HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 1145.057 2012-2014Bill 318 regulating Aquarium Fish Collection Trade
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Bill 318 regulating Aquarium Fish Collection Trade
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Kealoha <keomaivg @gmail.com> N t-,
C-,
Sun 111 "161201A 9:52 PM
To: Council Testimony;
Testimony is Support of Bill 318
RE: Regulating Aquarium Fish Collection Trade
v+
Aloha Members of the Hawai'i County Council and Madam Chair
I wish to thank you for this opportunity to speak to this very important issue and to the proper and
compassionate care of our beloved ocean and reef family.
My name is Kealoha Pisciotta, I am President of Mauna Kea Anaina Hou and Founder of Kai Palaoa.
Kai Palaoa is dedicated to promoting the health, well being and survival of our oceans and all life. Our
family and Hanai (extended family) are Hawaiian Practitioners *, artists, grass roots activists, inventors,
scientists, advocates, surfers, divers, fishers, educators and entrepreneurs who believe change in the
world is possible and who dedicate themselves to the promotion of a more beautiful, clean, healthful,
sustainable and just world for our future generations.
I am here to testify in support of Bill 318. To be clear we wish the bill went further and we would
support a complete ban on the Aquarium Fish Collection Trade altogether.
But we are here because we believe at a minimum this bill helps to return some COMPASSION back
into and otherwise cruel, senseless and totally unsustainable taking of our reef fishes and family.
I understand there are some say -ing there is no science - -to support this bill but this is false - -there is
science and it called the KAPU system which was a truly sustainable system that supported the People -
-and feed them and protected ecosystem for thousand so years - -in Hawai'i.
That is science -- however it could not support this industry because the KAPU system was for
protecting food stocks - -here with the Aquarium Fish Collection Trade we are not taking about people
fishing supporting and feeding their families and the community - -the Trade Collectors are just taking
the fish and shipping them off to live a stressed and very short live all for someone's entertainment.
So don't be confused this issue is not about fishing at all it is simply about taking - -and this is A'ole
Pono.
For a system to be construed as "sustainable" at a minimum there must be a replenishment of what is v
talean - -anrl in tho irlaal uni i mi mt ronlira mnra than %Aihnt W;;C takan - -cr) thic inrli mtni ran in nn uiav ho
Esc.
https: / /webmail.hawaiicounty.gov /owa/ kt.:i. Law JvU V 1 6 ZU14 _I 1/17/2014