Hawaiian Legislation

[sdcfish]

I was living in Hawaii and operating a collecting station at the time this all happened in 1999. I was at the meetings where we spoke about closures of 30% of the Kona Coastline.

In the end, the only areas that were closed were those chosen by the dive charter companies, and the tropical fish people's suggestions for areas that would be good breeding grounds were ignored.

The final result was better than nothing and gave the aquarium industry something. Too bad the closed areas are still being battered by the tourists who hit the same spots daily....disturbing the fish and potentially doing damage to the whole plan.

Either way, a management plan is in place, and we have nearly 10 years of data now to look at.

Hopefully, a more strategic management plan will go into place where the areas can be re-assesed....moved around...shifted, swaped...whatever.

Anyway.....great to see people getting involved....

 

[naesco]

BY MID MORNING MONDAY JAN. 28, SENATOR HEE'S OFFICE WAS NOT ACCEPTING ANY PHONE CALLS. WE CAN ONLY HOPE THAT HIS OFFICE WAS OVERWHELMED WITH OPPOSING MESSAGES.


STEP 2 - LET'S NOW INFORM THE OTHER MEMBERS OF SENATOR HEE'S COMMITTEE ABOUT OUR OPPOSITION TO SB 3225

THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS ARE :

RUSSELL S. KOKUBUN PHONE 8 0 8 - 5 8 6 - 6 7 6 0 FAX 8 0 8 - 5 8 6 - 6 6 8 9 EMAIL [email protected]

CAROL **** PHONE 8 0 8 - 5 8 6 - 6 8 9 0 FAX 8 0 8 - 5 8 6 - 6 8 9 9 EMAIL ****@Capitol.hawaii.gov

JILL N. TOKUDA PHONE 8 0 8 - 5 8 7 - 7 2 1 5 FAX 8 0 8 - 5 8 7 - 7 2 2 0 EMAIL [email protected]

PAUL WHALEN PHONE 8 0 8 - 5 8 6 - 9 3 8 5 FAX 8 0 8 - 5 8 6 - 9 3 9 1 EMAIL [email protected]


ON TUESDAY JAN. 29, PLEASE PHONE, FAX AND / OR EMAIL ALL FOUR OF THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS LISTED ABOVE, EXPRESSING YOUR OPPOSITION TO SB3225. THESE COMMITTEE MEMBERS NEED TO KNOW THAT THERE IS WORLDWIDE OPPOSITION TO THIS BILL.

WE NEED ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT TO DEFEAT THIS BILL. IF IT IS NOT STOPPED AND BECOMES LAW, WE CAN FORGET ABOUT HAWAIIAN FISH

Dizzy, don't you think that rather than harassing the Senator it would be better to get a few reeform minded industry type along with some Hawaiian collectors and meet with the Senator and his staff and provide them with a voluntary industry 'reeform industry plan' which would make the Bill unecessary.

Wayne Ryan

 

[dizzy]

Wayne the lead role in the effort to get the bill stopped is coming from Hawaiian collectors. Things must be different in Canada, but I don't see calling a congressman and telling them you are opposed to a bill as being harassing.
Mitch

 

[naesco]

Wayne the lead role in the effort to get the bill stopped is coming from Hawaiian collectors. Things must be different in Canada, but I don't see calling a congressman and telling them you are opposed to a bill as being harassing.
Mitch

You are right, Dizzy and everyone is entitled to put forward their point of view. Here is mine.
Wayne Ryan

January 29, 2008

The Honourable Clayton Hee, Senator
Hawaii State Capitol, Room 228
415 South Beretania Street,
Honolulu, Hawaii,
U. S. A.
96813

Dear Senator Hee:

Re: Bill SB 3225 A Bill to protect the Future Supply of Hawaiian Marine Fish

I am not a constituent, nor am I a U.S. citizen, but I have had the pleasure in visiting your State and viewed the outstanding beauty of your reefs, and the fish, coral and critters that live therein on a number of vacations.

I, like most hobbyists, fully support the Bill as it guarantees to us future supplies of fish from your waters.

HAWAIIAN YELLOW TANG
Sadly, the marine fish industry has used Hawaiian yellow tangs as a ‘cheap entry to the marine hobby lost leader’ resulting in the documented overexploitation of that fish.

As a result they commonly arrive in marine fish stores emaciated and infected with the black ich parasite as a result of poor shipping and holding practices.

HAWAIIAN CLEANER WRASSE
Hobbyists, marine fish experts and industry itself, know that this species is virtually impossible to keep alive in hobbyists tanks.
Notwithstanding that fact, they are collected and shipped by the thousands to be sold to unsuspecting new hobbyists who are enthralled with ‘cleaning behavior’ of this wrasse.

All cleaner wrasse are best left in the reefs to do the beneficial cleaning job God gave them to do

CORALIVORES
These beautiful fish are by definition, obligate coral eaters. Notwithstanding that fact they are shipped to unsuspecting hobbyists with little chance of survival in hobbyist tanks.

I wish you quick passage of your Bill through the Senate. Please distribute this letter to your Committee Members.


Thank you.

Yours very truly,



Wayne Ryan

 

[Anonymous]

You are right, Dizzy and everyone is entitled to put forward their point of view. Here is mine.
Wayne Ryan

January 29, 2008

The Honourable Clayton Hee, Senator

Wayne, to the best of my knowledge, the moniker "Honorable" is reserved for judges on the bench. We don't need these people's getting more swelled than they already are. (Besides, he's a state senator, not a U.S. senator.)

Wayne the lead role in the effort to get the bill stopped is coming from Hawaiian collectors. Things must be different in Canada, but I don't see calling a congressman and telling them you are opposed to a bill as being harassing.
Mitch

I agree, and would go further to say that it is part and parcel of how we do things in the U.S. As a matter of fact, our representatives, congresspeople, and senators should expect to be contacted by their constituency, and to discourage that interaction is downright un-American.

 

[naesco]

You are right, Dizzy and everyone is entitled to put forward their point of view. Here is mine.
Wayne Ryan

January 29, 2008

The Honourable Clayton Hee, Senator

Wayne, to the best of my knowledge, the moniker "Honorable" is reserved for judges on the bench. We don't need these people's getting more swelled than they already are. (Besides, he's a state senator, not a U.S. senator.)

Wayne the lead role in the effort to get the bill stopped is coming from Hawaiian collectors. Things must be different in Canada, but I don't see calling a congressman and telling them you are opposed to a bill as being harassing.
Mitch

I agree, and would go further to say that it is part and parcel of how we do things in the U.S. As a matter of fact, our representatives, congresspeople, and senators should expect to be contacted by their constituency, and to discourage that interaction is downright un-American.

Opps! Should have checked with you first re: USA titles.
The Canadian Prime Minister is The Right Honourable XX
A Cabinet Minister is The Honourable XX
A Supreme Court Justice is His Lordship XX
A Judge is His Honour Judge XX

I get what you mean though. I met a Longview Texas Mayor. On the first occasion I introduced him as His Worship Mayor XX.
He made me refer to him as His Worship in front of his friends every single time I met him thereafter.

Wayne

 

[rgbmatt]

This is a special-interest bill that was written by Robert Wintner, the owner of a local snorkel tour operator. The proposals in this bill have no scientific data to back them up. No scientists, state fishery authorities, or fishermen have been consulted.

You can read what Mr. Wintner (aka Snorkel Bob) thinks of aquarists in this thread, where he puts aquarium hobbyists in the same category of morality as pedophiles:

http://www.reefs.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=113487

You should be aware that almost none of the claims he makes in that letter are true - we do not collect nearly as many fish as he claims, nor have we exterminated flame angels in Hawaii. The rest of his lies should be obvious to anybody familiar with the hobby.

Fortunately for us, the fact that this bill has no scientific merit means that it's unlikely that it will be passed. As several people have mentioned, the state has been monitoring the fishery for ten years, and has good data to prove that it is not declining. Fishing is a deeply ingrained part of Hawaiian culture, and the notion that its regulation can be legislated by any private citizen with an agenda is disturbing. However, Mr. Wintner is certain to be very active in the support of his bill and we need to be able to respond in kind.

Anybody who believes in protecting the ocean, enjoying aquariums, and the basic principles of good government needs to oppose this bill. Most collectors, myself included, would welcome meaningful legislation that helps protect the fish upon which we depend for a living. However, regulation of our industry needs to be done by people who know what they're doing.

 

[brandonberry]

Should have known this came from Snorkel Bob. I remember the thread about him from a while back. That guy is crazy. I seriously doubt anyone takes him seriously, except maybe Wayne, LOL.

 

[naesco]

rgbmatt.

I too was looking for scientific evidence that the Hawaiian reefs were in trouble.
Have you read any of Dr. Tissot's papers posted by Dr. Rubec?

Wayne

 

[rgbmatt]

Naesco:

Yes, I have spoken with Brian Tissot in person on a number of occasions and have read all of the papers concerning the West Hawaii aquarium fishery. There have been 10 years of very good research to support the fact that our aquarium fishery is quite healthy and is not in need of the severe measures that Snorkel Bob wants to implement.

You really need to think and educate yourself about the issues before you support (or condemn) laws such as this, and I certainly hope you never sent that message to Senator Hee. That sort of knee-jerk behaviour is how disfunctional leaders like Ferdinand Marcos or Hugo Chavez attain power.

 

[Anonymous]

That sort of knee-jerk behaviour is how disfunctional leaders like Ferdinand Marcos or Hugo Chavez attain power.

That's it, I'm flying to Hawaii to hand you your IBTH medal of honor in person

 

[Anonymous]

Naesco:

You really need to think and educate yourself about the issues before you support (or condemn) laws such as this, and I certainly hope you never sent that message to Senator Hee. That sort of knee-jerk behaviour is how disfunctional leaders like Ferdinand Marcos or Hugo Chavez attain power.

QFT, although I have a feeling the message was already sent.

Another thing that I did not yet point out is that, in regards to the unnamed species is the issue of enforcement. It rather reminds me of the situation on another island in another ocean, where U.S. officials (staff) are tasked with preventing the exportation of key species, yet they cannot identify those species. In other words, an anemone is a sponge is a starfish is an urchin is a fish from their perspective. While I expect officials in Hawai'i to be better educated or informed, I am always hesitant to agree with further legislation when enforcement itself is a key issue, all other problems notwithstanding.

 

[Caterham]

Naesco,

Thanks so much for your contributions to this thread.

Unfortunately, with absolutely zero past or current involvement in the trade of marine ornamentals there are some folks here is this community that might take your comments somewhat lightly.

I respect your efforts and hope that you continue to stay involved. All good teams have people cheering for them on the sidelines, out of play.

Warmest regards

 

[bobimport]

Well from what i understand in talking to snorkel Bob is that they might be open to talks with the collectors. I would suggest that people stop contacting Sen Clayton Hee. Nothing further will be gained by this tactic and it is now counterproductive. Remember this is a fight between a small industry ( collectors) and a very large one( tourism). In Hawaii a lot more people make there living of tourists than collecting fish. Its time for the fish business in Hawaii to wake up and follow the Florida model of organizing the business. Setting regulations with input from both sides.

Please any more calls from outsiders ( yes we are outsiders, we don't live pay taxes or vote there)
is not going to be helpful. Please don't harass the people involved in this by contacting them. Trust me you wont change anyone's mind.

 

[naesco]

Naesco,

Thanks so much for your contributions to this thread.

Unfortunately, with absolutely zero past or current involvement in the trade of marine ornamentals there are some folks here is this community that might take your comments somewhat lightly.

I respect your efforts and hope that you continue to stay involved. All good teams have people cheering for them on the sidelines, out of play.

Warmest regards

And thank you for contributing to the most important issue raised by the orignial poster to this thread.
Wayne Ryan

 

[naesco]

Well from what i understand in talking to snorkel Bob is that they might be open to talks with the collectors. I would suggest that people stop contacting Sen Clayton Hee. Nothing further will be gained by this tactic and it is now counterproductive. Remember this is a fight between a small industry ( collectors) and a very large one( tourism). In Hawaii a lot more people make there living of tourists than collecting fish. Its time for the fish business in Hawaii to wake up and follow the Florida model of organizing the business. Setting regulations with input from both sides.

Please any more calls from outsiders ( yes we are outsiders, we don't live pay taxes or vote there)
is not going to be helpful. Please don't harass the people involved in this by contacting them. Trust me you wont change anyone's mind.

You are right on.
Instead of a knee jerk reaction,
industry should use the threat of Laws as an opportunity to form an organization which would spearhead reeform.
In this case meetings with industry and the tourist dive outfits and meetings with the Senator outlining the present status of the reefs and the voluntary reeform by industry to ensure that over collecting would not be necessary would be more productive.

Gentleman who of you will lead this endeavour?

Let me know something is being done and I will gladly write back to the Senator offering my support to your plans.
Wayne Ryan

 

[Anonymous]

What happenned to Cuba?

 

[Anonymous]

What happenned to Cuba?

Fidel's still alive and his bro is hangin' on.

 

[naesco]

What happenned to Cuba?

Please see my CUBA 2008 post of a few weeks ago.
Wayne

 

[Anonymous]

I did, you said very little. BTW when you where off is such a rush, you failled to answer some imprtant questions. You posted "I'm off to Cuba, no time to post". You had enough time to post that but you couldn't answer my questions.