HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0333.154 2010-2012Murashige, Laura
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owlit1@gmail.com
Tuesday, September 20, 2011 12:18 PM
counciltestimony @co.hawaii.hi.us
I support banning Aqu /harvesting.
Attachments: fish protection.docx
Page 1 of 2
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9/20/11 -Aloha Council Members, Banning Aquarium Harvesting or with stricter penalties /limit permits.
What is happening to our reef fish /wildlife is beyond any Hollywood horrifying movie. These few in comparison to the
population are destroying the vital balance of our precious resource the reef /ocean. These aquarium collectors are in
what I call the luxury zone of money making with total disregard for the fish /animals /reef system /people.
In my lifetime, the reefs were full of fish /wildlife health activity, and now, it is so obvious that there are very little of what
there once was. Our people's resource for food is now in jeopardy. In the past, we only took what was necessary to
feed our families. Now, there is less and less fish. When does luxury money for more profit take presentence over
basic food survival.
I am asking for a total ban of Aquarium Harvesting for X amount of time until we have the opportunity to put a better
check and balance with total control on what we have now. In the meantime, we need to have studies done on the
present condition of our islands ecosystem, and how to bring it back with re- seeding.
The present permit system is that any person without training can purchase a permit or permits for a very low cost.
What are we thinking?
1. My suggestion is limit per year on the amount of permits that is allowed to be purchased.
2. With the limit permits allowed to be purchased, than let it go to the highest bidder(s) with renew fees per month.
Each permit should have a value of no less than $5,000! Renewal per month or quarterly should be no less than
$2,000. In addition, there must be a limit per day /per week/per month on the amount of fish they take from our reefs.
Keep in mind that this is a " luxury business ", they are not re- seeding our reefs, they are not helping anyone but
themselves, as one fish can bring over $30,000 dollars.
We want to take control of this "luxury for profit business" by having it pay its dues so the monies goes into paying
for the agencies needed to patrol, control, and enforce our regulations so that the fish harvested is the fish that is alive
and well for sale, and not of the other 39 that died in the process of harvesting.
3. Some Aquarium Harvesters have integrity, moral values, and honesty , but some do not. Please remember that
generally - money to gain for pure profit is money that can come without guilt. Its idiotic to expect when profits are too
easy to be made to ask them to then self- monitor what they gather, how they gather, the amount they gather, where
they gather, who they sell to, and the death rate of the harvest, etc.. This is much too naive for any government official
to think that system will work based on self- monitoring.
We (all of us) are the guardians of this earth, and that guardianship has been handed down to us to maintain and
protect our environment. If we do not protect our natural resources, the future to feed our people is more and more in
jeopardy. Our long history of the Kapu System was efficient in keeping our reef and fish gathering system in check and
healthy, now it depends on your wisdom to continue that protection.
In the old days, Aunty could ask Uncle to go get fish for dinner from the reefs, no one starved. Uncle took no
Comm. Na 333. /S51
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9/20/2011
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more than needed, and we all ate well. Now, we must face the reality that without reef protection, our peoples
of the island could face a greater degree of food shortage, and the beginning of the death of our reef /ocean
food resource.
Thank you for your consideration on banning or limiting any further aquarium permits, and making the luxury industry of
a few, pay the government agencies necessary to monitor, enforce and protect our God given resources — which is our
reefs/ocean/wildlife.
Frannie Pueo, (808) 769 -1128 P.O. Box 943, Mt. View, Hi 96771
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9/20/2011