HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0862.058 2008-2010 Page 1 of 2
Murashige, Laura
From: oceanwndows2 @yahoo.com
Sent: Monday, July 19, 2010 5:01 AM
To: counciltestimony @co.hawaii.hi.us
Subject: Comments on Resolution # 363 10 `~
RESOLUTION NUMBER 363 10 ='
Dear Council Members,
My name is Luci Price and I have been a full time aquarium fish collector for the past nine
years. I feel that the proposed ban is completely unwarranted and would have an extremely
detrimental effect on many fisherman's lives, especially in these tough economic times. I live
simply and within my means, but taking my job away would likely mean taking my home away
because there just are not jobs with comparable incomes available to me on the Big Island,
and I do not know how I would be able to maintain a mortgage and monthly bills Witiie'u`f'ftle
income I count on from fishing. I have lived here for 16 years and have nothing but love and
respect for the island, the environment, the ocean, and all of its inhabitants. I have prided
myself on being a responsible and conscientious fish collector and never, under any
circumstances, conduct myself in a manner that is deliberately harmful to the reef or the fish. I
do not have a "take -no- prisoners" attitude when fishing, nor do the collectors that I associate
with. To say that fish collectors are responsible for the destruction of the reef and the dwindling
fish population is simply untrue. Scientific studies have already been conducted with respect to
the impact of fish collection on the reefs of the Big Island, but what about scientific studies on
the booming development of Hawaii's coastlines? Worldwide reef studies indicate that
chemical runoff and sediment overload from coastal development, among other things, are
contributing to the death of reefs at a rate twice that of rain forest loss...certainly the same is
likely contributing to the problem with Hawaii's reefs. Perhaps our hotels and golf courses can
be made to help our reefs by beginning to use safe, organic fertilizers and soil conditioners.
This is certainly not a single culprit problem and to point the finger of blame at one
particular party seems biased and unfair.
There is a wealth of misinformation circulating throughout the public, and just because there
may be the proverbial one or two bad seeds in the bunch does not mean we are all the same
and that we selfishly take and destroy with no regard. Nothing could be further from the truth.
The beauty of our fishery is that it is well managed, thus allowing it to be a
sustainable, naturally renewable resource. Over the last nine years, on a year to year basis I
can honestly say that there have been ups and downs, but that overall there has been a
steady increase in the fish population. The numbers on our fish reports are a testament to that
fact. And I believe, as Dr. Walsh's scientific research has shown, the FRA's are working
beautifully. Balance is key in any successful fishery. Effective management, establishing bag
limits for certain less abundant species, and creating a mutually agreed upon limited entry
program are all things that I support wholeheartedly. But please understand how damaging a
complete ban on fish collecting will be to so many local individuals, both with and without
families to support. Times are hard enough right now and you are considering creating a whole
new group of unemployed island residents with very few, if any, viable options for
replacing our relied upon income. Comf o F f � 2 . cg
Ref. Toy �� S
Ref. Date. LL 2 0 2Al!
7/19/2010