2023_01_17 Game Management Advisory Commission Minutes (DRAFT)

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beyond, that is definitely beyond. So, I’m not saying you can get information in order to pursue an understanding but… RD: Great. That’s what we want, we want information. SW: But your request for information has to be in this particular pocket – which is under Section 9- 9.3, 6-9.3 of the Hawaii County Charter. Right, so it’s got to come back to the county, it’s got to be county specific and it’s gotta be related specifically to game management preservation of subsistence hunting and fishing as well as protecting traditional and cultural… AA: Yes, Abraham, District – 5. So that’s exactly what it is. We want to investigate the funding that’s coming to the County of Hawaii and that funding is specifically making sure that it’s being used for hunting and fishing and not using it for invasive species or endangered species which it’s not supposed to be used for – it’s only supposed to be used for protecting our game and… SW: I can’t answer the question as it supposed to be used for because you have to look at the various authorities for the grants, but I do think that you, I do think that there is an avenue forward in that – this Commission – you ask for documents from DLNR but because you want to maintain a good working relationship with DLNR… AA: Yes… SW: ….what I would suggest is that you first ask them to present to GMAC as to their use of fundings for our county and then that can be your avenue forward. RD: And then how about calling the Fish & Wildlife. Can we request audits? SW: You cannot request audits. RD: Why – that’s a public record. Why can’t we request public records that are generated by hunting and fishing tax licenses in federal trust funds. SW: You can request documents, that’s fine. RD: Would that be a document that we could request? SW: You can request documents, but it has to be again – you have to be able to narrow it to what the Commission does within the Charter – so you have to have a specific purpose. RD: Conservation… SW: You have to have a specific purpose that is enlisted in to why you’re asking for a particular document – to what end? RD: We don’t know that yet. We want to count the money. Money has been spent, it has been audited – we’d like to see the audits and we’d like to see the records. That’s all we’re asking for. We’re making no decisions on how this is affecting the county or how the future can be better for the county fishers, hunters and gatherers. 11