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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-08-17 Game Management Advisory Commission Minutes Hawaii Game Management Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes – August 17, 2015 Game Management Advisory Commission County of Hawaii Minutes Meeting Date: Monday, August 17, 2015 Time: 6:30 p.m. Place: Hawaii County Building – Council Chambers Via Video Conferencing to WHCC Mayors Conf Rm I. CALL TO ORDER: Meeting was called to order at 6:30pm. II. ROLL CALL: Per B. Kossow: Willie-Joe Camara, District 1 - here Dwayne “Ike” Yoshina, District 2 – here Ryan Kohatsu, District 3 - here Naniloa Pogline, District 4 - here Thomas H. Lodge, District 5 - here Kenneth “Kalani” DeCoito, District 6 - here District 7 - Vacant Mark C. Bartell, District 8 – District 8 – excused Jonathan Bartsch, District 9 - excused Quorum established ALSO PRESENT: Belinda Castillo-Hall, Corporation Counsel Bobby Command, Deputy Planning Director Barbara Kossow, Admin. Spec III. ANNOUNCEMENTS AND INTRODUCTIONS: Gregory Fleming and John Polhemus of Pohakuloa Training Area (PTA) were introduced IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Action: D. Yoshina moved to accept the minutes as circulated. Seconded by N. Pogline. Motion carried unanimously by voice vote. V. BUDGET REPORT: Action: D. Yoshina moved to accept the budget report as circulated and also to have an Executive Session after September 1, 2015 but before the next GMAC meeting after M. Bartell and J. Bertsch return; Seconded by W. Camara. Motion carried unanimously by voice vote. VI. PUBLIC TESTIMONY on AGENDA ITEMS: 1 Hawaii Game Management Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes – August 17, 2015 My name is Steven Araujo. I’d like to testify on Legislative Agenda #5a. Is a Statewide Advisory Commission to DLNR worth pursuing? Some of you up there already know that we did have one in the past. We did have one of these commissions in the past. And the commission would work – it would work very good providing that the commissioners are committed to what they going to and I mean they need to be committed. They have to do their homework – even if it’s to the point of giving up Wheel of Fortune and, you know, all that kind of things. You guys got to do your homework. You need to know the laws pertaining to the endangered species and everything associated with endangered species along with game mammals. There needs to me a mechanism on how you’re gonna set up the commission on a statewide basis. Is it gonna be run from each county level – is something gonna be set up this way – or is it gonna be set up like how it was in the past where the hunters would chose their representatives. You need a mechanism to come back to the hunters because right now the hunters are not organized anymore – to bring the concerns to a statewide organization. You also going have to find a funding mechanism. If you’re looking at getting funded through the general fund you’re not gonna get ‘em. So you need to be creative, find a mechanism where air fares, hotels, and all of that can be arranged without hitting the general fund. But the most important thing is the commitment that you going have to put into this thing. I know because I was the first president for the Hawaii Hunting Advisory Council. There’s a lot of work that needs to be done, there’s a lot of phone calls that needs to be made – a lot of lobbying towards the legislators – finding help wherever you can get help. It is – it is total committal. Even to the point where you gotta give up hunting because a lot of the meetings going fall on Saturday – so you gotta give up hunting even if it means giving up hunting for the duration of the time that you’re on that commission. That’s how dedicated the individual have to be. Then they have to be knowledgeable because if you’re not knowledgeable your boat is gonna sink the moment you put it in the water. You know, that’s point blank, plain and simple. And the people that are on this commission or committee whatever it’s gonna be called – cannot do it for personal gain. That’s why – that is one of the reasons that it failed in the first place – personal gain – guys wanted to make a name for themselves. It cannot be that way… VII. Presentation and Discussion: Gregory Fleming, Deputy Garrison Commander at U.S. Army Garrison Pohakuloa (PTA) and John Polhemus filled in for Col. Peterson, PTA Commander who was called over to Oahu and not able to attend the meeting. Again, both men shared the Lt. Colonel’s commitment to the hunting community. They see it as a community relations program that is very 2 Hawaii Game Management Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes – August 17, 2015 important to PTA. A hunting program that is sustainable, having the right resources, personnel to provide adequate management of the area. PTA is interested in