New & Noteworthy
A New High and Low: First, the good news: In 2007, 14 endangered Hawaiian monk seal pups were born in the Main Hawaiian Islands, the highest number on record. The bad news is that the monk seal population in the … Continued
Hawai`i Longliners Attempt End Run Around Bigeye Quotas in Western Pacific
For the first time, the Hawai`i longline fleet is operating under catch limits for its most lucrative haul – bigeye tuna – throughout virtually the entire area it fishes. Yet the trade group representing the 125 or so longline vessels … Continued
Wespac Refuses to Rubberstamp Budget; Public Will Be Able to See It Before Vote
For Kitty Simonds, executive director of the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council, what happened on Saturday, July 25, must have felt like a palace coup. At the tail end of a four-day meeting of the council in Kona, Simonds had … Continued
Council Once More Increases Quotas for Bottomfish in Main Hawaiian Islands
In the three years since total allowable catch limits, or TACs, were first set for seven species of highly prized bottomfish around the Main Hawaiian Islands, the annual quotas have steadily grown. From 178,000 pounds the first year, it has … Continued
Marine, Native Forest Bird and Plant Habitats Will All Suffer Under Climate Change Scenarios
“I don’t think we’re licked yet,” said one of the more optimistic presenters at this year’s Hawai`i Conservation Conference. But while he and several other speakers insisted that it’s not too late to try to protect Hawai`i’s natural resources from … Continued
New & Noteworthy: Snail v. Snail v. Rat; Kaukonahua Comments
Snail v. Snail v. Rat: The enemy of my enemy is my friend. That may be a concise description of the findings of two University of Hawai`i researchers into the predation of black rats on two species of invasive snails, … Continued
Under New Management, `Aina Le`a Is Given Yet Another Chance by LUC
The on-again, off-again Kohala development known as the Villages of `Aina Le`a is on again. In August, the state Land Use Commission gave new life to the project when it backed away from the action it took last April to … Continued
Superfund Site, Failed Casino Project in History of New `Aina Le`a Developer
“Mr. Wessels has been around for a while, he has done projects, although not in Hawai`i.” – Alan Okamoto, attorney for DW `Aina Le`a In the eyes of the members of the Land Use Commission, the fact that Bridge `Aina … Continued
Environmental Assessment for Irradiator Is Ridiculed by Atomic Safety Board Judges
A three-judge panel of the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board has dealt a major setback to backers of a planned irradiator on state land at Honolulu International Airport. As a result, the public will have an opportunity to comment once … Continued
Commissioners Lambast NEON Reps for Surprise Selection of NAR Site
“I’m appalled,” state Natural Area Reserves System commissioner Sheila Conant said at the commission’s August meeting, referring to the U.S. Forest Service’s and NEON, Inc.’s (short for National Ecological Observatory Network) failure to consult the commission before deciding to build … Continued