HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0730.016 2010-2012 1COUNc11.
CG'11,1M 7A.?
TESTIMONY OF MICHAEL C.TWANG June 6,2012
7J1!? --6 1J u. 57
Bill 260
Relating to a Charter Amendment to form a Game Management Advisory Council on the Big Island.
I personally think our fish and game resources in the state and counties would be better condition,if all
the counties managed their own natural resources. This action should have been initiated fifty(50)
years ago. We are definitely headed in the wrong direction in managing our fish and game resources.
We as sportsman and gatherers are totally unhappy as more and more areas and trails are closed. Our
young people are confused and in some cases angry at the future prospects of continuing family
traditions,and a truly local culture that were in place in the 19th Century. Local families supplemented
their family budgets by hunting and fishing.
In fact many of us made it through College because our families sold smoked meat and fish to make
ends meet. Can this happen again...probably not. The direction of the state government is taking us in
the opposite direction. It is ludicrous that we are fencing miles of watershed areas and coastal areas
and using all means including poisoning to eliminate our game animals that have existed as a big of our
culture,since the days of the ancient Hawaiians. Our culture since those days has been a culture of
hunters,fishermen,and gatherers. We as a county of community based cultures managed our
resources better than all the state agencies and commissions because we knew our forests,game
management areas,coastal areas and near shore environment. Above all we respected our natural
areas, and fish and game species....We respected the AINA...
I retired from the U.S.Government career in natural resource management. A big of my career was
helping local people ....farmers and ranchers,and local governments like counties manage their lands in
a manner that ultimately protected our water resources...our groundwater resources,streams,rivers,
near shore waters and coastal areas from pollution. Throughout my career,I seen some good things,
but a lot of bad management decisions about our natural resources:
Such as the introduction of certain plants and fish:
1. The Seaweed that is threatening the ocean environment in West Maui,and Kaneohe
Bay.
2. The Albizia
3. Banana Poka
4. The Banana"bunchy top"which is threatening our banana industry
5. The grouper"Roi"
6. Yellow Snapper Taape
I believe a county commission,would do a better job more economically and efficiently. I sincerely hope
you enact this Bill so we will have more input on decisions that will impact our island county.
Comm. Alp/ 1 'LA '
Ref.To: j'
Ref. Date JUN 1 9 2012