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Home My WebLink AboutCOM 0967.009 2016-2018 P/Coutic1i I61 Hawaii County Council, 08 August 2018 2nd Reading, Draft Hamakua CDP Robert T.Nishimoto,PhD Retired Program Manager,DLNR Division of Aquatic Resources Grandson is the 5th generation living in Ninole 1. Support acceptance of the Hamakua CDP by the Council a. Thanks to the Steering Committee for 10 years of dedicated volunteer work to develop this document b. Chair Valerie Poindexter for leadership and sage =o guidance `; v c,-< 2. Fully support Revised Policy 18, shoreline and building setbacks for environmental, health, safety priorities. a. Handout 1- Photo of cliff slide at Hakalau Point, MM16, D and proof of irreversible damage—permanent loss of opihi and wana habitat b. Handout 2- March 2018 Hamakua Times, The Lonely Hamakua Opihi. Please read if you enjoy opihi as food or as part of our natural resource heritage. 3. Encourage continuation of a working relation with UHH Manager Climate Corps a. Collaboration between Hawaii County Planning and UH Hilo to develop adaptive capacity to confront climate change impacts. b. This data driven results provides a "level playing field" for an environmental perspective, challenging the usual planning decisions based on job creation and tax revenues. 4. CDP Guiding principle: "What is good for the land, is good for the people" summarizes my total support. 5. My guidance during implementation: "It is easier to malama the aina, then it is to restore its function" Comm. No. CI°.q Ref. To: P1 coo nci l Ref. Date AUG 0 N td Handout 2 Hamakua Times, March 2018 The Lonely Life of the Hamakua `opihi by Robert T. Nishimoto, PhD Ninole, Hawai`i Our Hamakua, from Waipi`o Valley to Kaiwiki, is often referred to as Hilo Paliku by elders. The name refers to the geological characteristic of the windward side of the Big Island; high cliffs with very narrow boulder beaches punctuated by large coastal bays (Honoli`i, Hakalau, Malua, Waipi`o, etc) identifying large river valleys connecting the ma uka forests to the ocean. We can see this cliff profile from the top of the road (looking toward Hilo) when driving to Laupahoehoe Point. The landward edge of the coastal strip ends abruptly at the base of the cliff and the seaward edge is alternately exposed and immersed by tides twice daily and, especially during winter, scoured by large waves. This zone, called the intertidal, is the area between the high and low tides. Typical tourists would not enjoy a place like this, but it serves as an ideal habitat for the native opihi. This cultural and culinary treasure to local residents, is sometimes called, "He i'a make ka `opihi" (Pukui, `Olelo No`eau), literally translated as fish-of-death. Considering the opihi's treacherous habitat that it occupies, and the high demand by fish markets and locals for luaus, there are more human ocean fatalities connected to this species, then to any other marine animals such as sharks,jellyfishes, etc. There are 3 species of native `opihi, and each occupies a different zone by species. The opihi makaiauli, the black-footed limpet, lives the highest, at the high tide mark, where they can tolerate dry conditions with occasional wave splashes. The yellow-foot, or `opihi `alinalina, live at or below the low tide mark, where it needs constant immersion and cannot tolerate drying out. The largest of the species, `opihi ko ele, growing to about 4 inches long, is always submerged, usually living on large boulders to a depth of 5 feet. This species is only found on Maui Nui and the Big Island. `Opihi usually live in clusters on boulders or vertical cliff faces. They graze on algae and are most active when the tides are changing. The `opihi spawn during the winter months, by releasing gametes (eggs, sperm), where the larvae (called veliger) can float for as long as 18 days, but usually seek an appropriate substrate to settle and metamorphose into little shelled opihi within 2 days. Genetic studies show that larvae can travel inter-island, but each island has its own unique population. Only the most seasoned locals go for `opihi, considering the challenges of descending/ascending vertical cliffs, traversing unstable cliff-side trails or accessing traditional fishing trails blocked off by private landowners. Notwithstanding, the unpredictable and dangerous ocean conditions. We can seek comfort that the Hamakua opihi populations are physically protected from overfishing, the usual culprit in many fish stock declines. However, in recent years, the County of Hawaii Planning Department has been permitting an increasing number of cliff-side homes and development without much consideration of the impact of these developments to our valued coastal ocean resources. Ownership of these properties usually ends at the high tide line, including the cliff face. Unbeknownst to the public, some of these areas had major landslides recently, covering the boulder beaches with trees, shrubs and tons of dirt. See attached photo of a landslide just north of Hakalau Bay, in 2015. Besides, the constant leaching of sediment and pollutants into coastal waters, the habitat for the `opihi and other critters in this intertidal zone are forever destroyed...obliterated. This intertidal habitat is forever changed, not only with the loss of that `opihi population, but the area has become permanently uninhabitable to allow neighboring `opihi larvae to resettle. Imagine how many more of these coastal habitat losses are occurring without us even being aware of it. The threat is ever present. Now is the time to stop the cliff-side subdivision spread up our coastline. To close, a proverb by Pukui gives us a warning and an unsettling vision for the future; "Kupihipihi loa kahi koena `opihi" (The remaining limpets have dwindled in size), translated as the "finances have dwindled considerably." Our culture and traditions are at stake. • ii /4/„',% v'74 , . •,//,/./"`:y %' • v /'Jn/ ' :r'�":� /f„v,r r ,,,; ”s,,,,y' ////, 'i <i/ �j.4 r= '-•,�'/,/',--A.'ri tom ri! r„ s �- ,, rr /�o `/•, s/,iy,,;,.,'A;,„ :"�a, �;-, r.a /x ///,rra„, -.y,j z'i.,r',i,'; 'r," i, y�„f,y;' ,a., .�' •G' ,` s ,^”` �.y • x.i ver-4-4=4/4 /,e/ •� 5 '. / i�.:, ,4or,/,,/4, /yam f- " ,, , r'FN , •. �'�F..' =�'s'f /� ��'%"' ^i ' "�, ,H, y '//�,,,/f'!,!' i $(7� `2/ ail a Bay • ,. �y • " , "�r ' ,> ems. 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