Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 24, Number 9, 1 September 2007 — Bioprospecting Commission to hold public meetings [ARTICLE]

Bioprospecting Commission to hold public meetings

Community input sought on developing policy for research uses of Hawai'i's natural resources

By KWŪ staff The State of Hawai'i Temporary Advisory Commission on Bioprospecting is holding a series of statewide community meetings to obtain puhlie comment related to preserving Hawai'i's

traditional natural resources in the face of scientific and eommercial research. Meetings are scheduled for Sept. 18 in Hilo; Sept. 19 in Kona; Oct. 9 on Kaua'i; Oct. 30 on Moloka'i; Nov. 20 in Leeward O'ahu and Nov. 27 in Windward O'ahu. The meetings are intended to aid the commission in making recommendations related to developing policy for the emerging field of bioprospecting - tentatively defined by the commission as the collection of samples from plants, animals and micro-organisms to search for commercially valuable bio-

ehemieal or genetic resources. A recent increase in scientific research and commercial enterprise has led to an increase in bioprospecting, a field that is dependent on the use of Hawai'i's natural resources. Last year, the state Legislature created the Bioprospecting Commission to study this eomplex issue, whieh is of particular eoneem to the Native Hawaiian community, and mandated OHA to administer the commission's meetings. The body is charged with making recommendations to state lawmakers on policies related to: • Infonned consent for partici-

pation in bioprospecting projects; • Distribution of revenues derived from bioprospecting enterprise; • Establishment of bio-safety regulations; • Establishment of licensing and permitting processes; and • Protection of cultural rights in accessing natural resources. "Hawai'i's future depends on a halanee between the development and conservation of fragile biological resources," said the commission's ehainnan, OHA Trustee Walter Heen. "The protocol for protecting Hawai'i's resources from degradation must include preservation of indigenous and traditional knowledge and technologies. Hawai'i's biodiversity must be firmly grounded in both types of endeavor in order to ensure equitable benefit-sharing for everyone and sustainability of our natural resources." Other members of the eommission are: lim Gaines,

University of Hawai'i vice president for research; Elizabeth Corbin of the state Department of Business, Eeonomie Development and Tourism; Betsy Gagne of the state Department of Land and Natural Resources; OHA Trustee Oswald Stender; Vicky Holt Takamine, kumu hula, UH lecturer and president of the 'īlio 'ulaokalani Coalition; Wayne Kaho'onei Panoke, project manager for Community Planning and Engineering Ine. and Environet, member of the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs and executive director of 'īlio'ulaokalani; Keiki Pua Dancell, executive vice president of Hawai'i Chitopure; Dr. Lawrence Burgess, professor of surgery at UH's lohn A. Burns School of Medicine; David Watumull, president and CEO of Cardax Pharmaceuticals; and Lisa Gibson, president of the Hawai'i Science and Technology Council. For times and locations of the puhlie meetings, or for more information, eall 594-1820. ^

NŪ HOU • NEWS

Bioprospecting Commission meetings Call 594-1820 for times and locations on eaeh island