hearing from the hunting community via their online survey. Visit PTAHunterSurvey.com. The survey ends in a few days. To date approximately 250 surveys completed and about a 100 not completed for one reason or another. However, one may go back and complete the survey before the deadline. SOP (Standard Operating Procedures) currently in draft form. It covers a wide range of aspects of PTA’s hunting program including the many different issues and aspects to include youth as well as our disabled hunters. Once completed, looking to the community to take ownership and help enforce the terms of the SOP. SPORTSMAN Program – to track and understand usage in certain training areas and hunting areas. This program has been a source of revenue at other installations within the Army – increase in permit fees. Hunting permits may be obtained online. Goal is to have this program in place in Fiscal Yr 2016. Paid for and run by the Army. In 2013 Biological Opinion to eradicate all feral ungulates from some of the fenced areas of PTA in order to preserve threatened, endangered species, plants and animals in that habitat. Last year an estimate 1,200 animals were eradicated some sheep and goat in the western area with the help of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services. . PTA is still having problems in the western fenced units and some in the eastern training area 21 on the east side. Lt. Colonel Peterson would like to have involvement from the hunting community and have folks come out on selected weekends to help with that final eradication - looking at nine weekends in a row this fall. Lt. Col. Peterson sent an offer to host any club meetings at PTA, They have a building up there. It might be a point in between both sides of the island where we could meet and have a discussion on the issues surrounding the hunting community. Kenneth Raymond a volunteer with DLNR asked about eradication of ungulates in certain areas – is it in the fenced areas or outside of. PTA - The managed units are fenced in order to protect threatened and endangered species – plants. The biological opinion requires eradication of feral ungulates in only those fenced units. PTA - no other units, at this time will be fenced. 3 Hawaii Game Management Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes – August 17, 2015 N. Pogline had the privilege to have a personal tour of PTA with Bryan Mabry, Game Warden and she shared her views and was very impressed with what PTA management of game. She encouraged hunters to take the time to go through the red tape with all the regulation and the rules, it is worth the effort. This is the foothold – opportunity to hunt. She also encouraged the community to start a hunting club at PTA. The facility is outstanding and PTA has offered the use of their facility for meetings. Handicap accessible. If there is a change in command, that opportunity may not be there with a new commander. She is committed to work with whoever may be interested in volunteering to start-up the hunting club. The area a great opportunity for the bird hunters as well. She also thanked PTA, and welcomed their participation in always having a representative attend GMAC meetings and encouraged sharing of information. Hawaii Game Management a contractor service is used to find and kill the wild dogs which are a concern for both the hunters, workers and animals at PTA. Joe Nakamoto thanked PTA for all that they are doing. He suggested that PTA consider doing a memorandum of agreement with the Fish & Wildlife Service to concur with their game management plan for areas 1 thru 18, etc. Just something that is documented to give folks peace of mind. He feels that will assist in getting people to want to buy in and commit to the hunting club and the other initiatives that PTA is proposing. D. Ike Yoshina said game management very important to have a balanced approach to the game mammals that they continue to procreate and maintain a herd size. G. Fleming shared that whenever Bryan Mabry or John Polhemus attend GMAC meetings they have the full backing of himself and Lt. Col. Peterson – the Command Team at PTA. They have lengthy discussions about the hunting program and their relations to the community and its’ important to them as they see this move forward and succeed. Jon Polhemus would be the contact person for assistance in establishing a hunting club at PTA. The hunting club must be community driven noting official in nature, by the Command Team. It has to come from the community. PTA will offered use of the facilities for meetings. 