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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-07-01 GMAC Special Meeting Minutes Draft Game Management Advisory Commission County of Hawai'i Special Meeting Summary - Draft Meeting Date: July 1, 2025 Time: 9:00 am to 11:00 pm Place: Zoom and In-Person 25 Aupuni Ctr., Ste. #1501, Hilo HI CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL at 9:02 am. District 1 - Robert Duerr, Present, in person District 2—Taysen Wong Chong, Present, Excused District 3— Rhon Leomana Turalde, Present, in person District 4— Brian Ley— Present, in person District 5 -Vacant District 6—Vacant District 7—Vacant District 8—Cortney Okumura — Present via Zoom District 9—Justin Ackerman— Present via Zoom Quorum Established with 5 in attendance. STAFF: Cody Frenz, Attorney, Corporation Counsel—in person Barbara Kossow,Administrative Specialist—via Zoom Quick recap The Hawaii Game Management Advisory Commission met to discuss and address various issues related to the Hawaii County General Plan 2045, focusing on preserving subsistence hunting, fishing, and traditional cultural gathering rights. The commission reviewed and approved several amendments to the plan, including updates to glossary definitions and policy additions related to biodiversity and cultural preservation. The group also discussed the development of a game management plan and considered administrative changes to the commission's structure, while emphasizing the need for collaboration with state representatives and proper mapping of game management areas. Next steps • Commission to check with the Department and coordinate with the County and State to verify the status of the maps submitted to the natural area reserve program in the nineties. 1 • Commission to hold district meetings with constituents to review maps and discuss access routes from Kohara to Lorenzo Road. • Commission to provide advice and support to constituents seeking assistance with general plan issues. • Chuck Flaherty to email legal references and citations to Commissioner Duerr • Commissioner Duerr to work with Chuck Flaherty to incorporate legal citations into the draft letter • Commissioner Duerr to amend motion to incorporate all discussed changes and give chair authority to sign final letter • Chair to draft and send letter recommending Corporation Counsel Keyra Wong for new counsel role • Barbara to add creation of negotiating group (PIG) and meeting time change requests to next month's agenda • Corporation Counsel, Cody Frenz to assist with reviewing final draft and legal references • Commissioners to review and finalize draft letter before July 9th County Council meeting • Commissioners to attend July 9th County Council meeting to present recommendations • Commissioners to consider forming a permitted interaction group (PIG) for future County Council negotiations Summary Secretary to provide a full transcription later. Hawaii Game Commission Fencing Review The meeting focused on the Hawaii Game Management Advisory Commission's efforts to address fencing and eradication issues, with maps submitted to the natural area reserve program in the 1990s. The commission discussed holding district meetings to engage with constituents about public access and reviewing previous advice given to state, county, and federal entities. Chuck Flaherty presented on the Hawaii County draft general plan, providing context on the pIan's history and current review process, which began in 2015. GMAC Review of General Plan Chuck presented on the regulatory environment and general plan review process, highlighting that the Game Management Advisory Commission ( MAC) was established in 2012 through a county charter amendment to advise on preserving subsistence hunting and traditional 2 gathering rights. He explained that the current draft general plan 2045, issued in July 2024, lacks comprehensive mention of game management, hunting, and traditional practices, with only scattered references and limited actions related to these topics. Chuck noted that the pIan's implementation actions are crucial for the commission to review, as they provide guidance on how the general plan will be carried out, and he raised questions about the existence of a "draft 2" on the county website, which he had not received clarification on from the planning department. Game Management Plan Gaps Analysis Chuck presented an analysis of the county general pIan's collaborative biocultural stewardship section, noting that while it contains goals and objectives related to natural and cultural resource management, there is no specific mention of game management or the Game Management Advisory Commission. He identified several gaps in the plan, including the lack of an inventory of game management areas and access points, and recommended that the Commission consider adding policies and actions to support their work, such as creating an inventory of game management areas and placing the Commission under the office of sustainability. The Commission expressed appreciation for Chuck's efforts and requested more information about his background and credentials in public policy analysis. Hawaii Game Plan 2045 Finalization The Hawaii Game Management Advisory Commission discussed and approved recommendations for the final draft of the Hawaii County