Lawsuit Seeks to Close ‘Loophole’ Allowing Aquarium Fish Collection
More than three years ago, the Hawai‘i Supreme Court issued its ruling in a case that many observers thought would halt commercial aquarium fish collection, at least for a time. The high court determined in Umberger v. Dep’t of Land and Natural Res. that … Continued
Opponents of Aquarium Trade Appeal Decision Upholding BLNR Rejection of EIS
Last May, the Board of Land and Natural Resources refused to accept an environmental impact statement that had been prepared by a private group seeking to reopen much of the west coast of Hawai‘i island to commercial aquarium fish collectors. In … Continued
Study Links Aquarium Collection to Decline of Reef Fish on O‘ahu
Some 17 years ago, Leon Hallacher and Brian Tissot undertook to assess the impact of aquarium fish collectors on the population of reef fish along the Kona coast of the Big Island. To collect the data needed, undergraduates were trained to identify the … Continued
Court Holds Final Arguments in Case Over Stream Diversions in East Maui
On September 24, Environmental Court Judge Jeffrey Crabtree heard final arguments in a case brought by the Sierra Club of Hawai‘i over permits that allow East Maui stream water to be diverted out of the watershed. The group argues that the state Board of … Continued
Board Talk: Steps Toward Food Self-Sufficiency On Maui, O‘ahu; Sandbag Burrito Case; and Hanauma Bay Coral Outplanting
Land Board Grants Permits, Easements For ‘Auwai Repair Projects in East Maui In the midst of a years-long legal battle with the state Board of Land and Natural Resources over its decisions to allow Alexander & Baldwin, Inc., to divert water from … Continued
New & Noteworthy: American Samoa Boundaries, Wespac’s Wish List
A Loss for American Samoa: The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has overturned a lower court decision, effectively giving longline fishing vessels the right to fish as close as 12 miles from the territory’s coast. The decision is a blow to … Continued
Strife Over Honokohau Boatyard Shift Lingers More Than 2 Years After Auction
Last month, Environment Hawai‘i reported on a $423,000 settlement the state Board of Land and Natural Resources approved to resolve several damage claims brought by its lessee, Pacific Marine Partners, LLC. The company had won a 10-year lease at public auction in the … Continued
Waikoloa Mauka Project Now Subject of FBI Investigation, Developer Says
Danny Julkowski threw himself on the mercy of the Leeward Planning Commission of Hawai‘i County last month. And as sympathetic as the commissioners were to his plight, their mercy was more limited. Julkowski was asking the commissioners to recommend that the … Continued