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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019 07-30 Game Management Advisory Commission Minutes Hawai’i Game Management Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes – July 30, 2019 Game Management Advisory Commission County of Hawai’i Meeting Date: July 30, 2019 Time: 6:30 p.m. Place: Hawai’i County Building – Council Chambers I. CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL: Meeting was called to order at 6:30 pm. Stanley Mendes, District 1 – excused Kean Umeda, District 2 – here James O’Keefe - District 3 – present Naniloa Pogline, District 4 - here Abraham Antonio, District 5 - here Grayson Hashida - District 6 - here Bronsten-Glenn “Kalei” Kossow, District 7 - here Teresa Nakama, District 8 – aye George Donev, District 9 – excused. Quorum established ALSO PRESENT: Malia Hall, Corporation Counsel Donna Urban-Higuchi, Executive Assistant to Mayor Kim GUESTS: John Kahiapo – Division of Aquatic Resources Willie-Joe Camara – Hunter & former GMAC Commissioner APPROVAL OF MINUTES: BKK: James O’Keefe moved for approval of the June 25, 2019 meeting minutes as submitted. Seconded by Teresa Nakama and carried unanimously by voice vote. FINANCIAL REPORT: BKK: Teresa Nakama moved for approval of the June 30, 2019 financial report as submitted. Seconded by Nani Pogline and carried unanimously by voice vote 1 Hawai’i Game Management Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes – July 30, 2019 STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ON AGENDA ITEMS: BKK: Moving on to presentation. PRESENTATION: a. John Kahiapo – Division of Aquatic Resources BKK: I’m going to recognize Teresa Nakama. TN: Good evening everybody. Thank you for all being here. I’d like to introduce our guest speaker is John Kahiapo – our education outreach person from Division of Aquatic Resources. Thank you John for being here. JK: My name is John Kahiapo. I represent the Department of Land and Natural Resources – the Aquatics Division – Education and Public Outreach – so I’m here this evening just to update the Commission on the Try Wait Program and with the Kaupulehu Marine Reserve – so this was started in 2016 of July so this month is the third year that the reserve is in operation and it’s all due to the combination of the community leading and checking this program and we had a meeting yesterday and right now – we have the Kaupulehu Marine Life Advisory Committee – we meet every month and right now we’re working on the conservation action plan, so, yesterday members were able to go out on the boat and just go – go holoholo – look around and there’s a lot of positive signs – just coming from the stories of the kupuna in that area – now you starting to see schools of fish especially when you see along the shoreline all the tails sticking out of the water and feeding and that’s just from this for – just going on the third year. But there was a survey that was made in – after two years – in 2016 – two months after it was implemented the rules implemented – there was a – in September they did a baseline survey of what was out there and then two years after - 2018 – they did another survey and just by looking at the population trends – it’s heading towards the direction of when you have a place that rests and we can wait – we try wait – until after 10 years and right now we’ve tried – there’s signs that the population, sizes and even recovery of the habitat – because since 2014 there were three different incidents that happened – 2014 there was a big recruitment of shoreline fishes and that was a good sign but then 2015 they had the mass coral bleaching event but from the findings of the survey in 2018 they’re seeing this slow recovery that’s happening – there’s still some hope of what’s happening so, ah, right now the Kaupulehu Marine Life Advisory Committee – they’re working on the plan – a conservation plan – for when the reserve is open – cause this is – it’s not just from being closed to fishing but the resting the place so that we have a management plan – just where everybody can take – and there’s – right now there’s a lot of concerns – areas of concerns they’re looking at – they’re looking at the fresh water that flows in to Kahuwai Bay – looking at the protection of the salt pans that they have there – the anchialine 2 Hawai’i Game Management Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes – July 30, 2019 pools – restoring the anchialine pools and, of course, you know, having the fish populations are recovered. So that’s what I wanted to share with the group of what’s happening. We – the Nature Conservancy is the agency that’s conducting the surveys so they did from 2009 when they started doing the – before the closure surveys and they’re gonna continue doing the surveys every year with looking like maybe at five years we’ll have something to share with the public. Any questions? JO: What is the extent of the marine reserve there at Kaupulehu? JK: The south boundary is Kukio Bay – the Kikaua Point at the Kukio Resort and it goes all the way north to Kalaemano and that’s at the boundary of Kiholo. JO: All the way up to Kiholo... JK: All the way. Kiholo is the boundary where the state park - goes up to that. JO: Thank you. BKK: With the progress – do you think that there’ll be a possibility for it to open up sooner than the ten year proposed plan? JK: That’s something that could be a possibility. As the surveys are conducted and the findings from that. BKK: And you said that Nature Conservancy is the one that is the primary... JK: Yes, they’re the primary. Aquatics Resources is the division who helped to push this measure... BKK: ....people making surveys. Management… JK: Yes, the management part. So DLNR manages that area and the enforcement – DLNR enforcement enforces the rules for that place. BKK: Are there areas that the department or Nature Conservancy is gonna try to utilize that same style of management? JK: They’re working with several other – a couple other communities. Milolii and Hookena at this time. BKK: Thank you. TN: Did Nature Conservancy do the initial study before it became a marine reserve? 3 Hawai’i Game Management Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes – July 30, 2019 JK: No. It was all done with Aquatic Resources – that used to be – before it was a marine reserve – it was an area designated as a fish replenishment area where those boundaries prevented the take of aquarium fish. Aquarium fish – fish feeding and illegal gill nets. TN: Were there studies that you literally saw – you witnessed for your own eyes that they showed you that that area needed to be reserved. Was there a depletion count – was there a count – did you see the reports that was done prior to it becoming a marine reserve? JK: For that – the whole purpose of that fish replenishment area and the surveys that was conducted was only looking at aquarium fish – looking at the populations of aquarium fish. So in... TN: No. Did you actually see the studies that showed that there was a depletion? The count of fish that they said they did - which I never saw a study but they say there was a study – they never shared the study – so I was wondering if you had the opportunity to see those studies? Or ask the question... JK: I never seen the studies... TN: Are they opening the studies they’re now doing to the group? Have you seen any current studies? JK: Of the current count now, yeah. TN: They shared the studies with you folks… JK: Yes. TN: So is that public record or is that private? JK: I think it’s public record? TN: Can you request that? JK: I can look into that’s the study that was made – the counts that were made two years after the reserve was implemented. TN: Yes. So initially the DAR was supposed to have done the survey because it was a fish replenishment area so did DAR division do any studies prior to it becoming a marine reserve cause I never saw any studies. JK: No, - we just did those counts for aquarium fish because the WHAF program – West Hawaii Aquarium Fish, yeah... 4 Hawai’i Game