General Plan 2045, focusing on preserving subsistence hunting, fishing, and traditional cultural gathering rights. The commission agreed to adopt changes suggested during the meeting, including updates to the letter's heading and address, and authorized the chair to sign and submit the letter to the Hawaii County Council by July 9th. The commission also reviewed and approved amendments that mirrored language from the 2019 draft plan, streamlining the process for finalizing the letter of recommendation. Action item:R.Duerr motioned to accept the GMAC Recommendations for Final Draft General Plan 2025 letter to Council Chair Inaba. Seconded by B. Ley. Motion carried by roll call with 5 ayes, no nays, and 1 excuse. Game Management Glossary Updates Presentation by Chuck Flaherty on the Howai'i County draft General Plan 2045, Comprehensive Review as it relates to public access, recreation, trails, cultural and environmental resources. The meeting focused on issues with the General Plan 2045 related to game management, where it was noted that key terms were missing and specific policies were not included. The group discussed proposed additions to the glossary, including a definition for game 3 management that aligns with HRS 183-2, and considered incorporating subsections A, B, and C to enhance the definition. There was agreement to move forward with the glossary updates, with the responsibility of incorporating the suggested language into the draft left to the appropriate person. Hawaiian Cultural Rights Legal Review The Commission discussed several key terms related to Hawaiian cultural and legal rights, focusing on gathering rights, loko'ia (fishponds), and the public trust doctrine. Chuck provided specific legal references for gathering rights, including Article 12 Section 7 of the Hawaii Constitution and Hawaii Revised Statutes section 1-1 and 7-1. The Commission agreed to remove a Maui-specific hyperlink from the loko'ia definition and to clarify that current subsistence practices would be covered under the definition. They also discussed the possibility of supplementing the definitions with additional legal references before submitting to the County Council, with a target date of July 29th. Glossary Edits and Policy Approvals The Commission discussed and made several edits to the glossary definitions, particularly focusing on traditional and customary rights, with GMAC requesting that Chuck Flaherty provide sources for all glossary terms to Commissioner Duerr. They agreed to keep and revise the Ahupua definition to better reflect its cultural significance, including the role of the pua'a (pig). The Commission also reviewed and approved policy additions related to biodiversity, native Hawaiian gathering rights, and cultural preservation, with District 4 suggesting removal of the word "some" from the collaborative bioculture stewardship definition to strengthen the focus on resource management. State-Managed Game Plan Development The meeting focused on the development of a game management plan, with Chuck Flaherty noting that the current letter does not require the County to develop such a plan. GMAC emphasized that the state owns most of the land, and while the county has some small parcels, they cannot take over private property for game management purposes. Justin suggested collaborating with state representatives to create a state-managed plan, as the county is not responsible for writing one. The group agreed to work with Oscar to draft a plan or find funding for it, acknowledging that this is a complex task beyond the commission's capabilities. Hawaiian Resource Conservation Policy Meeting The meeting focused on policies and actions to increase direct community restoration and collaborative efforts to conserve and nourish the island's bio-cultural resources. Key discussions included ensuring public access to shoreline trails and hunting areas, establishing programs to inventory ancient trails, and protecting traditional Hawaiian access rights. The commission also 4 addressed the need for mapping game management areas and public access, with Chuck Flaherty agreeing to provide more detailed references. The group debated the administration of the Game Management Advisory Commission, deciding to strike language about placing it under the office QfSuStaiOabi|itv, while agreeing to collaborate with other COuOtv QMiCeS as allowed by the charter. General Plan Letter Review Meeting The meeting focused QOreviewing and amending a draft letter regarding the general plan. The CQO101iSSiQO discussed 11 amendments, including changes to headings, g|QSSa[y items, and specific wording. They agreed to have CQO101iSSiQOe[ Duerr work with [N[ Flaherty to incorporate the amendments and add citations before finalizing the document. The commission also considered creating aOegQtiatiOg group tQ present their recommendations tQthe County Council, but decided to table this discussion for the next meeting. Additionally, they passed a motion to ask for their corporate counsel to be recommended for a new position and discussed the possibility of changing the meeting time to accommodate more participants. Next Regular Meeting July 15, 2O25, at9:OOarnat25AupuniSt., Puna Conference Room #15O1, Hilo, Hawaii. AdiQu[OOleOt 11:56arn Respectfully submitted by, BarbaraKoasom/ Secretary 5