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Hawai’i Game Management Advisory Commission Meeting <br />Minutes – July 25, 2017 <br />made a recommendation that they don’t want to have helicopters around <br />these birds. <br /> <br />: And specifically in palila they were talking about the military and the impact of <br />the helicopter because there’s helicopters that have been up for thirty, forty <br />years all the time – and now you have tour helicopters that are coming <br />through there all the time <br /> <br />PB: To address your question or your point is there’s almost unlimited ways to <br />disturb palila – you could do it any number of ways and really – at least in my <br />mind – it boils down to is the disturbance worth the potential gain and that’s a <br />question the managers have to address. <br /> <br />DY: In terms of policy as it relates to this area – who is managing it? <br /> <br />PB: I should make clear that as a biologist with US Geological Survey we don’t <br />have anything to do with policy. We do advise policy makers’ decision makers <br />– if they ask us what you think is bothering palila? <br /> <br />DY: Who does because right now we have an eradication program going on? So if <br />you guys are not the bad guys who made that decision and I understand the <br />courts were involved. You’ve been doing your study now for what twenty <br />years? <br /> <br />PB: Twenty-five years. <br /> <br />DY: In that twenty-five years who’s making policy and managing the area? <br /> <br />PB: The state and the US Fish and Wildlife Service have regulatory authority over <br />palila as an endangered species and they are the policy makers and <br />implementers. <br /> <br />TL: Or isn’t Earth Justice a big part of that policy? <br /> <br />PB: They have the legal reach. <br /> <br />TL: Every time you try to do something they’ll sue. <br /> <br />Who is working with the public on that as well because one of the things – <br />conservation biology or ecosystem management, really should be – and the <br />US Fish and Wildlife Service? <br /> <br />PB: The issue here is you’re speaking to a researcher. I’m not allowed to <br />advocate. If a manager wants my opinion, I may suggest, if you do this, I think <br />this might happen. If you do that I think that might happen, but the choice is <br />really up to you to weigh <br />13 <br /> <br /> <br />