Management Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes – July 30, 2019 TN: You said back in 2016 the survey was done for two years and they had done a baseline survey two years after that in 2018 – are those surveys available for the public to look at? JK: Yes– should be available. I can find that for you. BKK: I think some of these surveys were published on a couple of news networks too. JK: That’s right. TN: OK. I’ve asked to be contacted to go to the meetings. I’ve never been contacted. So how can one from the public be part of the meeting that – is it open to the public? JK: Yes, yesterday we had our conservation action plan – that was one of the things that was brought up – that we need to get the fishermen and the groups – especially the groups that was opposing the “Try Wait” program – so that was proposed. TN: Was it approved? JK: That’s all part of the conservation action plan. TN: OK. During these meetings – are they open to the public? JK: I can look into that. TN: And then would you let me know. JK: Yes. TN: OK. Cause I’ve asked to be part of the meetings. JK: OK, you requested that already? TN: Yes. JK: That’s what I brought up with the group yesterday at yesterday’s meeting. TN: Does it look promising that you can open the meeting to the public because I don’t understand... JK: I don’t know about the public but I know they want – especially the guys who fish – they looking for fishermen to come. 5 Hawai’i Game Management Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes – July 30, 2019 Like your group – people from your group. TN: Yes. Now, you said – back in 2015 there was a mass coral bleaching event? JK: Yes. TN: Was that due to over fishing? JK: That was – could be – it was a combination of temperature rising and that was - affected throughout the whole State. Even Keaukaha they had the bleaching noticed there too. BKK: Was it more significant in that area for the bleaching – in Kaupulehu? JK: Yes. because there’s some unreal populations of coral there... You know you get some coral heads like big like this table and you see the bleaching hit that and that’s something old and ancient and... BKK: Yes, if I remember correctly I think there was a shelf – maybe about a half a mile out... ...and I remember seeing some sort of form of bleaching in that but it’s hard to say cause it’s continuing. JK: Yes. BKK: So it sounds like it’s just a mixture of things. JK: Yes. It’s still signs of bleaching but there’s some signs of recovery. TN: When you said there’s slow recovery still and there’s still hope – what recovery of what species...the coral? JK: Of the coral, yes. TN: What about the species of fish... JK: That’s just looking at... TN: Isn’t that a slow recovery... Or when you’re talking about slow recovery was that just pertaining to coral? JK: Coral – but even the fish. It’s just slow recoveries because right now it was because it was because that’s just a short term survey... 6 Hawai’i Game Management Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes – July 30, 2019 TN: What species of fish were depleted that you didn’t see there before in abundance? I mean, I didn’t see a report that shows there were certain species of fish that were in decline... I mean, so what species of fish that is having a slow recovery? Because that’s a feeding area – a nursing ground – it’s a ground of abundance – so what species are in slow recovery and if it’s... ....in slow recovery why is it in slow recovery when it’s a feeding ground, it’s a nursing ground, it’s a replenishment area. I mean it’s designated a replenishment area so when fish spawn – they don’t just spawn one or two – they spawn in the thousands, right? TN: So what fish is slow in recovery? JK: That I don’t know... TN: Could you find out? JK: I can find out. TN: Because what is being said, what is being found and if the conservation – my fear – this is just a fear cause of the unknown – and what is being said – slow in recovery is saying what, you know what I mean? JK: Well, I was referring to the coral. TN: To the coral? JK: Yeah. TN: Not the species... JK: At first you cannot see anything significant, you know, but – nothing pops out but you – you see signs of the fish schools where, you know, it’s gonna take a while – we got to over time see how it moves. TN: So have you seen it yourself? Have you walked the area and seen the fish schools or is it this – their Nature Conservancy studies that they see the fish schools? JK: No, it’s just the workers, yeah, um, because it’s our area – we walk down there... TN: Yes. JK: And you see the fish schools. 7 Hawai’i Game Management Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes – July 30, 2019 TN: Do you see recovery? JK: Yes, I see and then they took the team out maybe around six months ago and took ‘em to all the different areas to go snorkel and you see...the schools of fish. TN: You see the schools... There is an abundance. JK: Yes, you see schools of fish, you see the walls covered with opihi, you know, you see all that and you see the fish – the tails – their feeding... TN: So that means they’ve already recovered – the fish species are recovering and is it necessary in you folks management talk story that you folks have in your meetings that it won’t take ten years for a full recovery. JK: Well that’s all part of this conservation action plan – what is monitored, what is found and what is observed and that’s what the team is working on. TN: So who’s part of the initial group right now at these meetings? JK: A lot of it is all the community members of the initial group that developed... TN: Is OHA involved, Bishop Estate? JK: Bishop Estate is there, OHA is there… TN: Wayne Tanaka JK: Wayne Tanaka. So he’s a big, big part in the conservation plan. TN: Thank you. NP: So you’re saying you’re gonna do this “Try Wait” program in Milolii – you were saying Milolii... They’re talking about Milolii? JK: Well, it’s they – it’s not a “Try Wait” it’s Milolii – they have another – each community is gonna develop their own plan – maybe not a “No Take” for – a “Try Wait” area for ten years but more about maybe a different bag limits – size limits and different species. So, yeah... NP: Great. Milolii – that’s a fishing village... And the community is very strong. Do you have their support in there? 8 Hawai’i Game Management Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes – July 30, 2019 JK: They’re involved. There’s a big community involvement – they’ve been working with Nature Conservancy, NOAA and Conservation International. NP: They really depend on fishing out there. And so – what are you gonna do if they go fishing cause, you know, they depend on it so much and then they’re not supposed to. What’s the penalty for a person who lives there and who’s done that forever. JK: Yes. Right now it’s all in the planning stage. What they’re doing is that they’re – with the help of Conservation International – they’ve been helping Milolii go along the shoreline and do their own surveys – do their own monitoring – counting opihi, counting fish – so that’s where they’re at right now. So that’s... NP: I’m just wondering what is the penalty if a person violates the whatever... TN: They haven’t gotten there... Let me give you an update. Kaimi Kaupiko has received grants from NOAA, Conservation International and he has a school over there and they get guidance from NOAA, Conservation International and other outside organization. Because they have grants from these organizations they have a guideline to follow and a timeline and so – but they’re doing their own schooling and teaching of the children over there and it’s not about deep sea fishing – it’s about shoreline protection – so that’s what Kaimi Kaupiko is targeting his education program. And he just got $75,000 to do a community kitchen down there from OHA. So he is one of the leaders down there and the kupunas down there are looking up to him to have a future in fishing through conservation means that he’s educating. The next generation and the next generation to have conservation management efforts in Milolii. Hookena has – what is it called – Hookena organization? JK: Yeah, that’s the opelu. TN: The opelu koas down Hookena. Their method is different from Milolii and Kaupulehu. Kaupulehu is 100% shut off. Milolii isn’t, nor is Hookena. So Hookena people are opelu fisherman and akule fisherman. And they’re looking to protect the koas from tour operators looking for swimming with the dolphins and... JK: Dolphins... TN: ....upsetting the koa areas. They need some kind of rules and management so the dive operators and the tour operators are not infringing on their fishing grounds. That’s what’s happening. Correct me if I’m wrong, though... 