Almost all Hawai`i longline vessels use monofilament line when they fish. This is a clear plastic line, all but invisible in the water. When I spied the thick stainless steel hook lashed onto about a foot of thin plastic-coated wire … Continued
Lobsters in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands are in trouble. And, as the lobsters go, so go the monk seals. This reasoning is at the heart of a recent lawsuit against the National Marine Fisheries Service brought by three environmental groups … Continued
These are a handful of bills that, for better or worse, would have affected Hawai`i’s environment but which did make it to crossover. Crossover occurs when bills that have passed one chamber are sent to the other for consideration. In … Continued
Researchers Seek To Extend Life Of ATOC Another Five Years The controversial Acoustic Thermometry of Ocean Climate (ATOC) project would continue at least until 2005, under a Conservation District Use Permit filed with the state by researchers at the Scripps … Continued
Only in Hawai’i, among the 50 states, is the practice of shark-finning legal. This distinction has not gone unnoticed; lately, shark-finning by the Hawai’i longline fleet has come under increasing fire from a broad spectrum of national groups. The issue … Continued
The Peregrine Fund Transfers State Contract to San Diego Zoo On December 10, representatives of The Peregrine Fund appeared before the Board of Land and Natural Resources with a request to allow the transfer of its $300,000-a-year state contract to … Continued
To Lose a Species Is Cause for Sadness Thank you for your recent coverage of the state Natural Area Reserve System and the serious threat posed by introduced mammals to native Hawaiian species and ecosystems. I agree with Kathryn Wiese … Continued
“Ravens are found here but they are scarce,” wrote Charles Clerke in his journal in February 1779. “Their color is dark brown inclining to black, and their Note is different from those of Europe.” Clerke was captain of the Discovery … Continued
Viewed charitably, the publication of the Fish and Wildlife Service’s draft environmental assessment for release of `alala might be regarded as the triumph of hope over experience. After all, there’s nothing in the experience of the last decade to suggest … Continued
The draft Environmental Assessment for release of `alala to several sites on the Island of Hawai`i describes each prospective release site in some detail. As outlined below, each site poses its own unique set of challenges: Pu`uwa`awa`a. The Pu`uwa`awa`a sanctuary … Continued