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Home My WebLink AboutCOM 0316.003 2012-2014 PI COUW114— - . ' }roto. �J supportinq 31 A re. scuba spear fishing and the Puako Fisheries Management Area comments for Hawai'i County CnunniiDam Tuesday, June 18. 2O13. West Hommi'i center hy Cory Harden PC Box 10265. Hilo. Occupied Hawai'' 88721 868-368'896F, mhifOirtaqoacne/ support the scuba speartishirig ban. it's troubling that when Bill VVaish, a biologist_with DLNR (Department of Land and Natural tAi r2 Rosouroes) xvmaaykedifDLNR *vou}dtakestrungernneasorestoprptacTraefm he �� reefs, ��' —1�- people, �eniuinnrnmkero indenial.—' . ` ("Study finds Isle reefs in decline, Hmvva/i Tribune-Herald 6'14'131 Co c") Walsh supported the ban in a report he wrote recently. So did 90% of testifiers at hearings. BIA DLNR Chairperson William Aila dropped the ban from proposed fishery rules. ['Ber6gnn:nd Paper onSCUBA Spna/tficbing'iby William Welsh. Ph.D. Hovva/Y Division of >.= Acjuatic Resources January 2312 p 21 Atto://hewall.pov/dInr/dao/pdt409f/ SCUBA = 8ackgnound.pdn Last week, Aila refused to hear testimony at a DLNR briefing on rules that included the scuba ban. This despite a packed meeting room, and an agreement (in a legal settlement 16 years ago) to take tectimony at briefings. EnvirqnmnentHawai'i newsletter filed afnrnna| complaint. EH-xtracolumn, 6'13-13' n/nent-f?,--vpho31(} The day after the briefing, news broke that reef fish, coral cover, and an algae that is a "precursor" to coral growth have all declined at Puako and Pauoa—and reef fish have declined at other West Hawaii sites. "A recent Department of Lane and Natural Resources study of reef fish -at Puako and Patio:I shows a 'drastic decline' in the populations ot both bays.. 'William VVaish.. said it is consistent r'th data from studies in other a or he 4'v 's Hai oastirin Cnna| cover dropped by 35 percent at Pusko and 21 percent at Pauoa Crustose oroaUne algae-- fheprecursortoco,m| growth--wesdomn64pe/can| atPuaknond87percen1n1Pauom ^ /'Study finds Isle reefs in �o�e on ,-;i17 On scuba spearfishing, Waish's report says it is banned by most Pacific Island countries. [notes on 'Gillet R and kVMoy(2DO6) 3pea/fixh/nc i/ Ma Pacific: islands: Cux/e//t Status and Management issues FA{isFish Code F!eiifem/ 19' N/a/o/f up. c/i. p. 2/ What's wrong with scuhaspearfishing? ts so good at klling lots of fish that t may cause local extinctions. ^GpeortishinQ activities are often concentrated at particular sites and the activity is, in the right conditions. an extremely effective and efficient method ofharvesting target hsh. .VVheny reef species are heovi|y1orge1ed` local popu|eduns of adult fish can bo completely rennoved. and /ecru|tnmn\ from deepernae[s may ba low u/non-existent These locations- are padcu|urly vu|nerab|m, andaneo1o(a! avidm`ceindioa8es |ocalex1inotionskeveoocuoed. '' /no/es on "NemV (20O8). The impacts of*0eartinh/ny: notes on the effects of recreational oYwncloo shallow/nanoe reefs msouthe/'/Australia. [/o/yD/'eF9a//ei Australia: Hampton Melbourne' Walsh. op. uit p gY in Fiji, intemiewswjth people revealed that when nigh( time BCUBAsVearfixhinA came. to an island, the markets were filled with Pumphaad parrots. tnoy were half ormore of all fish in the markets. Noe those same areas. they are rare and not seen in the markets. On some islands !•!,ay have actuoUy gone !orally ext.inc1 .' [notes o,t DLI1VJ [V and 10 oOu.Ir: (2004 UoMgMfomuai*/uwiedge to infer A 'Mari- i:nducod rarity o/econopicuoam reef fish Animal Conservation 7:385-374~inWalsh, op mf . p /07 Comm. �� - ^ «� « �� r Ref. To: . ` , ` w - , • ` . ^ ^ spearhshing (particuimHywith SCUBA), has reportedly driven senile species to extinction nrto very 10W levels in Guam (Charles Birkeland, University of Hawaii pers comm.; Hensley and Sherwood, 1993). Palau (Johannes 198-1a), American Samoa (ChaAesBirkm1and. UnwensiLynY Howai'i, pers. comm ) andWulaei Atoll in Yap (Smith and Da/zeU 1993) ^ Incites oo -DabellP and DSchuD(2OO2) Synopsis of information Relating/oSustainable Coastal Fisheries Apia, Samoa. International Waters Programme, South Pacific Environment Programme'x/ Walsh, op p. 111,1 Scuba spearfishers can sneak u on fish sieeping m hrhng paces that used to be safe, Ieavmq fewer refuges where popuatons can be replenished. 'Fishermen feel that scuba diving is a method Mot allows for inappropriate levels of efficiency. Coupled with -its use at night to target variOUS species that sleep in rock/reef cracks or under 00005 scaba makes -1 overt more nttcuare and, }n the opinion o/ ofthe fishermen, creates '' an opportunity for fishermen to take rnuch more than necesaaryi '' ohemon '`ShnffieBN/and 3D Allen (2D12) The Sociocultural importance uySpeenfishing Hawa/l NOAA Techn/ca/8flo/nnrandi//n K8NFS-F9f3C'3Y -Ndah/h, np, ml. p, �V dear waters act as refuges from Psh;ng pessre [notes on 'Houk F! Rhodes K' Cue&om+9ue/7o J L/od0eb/ S. .Fleed \/ and JO &Yollwain (2012) Commercial coral-reef fisheries across 8mcneneaia. A need for improving management Coral Reefs 3Y:13-20^iniNa/ah, op. cit. pd4} 'in Guam and CNK8| SCUBA spearflshmg has eLrn:nated the aeprr rchrgia of scram rout ash species; similar to that observed a|sevvhaoa.' [notes on -Rhodes Kt_ Warren-Rhodes K, Houk P. Cuehrs-Bueoo^( Fong [} and N/Hoot (2011) An lntardisc:pllnart Study of Marker Forces one NearohoreF/ohenea Management ill ,Micronesia A Repoli ofthe &Yark,e Program o/the Asia Pacific Conservation Region, The Nature Consen vat icy. Report No. 6/11. 