PURPOSE:
This document is to provide background information and suggested talking points for Sierra Club members and others supportive of strong environmental protection for the Northwest Hawaiian Islands. Much of the material was taken, with thanks for the hard work, from a fact sheet developed by Linda Paul of the Hawaii Audubon Society in consultation with coral reef scientists.
BACKGROUND:
The Northwest Hawaiian Islands (NWHI) are an archipelago of islands over 1200 miles long located west of the main Hawaiian Islands. They include Nihoa and Necker Islands, French Frigate Shoals, Maro Reef, and Pearl & Hermes Atoll, Midway Atoll, and Kure Atoll, and are surrounded by some of the healthiest and most extensive coral reefs in U.S. waters. The coral reef ecosystem extends from near-shore areas just beneath the ocean surface to depths of approximately 100 fathoms (600 feet). The NWHI comprises about seventy percent of the coral reefs of the United States.
The coral reef ecosystem of the NWHI encompasses approximately 10,000 square kilometers and is home to a diverse and unique assemblage of fish, invertebrates, birds, sea turtles, marine mammals and other species, including many species found nowhere else on Earth. Federally protected species include the threatened green sea turtle, the endangered leatherback and hawksbill sea turtles, and the only remaining population of the endangered Hawaiian monk seal. The Hawaiian Monk seal is completely dependent on coral reefs for existence. Ninety nine percent of all breeding and pupping occurs in the NWHI, and the population remains precariously low. In addition to its importance as a coral reef ecosystem, the NWHI is home to 14 million nesting seabirds; 19 breeding species. It is the major nesting area of the green sea turtle. Ninety nine percent of green sea turtles found in the main Hawaiian islands nest only in the NWHI
Much of the NWHI coral reef ecosystem lies within the Hawaiian Islands National Wildlife Refuge established by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1909. Midway Atoll is also a National Wildlife Refuge. Kure Atoll is the northernmost atoll and is a State Wildlife Sanctuary. The marine boundaries of the Hawaiian Islands National Wildlife Refuge are presently in dispute between the Departments of Commerce and the Interior, and the jurisdictional authorities of these two departments over marine resources within the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone are currently an issue within Congress. The President's directive directs the Secretaries of Commerce to work out a solution for the Northwest Hawaiian Islands by the end of August.
REQUEST FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS
On May 26, 2000, the President directed the Departments of the Interior and Commerce to conduct "visioning sessions, which would provide opportunities for public hearing and comment to help shape the final recommendations" for lasting protection and sustainable use of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands coral reef ecosystem. As part of the visioning process the Departments specifically request comments on the following issues related to the coral reef ecosystem of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.
NOTE: The following questions are those published in the Federal Register. The public meetings will be structured to receive public comments on the questions, possibly including small group breakout sessions.
QUESTIONS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT:
1. THOSE QUALITIES OF THE NORTHWESTERN HAWAIIAN ISLANDS CORAL REEF ECOSYSTEM THAT ARE MOST IMPORTANT TO BE PRESERVED THROUGH NEW, STRONG AND LASTING PROTECTIONS;
· Its present qualities as a unique large scale coral reef ecosytem still relatively undisturbed and intact when compared to reefs closer to population centers, containing some species found nowhere else in the Hawaiian Islands.
· Its function as a refuge for the endangered Hawaiian Monk Seal, threatened species of turtles and birds, and the large population of birds that nest and forage there.
2. THE CURRENT THREATS TO THE NORTHWESTERN HAWAIIAN ISLANDS CORAL REEF
ECOSYSTEM;
· The current lack of regulations prohibiting extraction of coral reef resources from the NWHI. Protection presently occurs only within the boundaries of National Wildlife Refuges and for certain fish species covered by Fishery Management Plans under the Magnuson Stevens Act.
· Vessel groundings: physical, chemical, and biological damage
· Damage by active fishing gear: traps, nets, lines
· Damage by derelict fishing gear and other marine debris
· Ghost fishing by lost traps and other gear
· Overfishing, especially lobster, which may be affecting food supply of monk seal pups and lobster recruitment in the main Hawaiian islands
· Seabird, turtle, and shark bycatch
3. THE FUTURE THREATS TO THE NORTHWESTERN HAWAIIAN ISLANDS CORAL REEF ECOSYSTEM;
· Threats from new technology such as re-breathing devices that would allow collection of aquarium fish at deeper depths than now possible.
· Biosprospecting
· Expansion of ecotourism
· Increasing demand in Asian markets for the live fish trade
· Vulnerability of the NWHI to “hit and run” extraction of coral reef resources
· Increased range of future fishing vessel operations as resources elsewhere are depleted
4. THE TYPES OF ACTIVITIES AND USES (INCLUDING CULTURALLY SIGNIFICANT USES) THAT
ARE APPROPRIATE IN THE NORTHWESTERN HAWAIIAN ISLANDS;
· Appropriateness of use must be related to the type of use proposed, the proposed location of the use, and the scale of the use. All uses and activities should be subject to permit requirements and monitoring.
· Non-extractive cultural, educational, recreational, and scientific activities in appropriate locations and at levels consistent with protection of endangered and threatened species and the coral reef ecosystem.
· Commercial and recreational fishing and other activities in zoned areas designated as non-sensitive by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the State of Hawaii, and the National Marine Fisheries Service.
5. THE TYPES OF ACTIVITIES AND USES THAT ARE INAPPROPRIATE IN THE NORTHWESTERN
HAWAIIAN ISLANDS; AND
· Extractive activities and uses except very limited extraction of materials of cultural significance to native Hawaiians from areas so designated and in quantities regulated by permit.
· Any activity or use that would individually or cumulatively degrade coral reef resources would be inappropriate and disallowed under Executive Order 13089.
6. THE TYPES OF MANAGEMENT TOOLS, ACTIONS, AND APPROACHES THAT SHOULD BE USED TO
ENSURE STRONG AND LASTING PROTECTION OF THE NORTHWESTERN HAWAIIAN ISLANDS CORAL REEF ECOSYSTEM.
· Manage the entire Northwest Hawaiian Island chain as an integral unit, including Midway and Kure atolls, with collaboration and cooperation by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Agency, National Marine Fisheries Service, and the State of Hawaii, under a management regime which includes an advisory body consisting of individuals representing commercial fishing, recreational fishing, educational, scientific, conservation, and native Hawaiian interests, and including the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council in an advisory capacity.
· Manage at a food-chain-level, rather than a species-level, using zoned marine protected areas, including no-take areas, and with adequately sized buffer zones surrounding the no-take areas.
· Conduct ongoing integrated coral reef ecosystem monitoring and assessment, including:
· Reef fish distribution, assessment and nursery habitat
· Monk seal and green sea turtle movement, foraging and habitat use
· Seabird monitoring, including interactions with fishing vessels and gear
· