Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 22, Number 6, 1 June 2005 — State approves refuge plan for Northwest Islands [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

State approves refuge plan for Northwest Islands

Marine protections extend three miles around islands; Case introduces similar proposal for federal waters out to 50 miles By Sterling Kini Wong Native Hawaiian fisherman Louis Agard knows firsthand that the marine ecosystem of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI) is extremely fragile. From 1946 to 1956, he fished the waters surrounding the islands, whieh stretch 1,200 miles northwest of Kaua'i. At first, there seemed to be an endless supply of moi (threadfish), 'anae (mullet) and āholehole (Hawaiian flagtail). But after ten years of fishing, he saw the fish populations diminish significantly. "The fish there were easy to catch because they were so tame, they'd follow me around. But the fish stock

took a long time to replenish itself," said Agard, 81, who works at OHA's reception desk and is known affectionately to most as Unele Buzzy. "I basically fished myself out of an occupation." A pair of federal and state protec-

tion efforts could prevent this from happening again. On May 13, the state Board of Land and Natural Resources approved a plan that would establish a marine refuge for the state-controlled waters extending three miles around eaeh of the

Northwestern Islands. Commercial and recreational fishing would be prohibited in the refuge, and all other access, including scientific research, Native Hawaiian subsistence fishing and other traditional practices, would require a permit. Environmental groups and some Native Hawaiians praised the plan. "We commend the state for providing a true pu'uhonua (sanctuary) for what is regularly referred to as a world treasure," said Cha Smith, director of the KAHEA Hawaiianenvironmental allianee, at a BLNR meeting. "This is visionary." Three days later, Rep. Ed Case introduced federal legislation that would provide similar protection to the federal waters of the NWHI. Those waters stretch from the state waters to 50 miles out to sea. Covering 137,000 square miles, the federal refuge that Case envisions would be the first of its kind in the U.S. and the largest protected marine area in the world. "Protecting this area would create See REFUGE on page 10

More than 7,000 species eall the Northwestem Hawaiian lslands home, including this school of 'ala'ihi, or squirrelfish. A set of federal and state efforts would provide a maximum level of protection for the marine wildlife in this area. Photo: Courtesy of NWHI Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve

REFUGE from page 9 an 'oeean Yellowstone' comparable to our Yellowstone National Park, whose establishment in 1872, although itself revolutionary for its time, became the foundation of our National Park System," Case said in a press release. The 10 islands and atolls that comprise the NWHI contain 70 percent of the coral reefs in the U.S. The area is inhabited by more than 7,000 species of birds and marine animals, about a quarter of whieh are found nowhere else in the world. Many are threatened or endangered, including the Hawaiian monk seal and several species of turtles. Since December 2000, the NWHI has been protected through its status as a federal reserve. That designation, however, is set to expire in September, after whieh the area could be converted into a national marine sanctuary. The NWHI marine sanctuary program has proposed management recommendations that would allow some fishing to continue in the area. Case, however, disagrees. Access to the proposed federal refuge would require a permit and all eommercial fishing would be banned, according to his

legislation. "There should be some special places in our marine world that are truly off limits," Case said, "where our marine species ean live and thrive in their natural state, without the invasive, extractive hand of humankind."

Some loeal fishermen, however, are questioning the benefits of the increased protection in the area. Charles Ka'ai'ai is a longtime recreational fisherman and the indigenous coordinator of the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council, commonly referred to as Wespac. He said that Case's proposal would essentially kill the bottomfish industry in the Northwestern Islands, whieh are currently the source of half the bottomfish sold in Hawai'i's markets. Ka'ai'ai said only nine boats are currently allowed to fish in the NWHI, compared to 2,300 in the main Hawaiian islands. "I don't know what their impact is," Ka'ai'ai said, "but I'm guessing it's negligible." Buzzy Agard, however, says he wants the NWHI to have the maximum amount of protection. Agard, who was one of the first members of Wespac and now serves on the reserve's advisory eouneil, calls the NWHI the "fish nursery" for the main Hawaiian islands. "The currents transport the fish everywhere - all the islands are connected," he said. "There's so little fish over here [in the main Hawaiian islands], imagine what would happen if the fish stocks up there were to deteriorate more." £J

These kūmū, a type of goatfish, enjoy a swim through a portion of the approximately 132,000 acres of marine waters that comprise the Northwestem Hawaiian lslands. This area contains about 70 percent of the coral reefs in the U.S. Photo: Courtesy of NWHI Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve