Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 7, Number 2, 1 February 1990 — U.S. House oversight committee hears from Pacific lsland officials [ARTICLE]

U.S. House oversight committee hears from Pacific lsland officials

By Lynn J. Lee OHA land division pianner Governors for the State of Hawai'i, Territories of Samoa and Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Manana Islands (CNMI) the Coast Guard and several private agencies were invited to testify before the U.S. House Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries Jan. 8and9. The hearings concerned nahonal oeean and coastal policy for Hawai'i and the Pacific Island States and were held at the state capitol. All participants agreed driftnet fishing should be banned worldwide, immediately. There was unanimous support for the reenactment of the Coastal Zone Management Act and for clarifications on the nature of, and management of, the extended territorial sea. Everyone agreed that tuna fish should be included in the Magnuson Act. lncludingtuna would require the tuna fishing industry to observe territorial boundaries. Gov. Waihee, in his testimony, supported the idea of preferential fishing rights for indigenous people but did not go into details on how such a

program would work. The Northern Marianas Islands spokesmen said under current federal policy its indigenous fishino rights are restricted but foreign fishing interests enjoy unrestricted fishing in the Marianas' Exclusive Eeonomie Zone (EEZ). Guam's position was even stronger, they suggested that the EEZ surrounding their territory belonged to the indigenous people of Guam and the federal government's claims to the area constituted a violation of due process and international convention. Testimony concerning management of the exclusive eeonomie zones brought out diverse viewpoints. Hawaii's spokemen said the state has no problem cooperating with the federal government to manage the area. Samoa's spokesmen said they want to be included more often in the management process but did not object to federal involvement. The Northern Marianas and Guam spokesmen declared sovereign jurisdiction over the EEZ surrounding their islands and wanted no federal involvement in management of the area.