2016-07-19 - Ltr. GMAC to D. Smith DLNR

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William P. Kenoi Mayor July 19, 2016 County of Hawaii Office of the Mayor Randall M. Kurohara Managing Director Robert H. Command Deputy Managing Director 25 Aupuni Street, Suite 2603 • Hilo, Hawai'i 96720 • (808) 961-8211 • Fax (808) 961-6553 KONA: 74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Hwy., Bldg C • Kailua-Kona, Hawai'i 96740 (808) 323-4444 • Fax (808) 323-4440 Hawai'i County Game Management Advisory Commission David Smith, Administrator Division of Forestry and Wildlife Department of Land and Natural Resources Kalanimoku Building 1151 Punchbowl Street Honolulu, HI 96713 Dear Mr. Smith: This letter is a follow up on a number of outstanding promises made by DLNR that are to date unresolved. We are seeking a response to the following: Request for DLNR to implement the Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) for Puuwaawaa/Puuanahulu: On November 16, 2015, Edith Adkins gave a presentation to GMAC (Hawaii County Game Management Advisory Committee) regarding the implementation of a sustainable game program for Puuanahulu. It is now 8 months since our meeting with Ms. Adkins and DLNR still hasn't implemented the program. What is delaying it and when will it start? Re -drafting DLNR's Game Rules: On June 22, 2015, Scott Fretz, Acting Administrator, came with Chair Suzanne Case to meet with the GMAC. Mr. Fretz seemed to welcome the idea to work with a committee of hunters who would suggest rule changes to DLNR's game rules. GMAC was pleased to hear this because the vast majority of change recommendations made in 2008 were ignored by DLNR due to the urgency of reinstating tag fee revenues for the Wildlife Revolving Fund. Informal Committee to Re -draft Game Rules: James Cogswell, Wildlife Program Manager, suggested a tentative start date of December 2015 for this new committee. That date has lapsed without action. Now Mr. Cogswell suggests that the new State Game Commission take up this task when the new Wildlife Game Coordinator is hired on County of Hawaii is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer.