – so that was the Chair at the time Lorie Buchanan and what’s the Kauai guy again – I forget his name – and the Kauai turned out – both did not continue their terms so I believe there’s a replacement for Molokai and I’m not aware of a replacement for Kauai yet. Maui never had one show up – they had a guy but he never showed up and then Kona had a couple but I believe Glennon resigned so Kona is also open as well unless that’s been filled – I haven’t been made aware of it – my term terms out 2020 – I think that’s based on the fiscal year so June 30, 2020 – something like that – and then more currently the next meeting is scheduled for November 19 – this happens in Oahu at the DLNR. I believe it’s gonna be in the Land Board but, um, as usual, six days ahead per Sunshine Law they come out with the agenda and all the specifics for that so if Big Island people want to be on Oahu – check that out. One of the things that has always been on the agenda and something I’ve always focused my efforts on has been Puuwaawaa and Puuanahulu – the Habitat Conservation Plan and related incidental take license, um, without too much specifics that’s just been the priority of everything I’ve done and I – it’s the only the effort that the State has ever worked on to try to work with endangered species and native species within areas that people hunt and maintaining non-native animals that are there already for the purposes of hunting so it’s been going on forever. I don’t see any progress – to be honest – I know I’ve met with some members of this Commission in potentially looking at legislation to move this thing forward because the leadership of the DLNR is not gonna move it forward without some kind of motivation so, ah, external motivation – so to speak – so that’s one of the efforts I think the guys on Big Island who like to hunt sheep and goats particularly archery sheep and goat hunters – they should take some priority and focus in and actually every mammal hunter on the Island should take note – should take note of this – because pretty much every hunting area of land probably has endangered species on it and as long as it has endangered species on it those species tend to take precedent over all the others unless some plan or policy allows it to be so – this is the only one the Department’s working on – this is the only one the Department will ever probably work on unless you motivate – unless we motivate them to do others so that’s always been a priority, um, what else – that’d be about it – other than that – since a lot of people turned down a lot of their initiatives kind of died so I guess we start all over again – I know the Oahu members wanted – they were supposed to work on some kind of management system with the 8