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Home My WebLink AboutCOM 0118.072 2014-2016From: Bob Likins <bob@pijac.org>;_� Sent: Friday, February 13, 2015 1120 AM To: Council Testimony - - Subject: PIJAC Testimony on Bill 024 Attachments: Bill 024 (finap.pdf r,> Sir or Ma'am, Please accept the attached testimony for the Hawaii County Council on Bill 024 from the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council (PIJAC). Sincerely, Robert Likins Robert Likins III Director of Government Affairs Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council (PIJAC) 1146 19`^ Street NW, Suite 350 Washington DC 20036 202-452-1525 x1070 bobPpiiac.orQ LeadSave $3OOMthEarlyl3irdpricirg TOP Click Hereto Register flIF`*3t the pack TO E' April 28 - 30,20151 Carlsbad, CA Comm: / l 7C .7a Ref. To: LJ Ref. Dallo: te PIJAC PET INDUSTRY JOINT ADVISORY COUNCIL rr� 11461grh Street, N W., Suite 350 Washington, DO 20036 Tel: 202-452-1525 Fax: 202-452-1516 CHAIRMAN TESTIMONY OF THE PET INDUSTRY JOINT ADVISORY COUNCIL Nan OF W PYoung. mc.. East Ler,me dinar MA CONSIDERATION OF THE HAWAH COUNTY COUNCIL FIR T VI VICE FOR IN OPPOSITION TO Bill 024 nd Animalsupply company. Penland way. WA To be heard February 17th at 1:30 PM SECOND VICE-CHAIRMAN Greg Cyr central Garden and Pet. walnut Creek, CA February 12, 2015 SECRETARYITREASURER The Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council (PIJAC) appreciates the opportunity Andy Ponte united Pet croup, em0mneti, OH to offer our views regarding Bill 024, a bill that would make obtaining a DIRECTORS fishing license for anyone in the aquarium trade so expensive that it would Rapid Hauls constitute a de facto ban. As the country's largest pe[ trade association, The Hunte Corporation, Goodman, NO representing the interests of all segments of the pet industry throughout the Tom Ecl Pejo Animal Supplies, San Diego. CA United Slates, PIJAC counts among its members national associations, Brace'Boder organizations, corporations and individuals involved in the colmnereial pet Mimneeorp Inc., Dayton, OH trade. More specifically, PIJAC represents the interests of pet stores, Chord Pleasure suppliers, distributors, pet supply manufacturers, breeders, retailers and pet Pinnacle Pet. Neosho, MO owners throughout the state of Hawaii and across the country. Hsather. Gpvaa Naturs tad once Pet Foods, Burbank, CA PIJAC strongly opposes Bi11024 and fails to understand the motivation behind Rolf Hagen Quebec its Since aquarium fishermen are most regulated near shore in Rolf C. Hagen Inc., Bane Dude, he fishery in Hawaii, and aquarium fishermen lake the fewest fish in the most fishery Hawaii, John Mack. Reptiles By Mack xenla, off humane manner of any fishermen in Hawaii, it is inexplicable that they would MrI Peterson be the ones targeted by animal rights activists, The aquarium trade in Hawaii The Pet crop,, Carlsbad, CA County responsibly harvests a plentiful and renewable resource and shares the Laure-Peach H d beautiful aspect of Hawaii with the world. Bill 024 penalizes responsible Fish Man Inc., West Haven. CT fishermen who properly handle and care for the fish they collect, creates an Jimseideenand Pet Word, too, Rochester, NY undue burden on the small businesses which represent the aquarium trade in [lawaii County, and there would be virtually no impact on the amount of Jpe wanon Poland mc., Chillicothe, off revenue to the county if the license costs are adopted. One can only assume Marcedwbldhard that these fees are punitive or vindictive, either of which is beneath the dignity Pemo Animal Supplies Icor San Close. CA of the Hawaii County Council. ASSOCIATION REPRESENTATIVES Jim involves (W PA) There is no justification for saddling fishermen with additional regulations. Calabasas, CA The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), pursuant to State won Flakldwiso, APPA)Sa law, submits a report every 5 years to the legislature "Relating to the Wes[ ReachcA Hawai'i Reg ryanagemenRegional Fishery Mt Area." The 2015 Report found that Steve King (PIOA) Pet ndustry Distributors Assoc, Aoingdon. MO the West Hawaii "no -aquarium collec[hrg"Fish Replenishment Areas (FRAs), implemented in 1999, have been very successful in increasing populations of Sandra Moore (FrFFA) segrest Farms, cibsernon, FL Yellow Tang (Zebrasonm flaveseens) -- the most heavily targeted aquarium PRSTCHAIFMEN fish accounting for 84% of the total catch. Fifteen years after closure, the JamesHeim population of Yellow Tang has increased 64.5% in the FRAs while its CA abundance in the Open Areas has not declined significantly." Overall Yellow Frank Koch Pacplma. CA Tangs have increased substantially with a current population in excess of 3.6 Allan Levey million fish. The DNLR Aquarium' White List' for West Hawaii of 40 Neo, York dry, MY species permitted for the aquarium trade is working. Fish not on the list Cannot Alexandre Formal. be collected for the aquarium trade. Size and bag limits for three species are in Los Arced , CA P lace. EIWIT segrest cibroded FL PRESIDENTICEO Edwin Savanna The regulatory mechanisms covering the Hawaiian aquarium fishery support the tenets of the sustainable use of renewable natural resources supported in the IUCN's Policy Statement on Sustainable Use. That is buttressed by DLNR's adaptive management by continually improving its management as new challenges arise. This involves monitoring, assessment and applying the results by adjusting management regimes to achieve the desired result. Every responsible scientific study, and even Hawaii's own DLNR, say that the management practices currently in place have resulted in an increase in Hawaii's fish population over the last 15 years. Of all the [lungs that affect the health of the reef and its inhabitants, fishing for the aquarium trade has the lowest impact. We find it extremely telling that proponents of this bill called upon the testimony of an animal rights interest group to counter the testimony not of industry witnesses, but of the state of Hawaii's own scientists! Hawaiian fishermen are operating responsible businesses and deserve the county's support. Driving them out of business serves no purpose other than to appease small but highly vocal animal rights interest groups. The proposed excessive fees and regulations are clearly unnecessary because the state of Hawaii already has regulation and management practices that work, and the state has proven the fisherman cause no harts. We at PUAC strongly oppose the language and intent of Bill 024. Thank you greatly for your consideration of our views. Robert A. Li s III O'er Director of Government Affairs Per Industry Joint Advisory Council