Pros, cons told for Kahului fisheries management plan

Some question why it’s needed; others seek protection

By MELISSA TANJI, Staff Writer
KAHULUI — Oliver Cummings Sr. said the state will take away his “playground” with a proposed rule that requires fish catch reports for the Kahului Harbor Fisheries Management Area.

But Ed Lindsey, chairman of the Maui Nui Marine Resource Council, said that with the increasing population and with new people coming in with different mind-sets and views, rules need to be made to handle the demand on natural resources.

“We have to protect our simple joys, as simple island people,” he said.

Cummings said he has been fishing at the harbor for years and questioned the need for a proposed fishing check station requiring reports on catch from the harbor.

Cummings said people should know the predominant fish in the harbor are balloon fish and hammerhead sharks.

“What you need regulations there for? What? No more jobs,” he said at a public hearing on the proposed rules Wednesday night.

The staff of the state Division of Aquatics Resources received a mix of opinions on the draft fisheries management rules from eight of the 26 people attending the public hearing in the Lihikai Elementary School cafeteria.

The draft rule would place new limits on net use, establish a daily bag limit of 50 specimen per person, prohibit snagging and limit pole fishing to two poles per person — along with the proposal to require fishers to sign in and fill out catch reports.

A comment period on the proposed rules ends May 30, after which aquatics staff will prepare a recommendation to the state Board of Land and Natural Resources.

Russell Sparks, aquatics resources educational specialist on Maui, said the rule was developed to address concerns of fishers who use the harbor. He said the aquatics staff had ongoing discussions with harbor users to come up with the proposals.

For example, Sparks said, the bag limit dealt with concerns of halalu fishermen who said some people fished all day and took up the choice fishing spots. Halalu, or young akule, school close to shore during July.

The two poles-per-fisher rule dealt with complaints of fishers casting with multiple poles and taking up the limited shoreline space.

Sparks attempted to dispel fears that the proposal for check stations is a move to discourage fishing in the harbor. The proposed check stations, to be set up on two sites, are intended to measure the effectiveness of management efforts and document fishing in the harbor as a way to support continued access for fishing.

The check stations would be near the Hawaiian Canoe Club/Na Kai Ewalu hale and near the Kahului Harbor boat ramp on the west breakwater. Anyone fishing or diving in the harbor would be required to sign in and sign out and report their catch. The rule would not apply to commercial fishers, who must already file catch reports, or to boaters who are fishing outside the harbor.

In answering questions from the audience, Sparks said the check stations will not be staffed.

“It’s going to be up to the fishermen to endorse this concept,” he said.

Irene Bowie, executive director of Maui Tomorrow, said she wondered about the enforcement of the check stations and said the state should have follow-up meetings to see if the honor system is working. But she encouraged fishermen to use the check stations to show how many of them use the harbor.

Fisherman and hunter Darrell Tanaka said an unmanned check station, which would be similar to the hunter check stations used in state hunting areas, can work.

Not all hunters report honestly, he said, but the data is still valuable in demonstrating the active use for recreational hunting.

Tanaka also suggested a check station be placed across from the Harbor Lights condominium to give children from the residential complex easier access to a station.

Others were less enthusiastic about the new proposals.

“Rules and regulations we need, but not all the time,” said Patrick Borge Sr., who said he fishes in the harbor.

Borge said the rules should be enforced only during fish runs. Like Cummings, he said the usual catch is balloon fish, and there is no need for regulations for that.

Rudy Souza supported the 50-specimen bag limit but said the rule should be more specific and it should be no more than 50 specimen per day with one pole.

Iris Ginoza said she likes to fish at the harbor because it’s a safe environment, and she agrees with the two-poles limit. But she said she would like the catch limit to be 50 of each fish species instead of a limit of 50 fish of all species. She said the proposed bag limit will be “hard on some people.”

• Melissa Tanji can be reached at mtanji@mauinews.com.