HomeMy WebLinkAboutSection 6-9.3 Game Management Advisory Commission (GMAC) 2012Hawai'i County Game Management
Advisory Commission
"By the People for the People"
Hunting in Hawai'i
Section 6-9.3. Game Management Advisory Commission (GMAC)
There shall be a game management advisory commission consisting of nine members who
shall be appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the council. One member shall be a
resident of each council district. The terms of the members shall be as prescribed in Section
13-4.
The commission shall select its chairperson from its voting members, and five voting members
shall constitute a quorum.
For the benefit of present and future generations, the game management advisory
commission shall advise County, State and Federal agencies on matters related to the
preservation of subsistence hunting and fishing, as well as protecting traditional and cultural
gathering rights.
The commission may also advise County, State, and Federal
agencies on any matter affecting the taking and conservation of
aquatic life and wildlife, including proposed rules, and shall
communicate its findings and recommendations to these agencies.
The commission shall promulgate recommendations that conserve
and protect the natural and cultural resources of Hawai'i in
furtherance of the self-sufficiency and long-term subsistence
sustainability of aquatic life and wildlife in the County.
The commission shall provide reports or legislative
recommendations to the council as necessary, or at least quarterly.
Hunting in Hawai'i, a Cultural Heritage
It has been said that hunting has been a part of Hawaii's
cultural heritage since the landing of the first Polynesian
settlers chasing down the Moa-nalo flightless ducks that
foraged in our forests at the time.
These voyagers were also skilled fishing with spear, net
and cleverly crafted deep water fishing gear for octopus,
squid and shark.
Recreational Hunting and Shooting
Family. Outdoor recreation involving family has long been tradition in Hawai'i with hunting
being one of the few activities that one can enjoy with their children and grandchildren
throughout their lifetimes.
Many of life's lessons are learned through hunting. Patience, staying fit and healthy,
preparation and practice, appreciation for one's harvest, and sharing are all elements of the
hunting experience that carry on through life.
The following is a list of injuries,
compiled by the National Safety
Council, which required hospital
emergency room treatment per
100,000 participants:
• Football
• Baseball
• Soccer
• Bicycle riding
• Skateboarding
• Horseback riding
• Ice skating
• Fishing
• Tennis
• Golf
2,171
2,090
910
904
869
465
335
141
121
94
Hunting is a safe sport. In fact one of the safest of all
sports a family can be involved with. According to the
National Safety Council, per 100,000 participants, the
statistics for outdoor recreation are as follows.
From Field to Freezer to Dinner
Plate
40% of the meals on Molokai are from subsistence
sources, such as hunting, fishing, and home gardens'
(http://hpr2.org/post/neighbors-subsistence-living-molokai).
According to an acclaimed University of Hawai'i
study done for the County, there could be as much
as 500,000 pounds of game harvested each year on
Hawai'i Island alone.
From Kapaa to Kalapana, Kohala to Kekaha, the
forest provides. The length and breadth of Hawai'i
depend on the forest for subsistence and recreation. The rural communities of Hawai'i in
particular depend significantly on fish and game resources as part of their economy.
Paving for Wildlife
Hunting and shooting sports pay for wildlife habitat
restoration, endangered species protection, and the
management of our game animal resources.
Through the national sale of sporting equipment, a
voluntary tax initiated by sportsmen collects roughly
$700 million annually which it redistributes to the
states including Hawai'i through a formula of land
area and hunting license numbers. These funds are
responsible for approximately 45% of the cost
running wildlife programs throught out the country,
including Hawai'i.
Economics of Hunting
According to the Congressional Sportsman's Foundation, if we just took the hunters in America
and created a corporation to receive all the revenue generated from hunting, that corporation
would be listed in the top twenty of Fortune 500.( http://WWW.huntonlv.com/articles/2OO8/o7/economics-of-
hunting.html)
1
With the exception of Rhode Island and Delaware, every other state in the union except
Hawai'i benefits more by at least a factor of three the promotion of hunting instate and
especially by encouraging tourist hunting. Hawai'i clearly could benefit by such promotion.
The five gulf states of Alabama, Louisiana, Florida, Mississippi and Texas generate over $19
billion in Wildlife Tourism revenue. Of this, hunting generates $4.9 billion in revenues and
$552 million in state and local taxes.
(http://www.daturesearch.com/wpcontent/uploads/WildlifeTourismReport FINAL.pdf)
Hawaii has a lot in common with the Gulf States and should be taking advantage of resources,
especially those that could be sustaining of the resource. Tax revenues alone could support,
more robust and cooperative watershed rehabilitation and alternative protection approaches
than those we're employing today.
Bills that GMAC is following in the 28th Legislature
HB1041 HD2. The purpose of this measure is to establish a Game Management Advisory
Commission to serve in an advisory role to the Board of Land and Natural Resources to, among
other things:
(1) Recommend policies and criteria regarding the management, protection, and promotion
of public hunting in Hawai'i;
(2) Make recommendations relating to the process of hunting rules modification; and
(3) Collaborate with others who gather information and implement hunting programs and
data. Support
SB2026 SD2. The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish the Hawai'i apprentice
hunting program to provide opportunities for young persons between the ages of 10 and 17 to
engage in and learn about hunting under the supervision of sponsoring adult mentors who are
licensed hunters. Support
SCR1 Supporting game mammal, game bird, and fishing resources in order to promote
sustainability and food security and to preserve long lasting local and cultural practices.
Oppose most of the added amendments.
HD799. The purpose of this measure is to amend the Uniform Aeronautics Act to allow the
State, its employees, or its independent contractors, while in flight and in furtherance of the
State's official duties, to kill wildlife located in remote or inaccessible areas. Oppose without
significant amendment.
1. http://assets.thehcn.net/content/sites/hawai i/2012_Hawaii_Cou nty_BASE LINE_FOOD_SUSTAI NASI LITY_W EB. pdf