2. Creation of a Rules Committee and Chair of the Committee: Action: N. Pogline moved to establish a rules committee; Seconded by W. Camara. Motion carried unanimously by voice vote. 4 Hawaii Game Management Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes – August 17, 2015 B. Castillo-Hall said that, board and community members expressed their concern about what rules are being followed in conducting our meetings. The meetings are informal but some kind of order needs to be in place so that the meetings run efficiently since a lot of people attend and present and we would like things to flow easily so that we can accomplish all the business that we want to accomplish within the given time limits. It is important that everyone feels that they have an equal opportunity to comment and participate and their voice is heard by the commission members, as well as people in the community. Also, how to pass action or pass motions and get certain things done. It was suggested that either the whole board meets or have a committee - so that two people or more meet (commission members) and then report back to the entire board or the entire board can vote – discuss and then vote on what kind of rules. D. Ike Yoshida volunteered to chair the committee and Chair Lodge will assist. B. Castillo-Hall offered to meet as well. 3. Hawaii Conservation Convention – Recap by D. “Ike” Yoshina: Ike attended the twenty-third annual Hawaii Conservation Conference, th which was held August 3 - 6 at the University of Hawaii at Hilo. He was very impressed by what went on there. The conference was well planned, well executed. They’re very articulate and knew what they were talking about. The user portion of conservation was not well represented. Although there were some hunters in the audience at the conference, most of the research that was shared with the community was basically on the preservation side. Ike thought that given the tenor of the meeting, hunting, fishing user concerns have to be better organized so that it can be represented at these conferences. How do you do that? The populations that we have to deal with or work with are rugged individualists, who have very little time to waste on going to meetings and talking story and things like that. It’s a tough place but if we are going to have a voice at these conferences we have to organize ourselves. There is going to be a large IUCN – World Conservation Conference in Hawaii - September of next year – some major event – first time to be held in the United States. (Goggle to find out more details) 5 Hawaii Game Management Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes – August 17, 2015 People who are users of resources want to be heard, they have to be organized to do that. They must be committed. The fee for the conference was $350.00. Ike feels there’s an opportunity at Puuwaawaa to form a sub-committee on hunting and try to create something out there. Probably a meeting with Elliot Parsons, who is in charge of the Puuwaawaa Recreational Area. He seems to want to pursue something up there for hunting. Suggest we talk to Elliot to find out exactly what he wants. If you’re going to do management you have to really push hard on the not taking side because most of the hunting management that is talked about in Hawaii is on the taking side, rather than the sustaining side. Must get well organized on that side and continuously talk about that balance. 4. Mauna Kea Recreational Area – Upcoming meeting with County Parks & Recreation to discuss suggestions for consideration - Public/Commissioner Concerns? Chair Lodge received a number of photos of the signage “No Dogs Allowed” Taken at the Mauna Kea Recreational Area. Steve Hunt has brought a request for GMAC to meet with P&R. We have several Issues of concern - firearms and dogs. D. Ike Yoshina and Chair Lodge will meet with Clayton Honma, Director of P&R on August 26, 2015 at 9:00am to discuss these concerns and will report at next meeting. 5. Legislative Agenda – What are our priorities for 2016? a. Is a Statewide Advisory Commission to DLNR worth pursuing? Last session we focused on one bill - the game management commission bill, which went through Water & Land Committee and was passed unanimously out of Water and Land. After positive response to the commission, the Judiciary Chair Carl Rote decided not to hear it. The disappointing thing is that all legislators who crafted the bill, didn’t make any real attempt to try and negotiate to get that bill heard. Time, effort and money are issues to consider in getting bills passed. Do we want to look at changing the Wildlife Revolving Fund – this is your hunter-dollars - you buy a hunting license it goes into the Wildlife Revolving Fund - is this fund worth funding a commission if it benefits hunting? Do we want to pursue, as a commission now, do we want to support and pursue game commission again next legislative season? 6 Hawaii Game Management Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes – August 17, 2015 It would be hard to do if there is no support from the other counties. They don’t particularly feel the same threats the same demise of their future as we do on Hawaii Island. We may need to move forward as a County as itself. A resolution one way to move forward with DLNR in particular could work with local organizations on each island. They would be free to participate as they wish with some direction by the legislature. Action: R. Kohatsu moved to defer the drafting of the resolution until such time the Hawaii County Game Management Advisory Commission can confer with our local and state legislators; seconded by D. Ike Yoshina. Motion carried unanimously by voice vote. b. Constitutional Amendment reaffirming protections for Game Mammals. Chair Lodge: Our game animals are referred to as vermin, invasive, introduced, they don’t have standing and, my question to the commission is, we had a HB 104 that we had introduced in 2012 for the 2013 legislative period, which gave game animals, affirmed their standing as a natural resource. The verbiage of that bill is that the State shall manage or control for perpetuity of future generations game animals including sheep, pigs, deer, wild cattle presently located throughout all State lands – the management of game animals shall be subject to guidelines established by the legislature, including cooperative resource management strategies, which ensure the public’s sustained use and enjoyment of game animals as a protected State resource. This didn’t go further than it did was our fault, we didn’t introduce this properly, we didn’t have enough time to work with other legislators, this went in cold and it died in the first hearing primarily because of the massive environmental community efforts against this particular bill. Shall we reintroduce this bill? We’re talking about management of game animals shall be subject to guidelines established by the legislature. D. Ike Yoshina: Doesn’t this question arise because of that ‘78 Constitutional Amendment? If it wasn’t ratified, why was the Constitution changed?” Is there a process perhaps with inquiring with the Attorney General, on things like this? 7 Hawaii Game Management Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes – August 17, 2015 B. Command: Because I’m the representative from the Mayor’s Office. I have a suggestion instead of seeking a binary solution to this, leave this as an open ended question, and ask the legislature to resolve the conflict between the fact that we allow and encourage management of and hunting of feral ungulates but also consider them as invasive species. Rather than asking them to say “yes” or “no” we want this back in the Constitution, “Why do we encourage hunting, but we also consider what we hunt as rubbish when it is food. The reality of the language is that it allows the State to eradicate animals. Suggest that a proposal be presented to the Mayor so that it can used as a point of our discussions. The bill includes the Hawaiian cultural aspects. Action: D. Ike Yoshina moved to have a discussion in executive session to move us toward a meeting with the Mayor, and to include Bobby Command. We need to clearly understand what the Constitution says or does not say of the issue of protection for our game animals and how we address this to the legislature – whether it’s a resolution or a bill or an amendment to the Constitution; Seconded by W. Camara. Motion carried unanimously by voice vote. Constitutional amendment of ’78 that was not ratified, why, undefined. Comment from Steven Araujo: I’d like to offer some insight, for a guy that’s been doing this for a very long time. Number 1) please do not screw with the Constitution. Leave it alone. What would be advisable is maybe creating a resolution – like the resolution that you wanted to create earlier and incorporate within that resolution the reaffirming of what Article 11 Section 2 of the Constitution states quoted. You guys understand what I saying? OK. Don’t even try go, for a Constitutional amendment because you could end up screwing everybody over. So all you going have the legislature do and which would kinda like do what Bobby is saying, but not actually having it done. They are reaffirming what is stated in the Constitution. You guys catching on? OK. Now, to get, OK, maybe if you create that, whole thing first, yeah, that resolution, that would probably fly because every legislature swears to uphold the Constitution. If they do not agree on upholding the Constitution they in violation of the oath of office. They can be kicked out. Plain and simple. OK. So you kinda putting everybody on the spot, ‘cause they, like I said, you got a lot going there because this is what I wanted to do. When I was chairman for the Hawaii Hunting Advisory Commission, but, as I advising, anyway, it didn’t happen. But, second thing that you can do is 8 Hawaii Game Management Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes – August 17, 2015 look at Hawaii Revised Statutes 195D-2. Look at the case notes. In there you’ll find something to the effect of in order to collect funding from the Federal Endangered Species Act, the State of Hawaii impliedly consented to be sued under the act and may have to eradicate the sheep and the goats on Mauna Kea. OK. What I’m doing here is I’m moving away from the symptom. OK? The symptom is lack of game management. OK? We’re going to the root of the problem. The problem is not lack of game management. The problem is not lack of money for game management. The problem with this whole situation is Endangered Species, cut and dried. If not for the endangered species, there would be no critical habitat. Without any critical habitat, game management could occur. OK. So how about putting everybody’s heads together and a lot of effort and request the State of Hawaii to delist the species that can be delisted. You go get the book called, The Hawaii Plant Cluster Management Plan. c. Is Legislation/Resolution Giving Shooters a safe place to shoot statewide a priority? It was decided that Chair Lodge should meet with the director of the Department of Parks and Recreation first to see what plans the county may have or land that may be available. d. Legislation/Resolution Comprehensive Statewide Game Management Plan in all forest areas? It was decided to concentrate on the constitutional amendment reaffirming protections for Game Mammals first. e. Promotion of Hunting and Fishing by the State Chair Lodge: A letter was written to the Hawaii Tourism Authority regarding hunting to be promoted similar to fishing. They wrote back that hunting was not on their template and is of no consideration. And yet when we did have that commission bill they wanted, they inserted a Hawaii Tourism Authority representative in that bill. So, since they’re already thinking about tourism, from that failed attempt that we had last year. Should we try again and get them to promote hunting here as well as statewide? Response: We cannot promote something that we don’t have. The numbers that you’re looking for already exist in the Fish & Wildlife Service consensus. The economic impact of fishing and hunting inside of it and if the State doesn’t want to recognize that then, they’ll never recognize anything. 9 Hawaii Game Management Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes – August 17, 2015 VIII. Unfinished Business: None IX. New Business: Request to look into Monk Seal translocation throughout the state without permits, public notice, or environment assessments/impact statements. Action: D. Ike Yoshina moved that we take this Monk Seal Translocation issue to the mayor; Seconded by W. Camara. Motion carried unanimously by voice vote. Public comment period ends November 9, 2015. Action: N. Pogline moved to also take this Monk Seal Translocation issue to the County Council as well; Seconded by D. Ike Yoshina. Motion carried unanimously by voice vote. X. Committee Reports: District 2 – D. Ike Yoshina: Offered an open invitation to any in the public who want to talk story contact him through Barbara at the mayor’s office at 323-4444. District: 6 – K. DeCoito – with David Penn everything is signed as far as the fencing part about moving it on the makai side of the road. As far as with Ed Olson – we still kind of not sure on who, what, when, how. But everything’s supposed to be sealed but he never get back to me yet. Nature Conservancy, U.H will start doing the whole eradication of the deer. I really thought that was over. Funds were obtained to continue. Just letting everyone know that they going start looking for deer again in Ka’u. District 4 – N. Pogline - Not many hunting issues but there’s fishing issues and access issues. The population’s increasing, and accesses are getting cut off one by one and there’s no protection for public access. Met with Council member Greggor Ilagan (District 4) and there’s two particular accesses that have been lost to the public that I talked to him about – one at Kuloli and Old Government Road – and another one in this area called Awehi a recent purchase. Totally disregarded historical, public access - block area with giant pillars – cut down all trees – put nasty signs and nothing in escrow will stop them. Council Ilagan suggested I meet with Planning Department and Shipman Corporation since he had little to offer. Maybe Shipman would be willing to sell land for public access to PONC acquisition. 10 Hawaii Game Management Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes – August 17, 2015 Comment from T. Nakama - Public access and public roads cannot be taken away. And if it is, they have to be put back. It is State law - Article 12, Section 7 belongs in every ones deeds. Enforcement by DOCARE at DLNR XII. Next Meeting Date: September 21, 2015. Place to be announced. XIII. Adjournment: Action: D. Ike Yoshina moved to adjourn the meeting; seconded by W. Camara. Motion carried unanimously by voice vote. Meeting adjourned at 9:00pm. Respectfully submitted by, Barbara Kossow Secretary ATTEST: Thomas H. Lodge 11