9 Hawai’i Game Management Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes – July 30, 2019 JK: Yes. Hookena they want to start a Makai Watch program. I don’t know if you guys are familiar with the Makai Watch. Makai Watch is a volunteer program with the community there – they educate and the public that comes to the shoreline and they’re the eyes and ears of DLNR enforcement. So they do the observations – they take down all the information that’s going to help with the investigation. TN: Is Makai Watch still funded by Sea Grant? JK: That I don’t know. TN: Is it DAR division still? DAR division or Sea Grant. JK: No, it’s – Makai Watch – the program – is sanctioned by the Division of Conservation and – our resource enforcement – the game one... ?: \[Not speaking in mic\] JK: Yes. It’s run by DOCARE. And they train the volunteers and it’s a – and they do the training – it’s sixteen hours a month requirement and it’s all just volunteer so what’s our goal is to have a paid – some kind of paid coordinator for Makai Watch. Right now – on Hawaii Island we have two established Makai Watch programs. One in Puako and another at Kaupulehu and so that’s what’s the Makai Watch program because the Makai Watch program – especially in Kaupulehu – they train all of the workers there – we provide the training for them to report possible violation – possible boats that’s in the area and they also educate the people when they come through their public access areas. GH: Hi, John, thank you so much for coming – On Kaupulehu – why was recreational shoreline fishing banned? And why didn’t we go with more of a management style? JK: Yes, that was all the all planned through the community. This is what the community wanted. GH: So the community did not want shoreline fishing there? JK: Yes, even recreational tag and catch and release – they just wanted everything stopped cause it’s just “Try Wait” just wait for ten years and then we can go holoholo again. TN: You know, I recall all the meetings... 10 Hawai’i Game Management Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes – July 30, 2019 GH: Ten years seems like a long time. At my age waiting ten years probably means I probably not going be able to go down there anymore and for a young child growing up in that area who had previously gone fishing and shoreline fishing and hand pole and throw net in that area – ten years means they’re gonna become and adult and never be able to go back there again. JK: Yes. GH: Thank you. TN: All of that was said at all the meeting and the people that ran the meeting didn’t want it – they didn’t want to hear that recreational fishing should be allowed. They just wanted to close it off to us no matter how hard we spoke, how hard we wanted to negotiate, the people of Kaupulehu didn’t want to hear it. So we did not have a voice although we had a voice – and we spoke – against a full ten year cause we couldn’t see a ten year ban going – and you’ve heard it all and so it’s not everybody. It was just those group that did not want any recreational fishing in that area cause we the public spoke and they didn’t want it. JK: Yes. And you’ve seen on the public hearings – you’ve seen how much of the people that were for that ten-year. TN: They were bussed in from Waimea – to me – this is just my personal opinion – I think they were bribed and they were, you know, said otherwise because we the fishermen of that area didn’t want ten years – we could see two years – we could see three years – we wanted to negotiate but they wouldn’t hear it – they wanted ten years. They didn’t want to see us fishermen down there. BKK: Teresa? Do you have a question? TN: No, I, I’m just stating that, you know, it was. How can I say that – it wasn’t an even playing ground field for us fishermen. We feel we were stacked and it was done in such a way, you know, although we voiced ourselves we weren’t being heard. BKK: Anybody have any question? GH: Yes, John do you have any evidence that recreational shoreline fishing has a negative impact? Again – that’s properly managed, yeah? JK: No... GH: Thank you... 11 Hawai’i Game Management Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes – July 30, 2019 BKK: Any other questions? All right, thank you John for coming and really do appreciate it. TN: Thank you, John. Appreciate you being here. b. Willie-Joe Camara – Hunter & former GMAC Commissioner BKK: I would like to recognize Nani for our next presenter. NP: I’d like to welcome Willie-Jo Camara for coming - one of our fore-founders of GMAC – to share what’s been happening in his district for the hunters and any other comments about game management plans. WJC: Hello, Willie-Jo Camara. I just have a few things – first thing on the Hamakua side there’s a gate that was put up in Ookala where the former Big Island Dairy was – well, anyway, the dairy put the gate up so there was a big to-do with that and the hunters were upset that the gate was gonna be there and blocking access to Ookala forest which is the main trail up there. There was a bunch of talks with the dairy on when they were gonna have it closed from what time to what time – the last that I’ve gotten from – I talked to Jackson at DLNR last week – is that the gate is closed pretty much normal hunting hours – outside of normal hunting hours. They’re supposedly locking the gate an hour or opening the gate an hour before sunrise and locking it an hour after sunrise – so pretty much giving a half an hour more than legal hunting hours. There is also a sign there on the gate with a phone number for somebody who, you know, might have come out late or something like that. You know, they’re just trying to protect their assets that are up there – they have a lot of money invested in that place and there has been in the past some vandalism and stuff, um, so far I haven’t heard of too many horror stories about that – it’s working pretty good as far as I know – my suggestion to DLNR when they were talking with the diary was to have a time limit for these guys to call, you know, maybe make it 8:00 o’clock or something because, you know, I mean, if you you’re – the concern from the hunters was – what if you’ve gotta wait for your dogs to come back or and it takes ‘em longer – but I think by 8:00 you kinda know if you’re in there or not – it was made out like it was gonna be a bad deal but I think the dairy was really willing to work with everybody and in the past they were really good with the hunters, I mean, they never chased hunters out or anything like that so that wasn’t a problem. On that same with Ookala – Jackson said that they are cleaning the trail starting from Keanakolu and working their way down. NP: Who’s cleaning the trail? WJC: DLNR... NP: Oh. Have you seen it? 12 Hawai’i Game Management Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes – July 30, 2019 WJC: I haven’t seen it. That’s what he told me last week when I talked to him about when I was asking him about the gate. So, yeah, that is actually should be a horse – able to go up with a horse and it’s overgrown – whenever there’s wind trees fall down and everything. So it’s not the best maintained trail and I think they’re trying to get it back open – that was what my understanding was, which is good. Ah... Let’s see. Concern from these guys on our side, of course, Mauna Kea – the closure of the hunting there. ?: Can we ask questions about Ookala? WJC: Yes, go ahead... ?: Last month in