Council Seeks to Quickly Reopen Area Closed Due to Whale Takes
Similar to the Hawai‘i shallow-set longline fishery’s incidental take of endangered loggerhead sea turtles, the Hawai‘i deep-set longline fishery just can’t seem to keep its interactions with false killer whales inside the 200-mile U.S. exclusive economic zone low enough to … Continued
Wespac Meeting Roundup
Council Seeks to Preempt Closure Of Fishing Areas on the High Seas The United Nations last year started negotiations on a treaty that could establish large-scale protected areas on the high seas, raising concern among staff of the Western Pacific … Continued
New & Notworthy: In Memoriam, EH-Xtra, ‘Aina Le‘a
In Memoriam: Last month the Hawaii environmental community lost two pillars of conservation: Don Reeser and William Merwin. Don, 80 years old, died March 16 at his home in Makawao, Maui. He probably did more to protect the natural resources … Continued
Board Talk: Hanalei Home, Ala Wai Permit
Billionaire NBA Team Owner Wins Permit to Build Hanalei Compound Mark Zuckerberg isn’t the only mainland billionaire who wants a private compound in North Kaua‘i for his family. On January 25, Helios Hanalei, LLC — a company formed by Atlanta … Continued
Swordfish Fishery Closes Early Again After Hitting Loggerhead Catch Limit
The Hawai‘i shallow-set longline fishery has struggled lately to slow its catches of endangered loggerhead sea turtles. As a result, it was shut down on March 19, after hitting its annual limit of 17 takes. This comes a year after … Continued
Council Issues Warning to NMFS Director After Lawsuit Threat Over Imperiled Shark
On February 7, the Conservation Council for Hawai‘i and Kona activist Mike Nakachi sent the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) a warning: Fulfill your obligations to protect threatened oceanic whitetip sharks or face a lawsuit that could halt Hawai‘i’s two … Continued
‘Aina Le‘a’s Plan to Exit Bankruptcy Is Derided by Major Secured Creditors
“There comes a time when even the most optimistic real estate developer must concede that what lies at the end of the rainbow is a pile of debt, not a pot of gold.” With that statement, attorneys for Bridge ‘Aina … Continued
A Short History of ‘Aina Le‘a Development
Efforts to develop about 3,000 acres of land in South Kohala go back decades. The most recent chapter in the land’s history starts in 1987, when Signal Puako, a subsidiary of Signal Landmark Properties – itself a subsidiary of The … Continued
Unsecured Creditors Ask Court to Reopen EIS Lawsuit Adjudicated Six Years Ago
In late 2010, DW ‘Aina Le‘a Development, LLC, published a final environmental impact statement for its planned series of villages on about 1,100 acres of land in the Hawai‘i island district of South Kohala, just mauka of the Mauna Lani … Continued