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main issues regarding this proposed rule set. One is, I think it’s important to know that most of <br />the operators here don’t oppose regulation but regulation for regulation’s sake is the problem. <br />Where is the data set to support this particular rule set? I’m part of a hui or operators that <br />believe there is a pathway to a reasonable set of rules – that we are happy to work with the <br />DLNR on – we’ve actually drafted a rule set that we would like to submit to the DLNR – I think <br />enforceability, equitability – those should be the main issues and the current draft rule set <br />doesn’t promote any of those things. I mean, you can hear it in Jonie May’s voice, this is a <br />livelihood of local families like us – we’ve been in the best company – our company \[unclear\] <br />West Hawaii for 20 years and it’s possible that half of our income and half of our 45 employees <br />will just have to go. We built businesses of local people and now we’re having to make <br />potentially very, very difficult choices, um, Joanie May touched on a couple of things different <br />Keauhou Bay and \[unclear\] Bay – the rules set is \[unclear\] on both locations \[unclear\] Keauhou <br />Bay is not a harbor, etc., etc. \[Unclear\] Keauhou Bay \[unclear\]. Um, so I’m gonna for the rest of <br />my time but I want to thank you for taking the time to consider this – which has huge <br />implications for local people \[unclear\]. Mahalo. <br /> <br />AA: Moving on to (see on screen) I-Pad JoJo. Three minutes. I-Pad JoJo? (No answer) Ok, moving on <br />to Tom Young. <br /> <br />TY: Hi, this is Tom Young. I’m speaking today on behalf of Hawaii Oceanic, ah, the DLNR’s proposed <br />rules for manta ray viewing would have massive consequences for local businesses but they <br />really wouldn’t solve any meaningful safety issues, in fact, they would introduce several new <br />safety concerns that I will talk about shortly. These proposed rules should be amended to <br />reduce the impact on local businesses and take into account the safety issues they’re truly <br />addressing. Look, I’m supportive of regulations that save lives and provide clear safety benefits, <br />but the proposed rules wouldn’t provide any meaningful safety benefits despite the perceived <br />safety concerns in manta ray viewing zones – the data is very clear the manta ray tours are a <br />safe activity as millions of guests have safely attended manta ray tours over the years. There’s <br />only been one severe in-water accident – that was recent – and it’s important to note the <br />DLNR’s proposed rules would not have prevented that accident, so, if manta ray tours were <br />dangerous you would think that after millions of participants who’ve been out on the water we <br />have some data to support the idea that it’s truly dangerous but where we’re at is a set of rules <br />that just don’t make sense to proceed with because what they’re gonna do is cut tour revenue <br />by up to 50% for different tour operators – they’re gonna force layoffs in the community and <br />they’re gonna cause business owners to go out of business. So there’s a few safety concerns I’ll <br />touch on today – I don’t have enough time to go through all of them but the first one that’s a <br />really big one is that there’s a proposed ban on live boating and what that means is that all <br />boats are forced to tie up to a mooring ball rather than to be able to sort of drift with their <br />snorkel groups in the water. So this is an area that definitely impacts snorkel boats more than <br />scuba boats and it impacts Keauhou more than it Makako Bay because Keauhou has really <br />strong currents where snorkelers can often drift like 100 yards or more from their vessels. So in <br />that scenario where the vessels can’t remain within earshots of their groups in the water it <br />creates a huge safety concern if there is an in-water incident and the swim guy can’t get the <br />attention of the captain. Another big one is the idea of these 2-hour shifts where basically, you <br />know, each boat can run for 2 hours per night and there’s gonna be a shift change at some point <br />in the night – if we do that that means 48 boats are gonna be coming in and out of manta ray <br />viewing zones at the exact same time and back to its boat position that doesn’t exist today. So <br />31 <br /> <br /> <br />