June – at a Pig Hunters of Hawaii meeting and we had a public member come in from out that side and he was complaining about the gate and, ah, pretty much touched up with what you said – so I made a call with Stanley Mendes – he’s not here tonight and he got back to me like a week later as to that concerns and then he talked to DLNR and they told him that the gate as gonna be open from now on. But I mean I know you just had your meeting with them this week but... WJC: Up until, up until last week when I talked to Jackson – the last that I heard – but that was, you know, about a month already that I didn’t talk to him – was that the gate was gonna be closed but it wasn’t gonna be locked... ....and it wasn’t – so I don’t know when they started actually locking it at, you know, at night, um, but supposedly that that is when they’re – it’s supposed to be an hour before and an hour after according to Jackson – I did hear from somebody this week was saying, oh, that it wasn’t but, you know, I don’t really jump into a lot of that... ?: Yeah, yeah... And that was the other thing... WJC: Because after dark... ?: ....that I touched with Stanley about was that signage postings so... WJC: They’re supposed to be a sign with the phone number... ?: ....the person that brought it up to me was – said that there’s no way to contact anybody if they’re locked in and according to him already had – this is like maybe couple months old already, you know, from June, so before June – like in May or something and had couple people that was already locked in and they couldn’t contact nobody so I brought up to Stanley if they could bring up some signage and have you seen a signage up? 13 Hawai’i Game Management Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes – July 30, 2019 WJC: Supposedly there’s a sign – honestly I haven’t gone over there for a while, um, I will stop on my way home tonight – because there’s supposed to be a sign with the phone number and if there’s not, yeah, we gotta get on that, um, but there’s supposed to be a sign on the gate or near the gate with the phone number to contact from the diary personnel who can go and unlock the gate or, you know, my – like I said – my suggestion was put a combination lock there and if you’re stuck in thereafter, you know, a certain hour then give that one person the combo... ?: And then gotta change... WJC: You going change ‘em in the morning…I don’t know if that message got relayed to them cause I wasn’t in any of those meetings, I just try to keep everything TN: Why is the gate locked? WJC: The gate is locked because they’re afraid that people are gonna steal... ?: Steal... TN: From? WJC: From the dairy. TN: Isn’t it closed? ?: Yeah... WJC: The dairy is closed but they got millions of dollars worth of stuff up there. TN: So, they have security? WJC: I don’t know – I really don’t know if they do or not. I don’t think they do. AA: Abraham – it’s just open... WJC: Yes.. ?: Teresa, there’s no security. I was a hunter up there. TN: So what are they gonna do with the dairy? Is it just abandoned? WJC: I don’t know what they’re... ?: They’re trying to sell the equipment... 14 Hawai’i Game Management Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes – July 30, 2019 WJC: Yes… ?: ....the cattle they sold and actually, I shouldn’t say I’m a hunter – I used to go and shoot pigeons up there so, you know, we used to go up there quite a bit, so, yeah, there’s no security. TN: So is there any urgency in getting rid of all the equipment that’s in the area? WJC: I mean I’m sure there is, I mean, they’re sitting on like 14 million dollars worth of stuff there. That’s a whole other subject that’s – yeah... A sore subject for me, actually, but, um... Mauna Kea. I guess the question is why the whole mountain needs to be closed and I see that on your agenda so I’m sure you’re gonna touch with that, um, you know, the Kaohe area finally opens for muzzle loader and now it’s closed for half the season to start with but it’s not looking like this is gonna get any better any time soon so I’m sure they gonna extend that closure and I know concern from people on the ground in DLNR here is that this is gonna run into bird season and that’s gonna be really a bad deal so, you know, hopefully we can maybe work out some way to not have the whole entire mountain closed, um, I think that’s pretty unnecessary... NP: Yeah, letters were written to the Mayor and to Suzanne Case to Bob Masuda by different hunters... WJC: Right... NP: ....and people objecting and they questioning why – why when there’s miles and miles away... WJC: Right. NP: ....they can’t hunt – what is – how is it a safety issue – but they just keep saying the same blanket thing – we have to do this for the safety and... WJC: Correct... NP: ....security of the public. They don’t explain why no matter how many ways you ask... WJC: Yes, it’s kind of a little bit of a pushing their weight ....that’s my personal opinion. So anyway, yeah, let’s see if we can make some changes to that. 15 Hawai’i Game Management Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes – July 30, 2019 There’s gates in Kinoole that they can close, so, I mean, you know, you could have that half of the mountain closed or open or... NP: It’s heavy-handed... WJC: ....I mean there’s ways around, you know, and it’s not hardly hunted anymore really... TN: The letter that was sent to Mayor Kim that Chairman Bronsten had gotten a reply from – do you think that now the hunting association and hunters should now write to the Governor and the State and say what is the, you know, given the distance and, you know, point out to them that it makes no sense. WJC: Right... TN: It’s common sense... WJC: And, yes, that would be – I would say that probably would be a good if maybe GMAC could write a letter... ?: \[Not speaking in mic\] WJC: Of, you did already or? BKK: That’s one of the reasons why it’s on the agenda but, um, I just forwarded Nani’s letter – which we’ll talk about later... WJC: OK. BKK: To State GMAC, Suzanne Case, and Mr. Masuda. WJC: OK. You know where I’m coming from. My last one really is PTA and the hunting – the mammal hunting in PTA – well, all hunting pretty much has been slowed to barely a crawl and I haven’t personally but some other people that I know have been trying to get a meeting with the guy up there now – I don’t even know what his name is – it’s not John anymore – and he’s – he doesn’t want to meet with any of the hunters is what I get from these guys and, yeah, I mean, you know, the concern is that people are now paying for the issportsman, paying for their permits and not getting a chance to use it and I don’t know why that is because there’s not been a lot of training as of when the summer time started and, you know... NP: There’s no website – PTA – they said that they were gonna make a hunter website... 16 Hawai’i Game Management Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes – July 30, 2019 WJC: There’s the isportsman website but right now the isportsman website is just saying that they’re doing the background checks and I can read it to you – but – you know, when you go to the hunting schedule it just says currently processing background checks and internal paperwork for the new permitting season, um, check back for the permit sales and also for your scheduling. I mean it’s – July’s pretty much over – it’s been a whole month now since that started so, I don’t know, it’s, it’s kinda sad because it’s been really few and far between on the days, you know, to hunt. JO: I’d like to suggest that we invite Lt. Col. Marquez – Borce, yeah, you’re right, I’m thinking of a year ago – to attend our next GMAC meeting and give us a presentation – could we send him an official invite for that? BKK: I’ll send him an invite. JO: Thank you. WJC: Yeah, that would be nice, um, just to kinda get what’s going on with that – but otherwise that’s pretty much all I have, you know, the game management plan – it’s supposedly in the works but I haven’t really heard anything lately on what all is going on. Hopefully they’re – somebody’s working on it but... You know – also the HCP for Puuwaawaa – I don’t know where that’s at – kinda stalled again seems like, but otherwise, that’s it, yeah. You guys can talk about Mauna Kea. BKK: Does anybody have any questions? WJC: Right on, I appreciate it. BKK: All right – moving over to Old Business: OLD BUSINESS: a. Game Management Plan BKK: I’m just gonna open up the discussion for the Game Management Plan for about ten minutes and then Nani, if you want to give us an update on that as well. NP: Fresh Onishi organized a meeting with Kanalu Sproat, Ian Cole and Joey Mello and it was supposed to be Kalei but then he was unable to attend so I filled in in this meeting – there wasn’t – it was gonna be about the game management plan but there wasn’t an agenda – so I didn’t know what the meeting was about before I got there – so I wasn’t able to brush up on information, which I found it a real disadvantage in taking notes, but when I got there – so the agenda was to go over the recommendations from the 17 Hawai’i Game Management Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes – July 30, 2019 previous game management plan drafts – there’s nine recommendations and I asked for a print off of these so you – so everyone here could read them – but I guess it didn’t happen but, um, so, um, the agenda of the meeting was actually an evaluation – the 9 recommendations listed in the final game management draft. There was no, um, right, there was no information ahead of time so I might have missed some details but, um, overall DOFAW has been making some progress in meeting those recommendations for the game management plan – I’ll just go over the title of them real quick – 1) establish an effective game management program; 2) facilitate cooperative management – that’s working with the public; 3) quantitively analyze game animal populations – characterize available game habitat – remove legislative impediments – revise hunting rules – reorganize hunter education program – develop standard operating procedures and publish hunting newsletters. So, um, we went over these nine things with our gentlemen from DOFAW and I took notes and these are the notes I got – administrator Dave Smith has instructed DOFAW that there will not be a game management plan as such, but rather he’s calling it a hunting program. The hunting program will entail expanding hunting opportunity and reducing bag limits. Consideration for game count? Rest, reproductive season, or refuge will be minimal. A hunting program rather than a conventional game management plan removes – they pointed out – that it removes DOFAW from liabilities and pressure from environmental communities and agencies representing endangered species so it’s about removing liability for them. It was suggested that the hunters get together to educate and agree upon an informal game management plan of their own – seriously – it was, ah, but then it was warned that any such practices may result in pressure on DOFAW for more eradication of game species if, ah, any of the opponents got wind that the hunters were actually practicing a game management plan so, um, number two – I’m numbering my notes – DOFAW has made some efforts in tracking game count and maintaining access but, um, while hunter participation and help is encouraged and needed in analyzing game populations – the complaint is that the public too often injects what is considered unwanted personal opinions and uneducated conclusions. This makes a cooperative management difficult as the validity of information coming from hunters is often perceived invalid. Note number 3 – comments at the meeting were that game habitat is often prohibited – at times game are taken out of areas where they’re considered detrimental to endangered species and put in public hunting lands that are void of such. Public hunting lands cover over vast acreage – but I question that these lands – whether these lands provide adequate food, water and shelter for game life. It was also mentioned that game habitat availability varies in different land designations and forest reserves. They say efforts are being made to improve characterization of game habitats and access as suggested in the recommendations. Number four – changing rules, mandates, regulations and statutes to accommodate game and hunter is still far off. Even acquiring an incidental “take” license would allow our game to co-exist with endangered species to a degree but they said this cannot be 18 Hawai’i Game Management Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes – July 30, 2019 obtained without the completion of the long, nearly twenty-year stall habitat conservation plan. So we can’t get even a license for the animals to nibble or browse just a leaf or two without being punished. It was the – number five – it was suggested that legislation and legal help be sought through legislators to decipher, assess, and interpret constitutional law - HRS 183D – HRS 195D. HRS 183D is questioned as to its meaning. DOFAW is questioning the true meaning of 183D. They say now – we need to go to the legislature – we need to get attorneys to reinterpret it – to prove that it means it’s the protection of our game animals and they said that 195 trumps 183D – for what reason, I don’t know. DOFAW is – and then they mentioned one of the recommendations was that DOFAW reorganize the hunter education program and they said that’s DOCARE’s job. And apparently, there already is a newsletter that the wildlife coordinator has been producing and, um, so DOFAW personnel there encourages GMAC to continue working to establish the value of the game resources. ?: To establish... They, suggested we just continue establishing that they have value and they suggested that GMAC wait to hear from them as to how we may assist them in their game management plan efforts. On a positive note – Fresh Onishi submitted HCR 22 – that does establish the worth of our game species that we’ve already established, um, that he took HCR 22 to DOFAW and asked them – I’m sorry – not DOFAW, um, Department of Ag and asked them to implement it. And Fresh Onishi is also seeking some legislative help for us. So on these notes I would like to request that we open up a conversation on these – maybe not – maybe next meeting – how we might respond. I would like to suggest that GMAC makes a stand on these things like – to hold ground of what classic, conventional game management practices are and to hold our ground for those. BKK: Nani – let’s just open the conversation now since they’re supposed to have the first draft by next meeting... NP: Yes, Right... TN: When did you send that notes to us? NP: I didn’t send these notes to you. This was a meeting that was just Tuesday. TN: Who was invited and was anybody else... BKK: I was invited to this meeting... And then I had my vice chair do it – go to the meeting. TN: Could any other member could have gone? 19 Hawai’i Game Management Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes – July 30, 2019 BKK: It was only specific to myself or a designee. TN: The reason for not inviting anyone else? BKK: I didn’t ask. TN: You didn’t ask. NP: Fresh Onishi said it was a very closed meeting. I don’t know why. TN: Who called the meeting? NP: Fresh Onishi... TN: For the reason of game management plan? BKK: Yes... WJC: This is Willie-Joe, again. Sorry, I just have one observation. Hearing Teresa earlier speak on the aquatics on how, you know, the people here were against certain things, yet, still, things went the way that did with that – pretty much the same thing happening here and this is my observation, um, that maybe we should try and express that – it’s the same thing that’s happening up on the mountain right now – is years of government just pushing things down our throat that we don’t necessarily think is good or right, um, yet, you know, they call it a process but, yet, the process is flawed and that’s just my observation and this might be a good time to, I guess, bring it out in the open even more... ?: \[Not speaking in mic\] WJC: Just because it’s exactly what’s happening up there right now on the mountain, you know, it’s – I – this is my belief – my personal opinion of what’s going on up there and I, I don’t think it’s necessarily a fight with the telescope itself – it’s the whole deal that’s going on in our state over here and we’ve – and I can, you know, I can sympathize with those people up there because we’ve been dealing with the same thing with our hunting for all these years, you know, from the eradication of the sheep and from the taking away of all the mountain in, ah, Hakalau, ah, you know, they take all this away from us but, yet, you know, what are you doing in there? Nothing really. You’re not putting nothing back that wasn’t there already aside from just, you know, ruining our pig hunting on the outskirts of that so, you know, I think we need to stand up to this, you know, Dave Smith had said when I was still here that he thinks he has a great hunter program. Oh, yeah, the program is fine, but if there’s not any game to hunt, I mean, the bird hunting is – on Mauna Kea is really, really junk right now. There’s just so much cover. 