Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 31, Number 11, 1 November 2014 — Hāʻena Community-Based Fisheries Subsistence Area approval [ARTICLE]

Hāʻena Community-Based Fisheries Subsistence Area approval

The state Board of Land and Natural Resources made history on Oct. 24 when it unanimously approved Hawai'i's first ever Community Based Fisheries Subsistence Area rule package for Hā'ena on Kaua'i. "This is an historic action, following years of work by the Hā'ena community in collaboration with Department of Land and Natural Resources staff," BLNR Chairperson William Alia said in a statement. "This rules package gives the Hā'ena hui an opportunity to protect its fisheries, based on traditional and customary practices. Native Hawaiians knew how to practice sustainability in order to feed their 'ohanas. This is strong recognition by government that we cannot do it alone and communitybased management and buy-in is critical to sustaining Hawai'i's precious natural resources for now and future generations." The BLNR hearing attracted dozens of testimonies and there was overwhelming support for the approval, the board said. The Hā'ena CBSFA comprises state waters within the Hā'ena ahupua'a from the shoreline out to 1 mile and would set limits on the types of fishing gear and methods that may be used and prohibit the harvest of marine life for commercial purposes, among other things. The community worked with DLNR's Division of Aquatic Resources to develop the rules package. DAR administrator Frazer McGilvray said: "The CBFSA sets the precedent for other communities across the state to self-determine what's best for their loeal areas based on long-held sustainability practices. Community based management isn't only the past, but is now the future." The OHA Board of Trustees had earlier passed a resolution supporting CBSFA designations and rules. The BLNR said implementation of the rules package is pending adjudication of a contested case. All future CBFSA designations will require approval from the BLNR.

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