120 N/a/mh, op. c� . Ap.4'5] "fttaturai refuges can play a fundamental -foie in protecting species from overexploitation. /noteoon 'Tyler EH&Y' 3pekght MR. Henderson Fz and A Monica (20Og). Evidence fel a depth refuge effect in a/tisana/coral reef fixhe/feo. Biol. Conservation 143:052-567^k/ Walsh, op, At. p G/ 'The perceived problems associated with using scuba forsp*arf/shing \nc|ude. diminishing or 'e|iminahng the positive effects of deer)water acting asm sanctuary for hish.^ [notes o/7 'Gillet R and WA/Toy (2OD5) Spearfish/rig i/the Pacific Islands: Cogent Status and Management issues FAO/Fish Cc'ge Review No, 1A^-b/ Walsh. op. cit.. p, 2j Scuba spearfishers can target bg fish and take iarge numbers. Thrs miy leave small fish who reproduce less, and may leave few males. ' spearfiahingoanhave /upidondyubmtantiu| naUatimaeff*ctsonreeffishPopu|ationu Fishers typically target the larger individuals in a popu|etion, cAleb tends to reduce the moan size of fished species. reproduciive putout declines ex000nnMaUy with decreasing fish size ' /notes mm 'Ffisch Ad. CuleA`( Hobbs J'F4\. Rizzeri j7 nod KR Munkre1 (2012). Effects of Spme/fiohx`gn// Reef FitithPopulatiU/;x /na &Y//k -Oso0-onsarvabun Area. PLOE: Q0E l]ecember20/2 ! Volume 7i Issue YIIeffY&38'in Walsh, op, cat, p. 3/ lialicronosia and I-Vrierican Samoa - Fish populations around major oopuiation centres snow clear signs ofovapMshing with few large fish observed because of fishing pressure. pa/ticu\ady spear- fishers using scubas.' /no/em on -Wilkinson C (2808), '-'3bsb/oof coral reefs ofthe ,wznd: (2006) Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network and.Rcef and Rainforest/7eoear0 Centre, Tbvwnsv8ie. Australia". 87 Walsh. op, cit. pp 8-77 "...the mean size of target fish caught by spearfishers iyVaS SicpriifiCantly larger than the mean size of target fish caught by unefishers. n eeobogicai terms 1 may he benflcial to target aiger fish. since, increases the Pro Pollion of the Population that reproduce before recruitaient to the fishery, However. it is also undesirable <o target very large fish. because they make a disproportionately large contribution to the eoroau ;tive output 01 th poiLniot Motes on -Frisch AJ Baker R. Hobbs JA and L Nanken/s (2008), A quantitative comparisunofm*creationa/opeenfioh/ngand6inetia//xngonbheSpcaf8anierReof- /mp6-cahnnobxnnanegennentof/nuiti-xecrmrooca//eeffid/erien, Coral Reefs 27:85-95'hn yKa/sh' op. cit.. p. 71 ,the removal of large individuals by spearfishing can adversely affect the reproductive potential of these vulnerable fish populations This is because lamer females are proportionally more fecund, reproduce ever an extended period and spawn bigger eggs and larvae with better survival rates Finally, tor sequential hermaphrodites-where ail the larger individuals may be ot the aurm sex. si tva. t removal of tree s' may pr€rdce the spawning success ofthe population." [notes no 'Lioret.LZaragoza Caballero D. Foal TCaoadema88W and KRiens. (2OD8) 8poarfimhing pressure on fish communities i7 rocky coastal habitats i7aMediterranean marine protected area„ffsha/iesReseardh 94 (20Of) G4-A/^/n Walsh, on. r/t, Ap. 7'8/ ''VVhen SCUBA assisted spearfishing was introduced in 1994. there was a drastic increase in fish catch targeting mostly large fish ' [notes mn 'SabeterMG and SPToXaeono /2O08) Spatial variation iebiomass, abundance. aria species composttion of Prey reef species^in American Samoa, Department ofMarine and F7aoourreS, Pago'Pago. American Samoa-in Walsh. op. o�., p. g/ ^ thee c evidence that selective harvesting of the largest ofsm*growing species ismore damaging than harvesting a larger huomass of Juveniles ^ (hates on f and PDirlyton (2DO5) The, kryzadanue /n Fishery Manugeo/entuf Leeviha Inc Big C)/,es. Trends in Ecology and Evolution Nn/.200o, 7' in 0/a/sh, op, cit„ p. 101 'Speering selectively removes the larger size class and has the potential cfremoving lame 'ircpnrtuw of tie males [notes on1omvy&f and/ SuU,crp/2D04/ Population structure ny aggregations. and reapo/,satoaprarfishi/g' nfa /argete/npe/atereeffishC//e8odauh/us f/scus. Mani,a Ecology Progress Series 273. 199-210''/n Wa/oh. op Cl.. p. 107 The scuba spearfiahind ban is not about fishing styles—it's about food, sustainability, science- based decisions, and democracy. Please support this resolution.