20 Hawai’i Game Management Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes – July 30, 2019 NP: That was another thing that came out of the meeting was that they say that, um, they deny that the grass has had anything to do – the game had nothing to do with controlling grasses – the grasses controlled by game have nothing to do with the bird... they will not consider that as valid. WJC: Right. And that’s fine, but the best bird hunting last year that I encountered was either on Ponoholo Ranch or other places. BKK: Hold on one second and then we’re just gonna wait till Kona comes back on ?: Well, I going follow you but give ‘em one minute – they might get ‘em going... Stand by... ?: Down already... It’s been down for five years... DY: I just want to say ditto... That’s all I got to say and the other part of this is that it’s all a result of no management. BKK: OK, we paused the meeting and then now we’re gonna re-start right now. DY: This is Dwayne Yoshina in Hilo. I just wanted to add my two cents, actually, half cent maybe and it’s to reiterate what he said. We’ve been doing this for over 50 years, I think, and things haven’t changed and, um, I’ve also been on the other side – as a volunteer DOCARE officer – meeting people in the field – and what they tell you in the field when you meet them is – what you bothering me for? There’s no management going up and that used to puzzle me until I began to think about it and really all of what Nani said is an indication that there’s no management program. I mean, it’s quite obvious so you have a whole bunch of administrators that may not be doing their job – how do you get ‘em to do a job? Well, we have a joint resolution about this HCR whatever it was and nothing has happened and that’s all I got to say – I have to go home. So thank you. BKK: Thanks, Ike. WJC: And I’m good too – you guys know where I’m coming from. Thank you. ?: Thank you, Willie. BKK: Thank you... Is there any discussion – for the discussion with game management plan? NP: My conclusion is that it’s just all about stalling time until all the animals are gone and they won’t have to even do it. 21 Hawai’i Game Management Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes – July 30, 2019 BKK: I probably would recommend us at least sending a letter to the State GMAC, although I don’t think they had a meeting for the last – was it three months now? I don’t think so because they haven’t been able to get quorum so that’s probably the reason, but I probably would recommend that we write something, um, and maybe your committee can do this on behalf of the hunters here and express some of the things that we have concerns about is that, yeah... JO: You know letters have gone back and forth to DLNR and some of our legislators for some time... They don’t seem to have much effect because they don’t have any real legal standing or any force and perhaps we need to take a look at speaking with the Council and the Mayor about having, you know, our County government stand up for the hunters here to take legal action to enforce our right to hunt here on the Island – to have access to our food sources – to our mountain – be able to feed our families and enjoy our sport. All the other discussions we’ve had, well, you know, it’s talk and Dave Smith seems to be of the mind that – no, we’ll do a hunting program until the animals are gone – like Nani said – and then that’s it. You know, it’s not satisfactory – it’s not satisfactory to us and it’s not satisfactory to the people we represent here, so, I think it’s time we take a step forward and see if we can get the County to involve itself in protecting our rights here. TN: Would you draft a resolution? JO: Yes, I can do that. TN: Thank you. NP: We pushed DOFAW to get a game management plan done – we finally got them to commit to do it – and now they’re gonna call a hunting program a game management plan, um, I think we need to make it really clear that we don’t support that style of a game management plan and it’s not what we were asking for. BKK: Has that been done anywhere else in the United States? That’s what I thought. NP: They explained that because on the mainland they consider game animals to be native and here they don’t so they don’t feel that a game management plan that’s there would apply for here so there’s all kinds of justifications to not do it right. But the other thing that I’m really concerned about is that they’re tearing apart – tearing down our HRS 183D – that’s what we stand on that our game animals have the right to exist and hunting should be preserved, protected and promoted and they’re picking it apart and saying 22 Hawai’i Game Management Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes – July 30, 2019 that’s not what it’s really saying when it’s just plain English and they’re saying we have to get an attorney to prove that it’s saying what it’s saying and I, I personally think that’s a ploy and I don’t think we should do it but I want to bounce it off of the rest of you – they say we need to take this to the legislature and have it prove that it says what it says. TN: We have an attorney here – don’t we? NP: They said we need to get it – one of the legislator’s attorney and take it through the legislature. TN: Can we ask Malia her interpretation and for her to get, I mean, I don’t know what the procedures are but if you need, um, further interpretation – are you able to get that? MH: I would say this – yes – I could make a legal opinion about it but actually my legal opinion would have no standing because it’s the Attorney General of the State – the State AGs basically – they interpret their own laws, right? So, I mean, I could look at the legislative history and I could make a case, basically, that it means this – but at the end of the day it doesn’t really hold water unless it comes from the State. So that’s where the Catch-22 is, right? NP: That’s what they said. TN: So, if you did that and sent it to the Attorney General and asked for their – is that done? I mean, I don’t know what procedures are but how could you... MH: It’s like sending a letter, right, they can answer or they can’t answer – most of the times they don’t. If we, when we ask for opinions the majority of the time we don’t get answers. Because they don’t – cause they’re not our attorneys, right? They’re the attorneys for the State. Just like I’m the attorney for the County – so if the State asked me for an opinion I probably wouldn’t give it to them because I don’t work for them. TN: So we need to give your opinion to a representative in House or Senate? And have them ask for the legal opinion of the Attorney General. I mean, what doors do we use to get an answer? MH: You need the legislators to define what their law was – and that’s kind of what they’re saying basically, right, is – you look at the legislative history and why that law was intended in the first place or you need the legislation now to clarify. So I think