HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0862.034 2008-2010 Page 1 of 2
Murashige, Laura
From: David Finkelstein [davidfinkelstein @juno.com]
Sent: Sunday, July 18, 2010 8:08 AM
To: counciltestimony @co.hawaii.hi.us
Subject: testimony on 363 -10 . -
July 18, 2010
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Dear Council members:
While I am not a Kona resident, I strongly support Res 363 -10, introduced by Kona
Councilmember Kelly Greenwell. I live in lower Puna, but for the last twenty years have
snorkeled and scuba dived along most of the Big Island's coast. I am not a fisheries expert,
just a resident who enjoys viewing the animal life that can be found in our coastal waters.
And I believe it's obvious our coastal reef fish are much more valuable to Hawaii's large and
growing recreational users and industry than to the few aquarium fishing boats who fish
these waters.
The Aquarium Fishing Industry:
- - represents very few residents compared to coastal recreation users and industry
-- pays much less in local taxes than recreational businesses
- - causes much more unintentional fish death than the recreational industry
- - severely impacts fish- viewing opportunities in and around their harvest areas.
Why has the Aquarium Fishing Industry been shown so much deference by the Legislature,
despite the relatively few residents they actually represent? Because they have had an
effective, but deceptive, lobbying campaign going on for many years. Very few recreational
users actually see the aquarium fishing when it's occurring, so are just left to wonder why
there are fewer reef fish left
Thank you for considering my views,
David Finkelstein
RR 2 Box 3313
Pahoa, HI 96778
davidfinkelstein@juno.com
Ref. To: S C D
Ref. Data 20 2010
7/19/2010 .,