that’s basically what the State is saying – is like if you really 23 Hawai’i Game Management Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes – July 30, 2019 want this to hold water – then you the legislation to clarify it because they’re the ones with the powers to implement the laws. Like I – they’re not going to listen to me. TN: Could you do what you need to do and we can forward that for the further opinion of the – through the legislator to go to the Attorney General? MH: I cannot do that. I can advise you guys and I can tell you what your guys’ legal rights and duties are and stuff – but I can’t go above... TN: Can you give us a legal opinion of this law? And then we’ll do the reference... MH: I guess I could, but you can’t take... TN: And we can do the reference – as a reference to the representative to go through the Attorney General. I mean what doors do we have? MH: I mean it would be easier for you guys to ask the Attorney General for their opinion than for me to do it as, you know, as an attorney for the County, I think that coming from you – you guys were more likely to get an answer than I am. BKK: We had something come from the Attorney General within the last like – I want to say 2 months regarding Kawa – so I don’t think that should be an issue at all. Yeah. TN: We’ve had in the past? BKK: Yes, like within the last two months. TN: We’re gonna ask for another one? BKK: You can write a letter. TN: Would you help me draft it? BKK: You can draft it. TN: I will draft it – will you help me with it? BKK: Sure. TN: OK. Thanks. 24 Hawai’i Game Management Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes – July 30, 2019 NEW BUSINESS a. Mauna Kea Closure BKK: Moving on to New Business. This is just updates. There was a Mauna Kea closure – I believe it was – I just had it open – we got closures for Game Management A, which is the Mauna Kea GMA and Forest Reserve; GMA G, which is Kaohe; and a GMA K, which is NARS. This is from – effective July 15 to August 12 and from my understanding this might be extended due to the ongoing activity on Mauna Kea. So there was a letter that was sent out by Nani to the Mayor and the Mayor just wrote back as of today – so Nani if you just want to do some highlights off of that. NP: Do you want to read it? BKK: I’ll read what I have. So just basically, “Just due to the safety and security of the movement of the heavy construction equipment related to the 30-Metre Telescope, we believe that the safety of everyone concerned is extremely important and agree that a temporary closure of hunting areas is warranted at this time. However, he does say, please be aware that in any event, the County of Hawaii does not have jurisdiction over the closure area, which is on state land.” Then he says, “I encourage you to call, contact your State Representative and State Senators.” So, I forwarded my letter to the Kona side representatives – I should probably do the rest – the state elected officials for the rest of the Island – the Big Island delegation – I’ll just forward over your \[unclear\] Nani – along with Mayor Kim’s comments. He’s right. The County doesn’t have jurisdiction over the closure of these lands. NP: But the County represents the people of Hawaii – hunters in particular. BKK: But who’s the governing jurisdiction? NP: I would think the County could defend the people of Hawaii. TN: Nani? Could you do a follow-up letter stating through common sense knowledge that these areas are nowhere near the project? TN: And how many, I mean, I guess we have to be logistic about it – how many miles away from the intersection, I mean, and to block Waikii Road – to be at the – to put a blockade by the former road on the Hilo side, I mean, you know how far – how many miles away that is from the entrance to the access road? I mean, where is common sense playing into this blockade? NP: Like Willie-Joe said – it’s not about that. 25 Hawai’i Game Management Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes – July 30, 2019 TN: No – these are about the blockades – blocking us access to areas that is nowhere near the TMT or the access road. I mean, it’s miles away. It makes no common sense – so if we could write a letter or draft a letter – I’ll help you with it if you get in touch with me – and write to the governor and to Case and DOCARE and the Police Department that these areas – how do we feed our family – if we go back to basic and writing this letter the very basic that we feed our family and they are prohibiting us and constitutionally denying us and they’re violating the Constitution of Article 12, Section 7. This is what this body is for. It’s about communicating what we represent in our community. NP: What I’d like to know is – are they gonna continue the aerial eradication. TN: We need to ask the question and find out. NP: I think that’s very unsafe right now. TN: And your reason for saying that Nani? NP: Sarcasm. TN: So, you know about the program and they’ve divulged the information to you? Is that what you’re saying? NP: I beg your pardon? TN: Who is doing the eradication program – you’re saying DOFAW? NP: It’s been ongoing non-stop for ever – every month. BKK: Before we go on to that issue – is there anything else that needs to be discussed with the letter? Obviously, you want – you said that you will draft a letter with Nani to – so I just want to clarify that’s gonna be done – now that you’re drafting it with Nani to the Governor... OK. And now, we’re switching gears now to eradication. OK. It’s not on the agenda at all... NP: No, no, it’s just that if a hunting is shut down... TN: Why is the eradication going on? BKK: Oh, I see what you’re saying... NP: It is related. It’s in the same areas. It’s the same areas. The shut down areas that they do aerial eradication. 26 Hawai’i Game Management Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes – July 30, 2019 TN: Maybe we can draft that in our letter, Nani, and then, you know, make our letter public – we shouldn’t just keep it amongst ourselves – make our letter public. NP: It seems obvious to me they would just rather eradicate the animals then let hunters hunt. TN: Then that’s why we have a voice here – let’s be GMAC and have a voice. BKK: But we don’t know for sure if they’re doing that or not. NP: Yes. BKK: OK. Is there anymore comments on 7a? Now moving over to... AA: I’m just thinking – one of the reason why for the closure – I remember a couple years ago had one mysterious stray bullet hit one of the observatory doors so that could be the reason – not on the road – up on the observatory so... TN: The observatory door was there before... That wasn’t a stray bullet... AA: That wasn’t a stray bullet – they found out the wind blew the door and hit an object – and made a hole – it seemed to be a bullet – I remember that – OK – thanks – cancel. ?: not speaking in mic AA: It was in the news that it was one bullet... It was like – it was all the news stations that was one bullet and, you know, thanks \[unclear\]... 7. b. Pohoiki Boat ramp BKK: Moving over to 7b Pohoiki Boat Ramp. I wrote a letter on behalf of – who’s in that district – Nani – you’re in that district? NP: Pohoiki? Yes. BKK: I got a couple of members of that community asking to draft a letter in support of the boat ramp access and I guess there was a resolution that was placed by one of the council members, ah, so I wrote a letter in support of that resolution. NP: Good. 27 Hawai’i Game Management Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes – July 30, 2019 AA: Abraham – excuse me John – can you give us any update on the boat ramp since you’re DAR... JO: This is Jim. I know that they had a community meeting Ashley Kierkiewizc Council District 4 – Deputy Chair Masuda were there and a number of the community members – they had a fairly long discussion about alternative sites, you know, where they might do that – that’s a process that’s ongoing and no decisions have been made yet, but, ah, the community is pushing hard to get that and that something gets reestablished there. BKK: There is a lot of fishermen in that area. JO: Yes. And there’s no place this side of Milolii other than Hilo... BKK: Right. Hilo, yes. JO: Yes. 7.c. Legislative priorities BKK: Any other comments? OK. We’re moving over to 7c. I put Legislative Priorities – I don’t remember why I put that there – my guess if anybody has any recommendations on how we should best request, you know, different legislation that goes in for the next legislative session – now is the time to kind of formulate that. TN: \[Not speaking in mic\] JO: Jim, clarification of 183 and 195 and how we get that resolved in our favor. BKK: That’s a good start. Obviously, we’re pretty big on the whole eradication and the funding of that – so probably that would be on our priority list as well. Can’t remember if there was any bills that might be transferred over from the last legislative session to the next... That’s why we’re talking about it right now. ?: I got some legislative things – there are some legislative workshops coming th up on the Big Island. September 9 in Kona. TN: Kona – where? ?: Not really right now. I guess you just have to get to the Capitol Public Access Room and then September 13 is in Hilo and that’s it. 28 Hawai’i Game Management Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes – July 30, 2019 NP: It’s just so hard because, you know, we’ve tried so many times with the legislature with bills and legislators but you really got to be over there a lot – you’ve got to stomp the pavement, you’ve got to just constantly keep track of things and really the only way it can be effective is if one of us just moved over there for the whole session. I don’t know... BKK: We can’t afford that. NP: \[Unclear\] discouraging. Well, there are so many opponents who do lobby full time – paid. BKK: Is there anything else? OK. Ah, moving over to Committee Reports – does anybody have anything they want to bring up? COMMITTEE REPORTS JO: For the shooting range – we had our – the other group I belong to – On Target, Inc. – had a meeting with Deputy Chair Masuda in Waimea a week ago Friday regarding the Puuanahulu range project – some information came out of that that DLNR is going to support that – they have a number of – they’ve had a number of meetings – they’ve brought Andrew Choy – who’s the head of the Hunter Ed program over – he’s also the administrator for Pittman-Roberson Funding – the new match for funding is 90-10, in other words, the federal government will reimburse 90% of what you spend and it’s a reimbursement so spending has to be in advance for the project – so there’s and there are monies there – the monies that were going to Kauai have stopped because Kauai’s range project has no property to build a range on right now – so it looks like for the next at least several years there’ll be a good amount of moneys available from the State’s Pittman-Robertson funding – there’s also a fair bit of leftover from last year’s funding that didn’t get used on Kauai that they can use for the administrative support of the Hunter-Ed program – so that means there – there may be even more than the $300,000 we were expecting for a year – maybe as much as $600,000 for another year for starting to plan and develop a shooting range there – so that’s – that is a distinct possibility there – right now with everything going on Mauna Kea – I don’t know if we’re gonna get any movement for that – so this may be our best opportunity to get a place for the hunters to be able to go in and site in properly – do practice – teach their young ones and their spouses, you know, the safe practice of firearms and so we’ll see how that develops but that’s all the news I have on the shooting range side. MH: I’ve been also working kind of on the shooting range requirements and development as well, so I just wanted to ask the Commission, actually, one of the questions is actually what the scale should be – so that Puuanahulu one is a huge like sport complex, you know, shooting complex or whatever and I guess one of the questions I’ve been getting is what are our needs versus our 29 Hawai’i Game Management Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes – July 30, 2019 wants cause it’s gonna be built in phases because it’s a huge undertaking so I guess it’s like – what do we want to be Phase I – what do we need now? And then what’s on our wish list as we go through, cause the funding also just comes per year and we only get, yeah, 300-600 per year, right, so, um, and at the end I think it’s about 3 million over a five year period – so that’s just one of the questions – it doesn’t have to be answered right now – I’d just like you guys think about it, you know, what do we need now, yeah. JO: I know for the rifle shooters it’s going to be a firing line that has at least 100 yards and better – 200 yards – so they can properly site in their rifles. 16 Mile has – what is it – 93 yards officially – Kean goes up there – and, you know, all of our scopes – rifle scopes and such – 93 yards is not something that you can dial in there to really get sited in and 100 yards even is probably too little for, you know, for siting it properly so that would be my first thing. ?: Malia? Is the revenue from the range important? MH: Actually, if you use P & R funds you can’t be going for a profit – so, technically no. JO: It must be public. MH: Yes. Public range and we’re not trying to make a buck off of it. BKK: Is there any other committee reports? TN: Malia, do you want a written report from us of the needs cause, you know, we’ve talked about – since I’ve been on board and before I’ve been on board a shooting range – isn’t that a need? MH: There’s specific parts of the shooting range – so this shooting range right now – using Puuanahulu as the example, right, they have an action range, they have a pistol range, they have a rifle range, they have a target archery and then there’s the trap and skee? Right? JO: And sporting plays... MH: And sporting play and so it’s got multiple things so my thing is for the shooters – what do you guys want right now – and then what’s on the wish list to add on, you know, do we need archery right now... TN: So we need a prioritized list as to what should be there... MH: Yes, what’s the first... TN: So why don’t we prioritize a list? 30 Hawai’i Game Management Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes – July 30, 2019 JO: What I would suggest is – I can do a presentation – I can sit down there and do a presentation on what we had developed over the years to give you an idea on what we had developed over the years to give you an idea and then you can take a look and say OK, do we need this, you know, what would be the first thing we want to do – do we do this in two years, OK, after that’s done – what would be the next best thing to develop. TN: Yes, that’s best practices, OK. JO: All right – why don’t we put me on the agenda for next time and I’ll do a presentation of it – Puuanahulu. OK. BKK: All right. Any other questions for Jim or Malia? All right. Any other Committee reports? Legislative... Communications... OK. Moving over to Commissioners’ Reports by districts. COMMISIONNERS’ REPORTS BY DISTRICT TN: No reports. AA: No reports. JO: I have no report but I have one other thing on the shooting range and this would involve Stanley’s district – we did go out to Kapalena a couple of weekends ago to take a look at some of the county properties for potential shooting range and the one property we identified is a good prospect – it turns out it’s right next to the Waipio Horse-riding Ranch and Trail – I don’t think that would be very appropriate. If I had horse, no, they’re not going to be next door to me. BKK: Any other reports? OK. Is there a motion to adjourn? ADJOURNMENT BKK: Teresa Nakama moved to adjourn the meeting at 8:05 pm. Seconded by James O’Keefe. Motioned carried unanimously by voice vote. Meeting adjourned. Respectfully submitted by: Donna Urban-Higuchi Secretary ATTEST: Bronstein “Kalei” Kossow, Chairperson 31 Hawai’i Game Management Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes – July 30, 2019 32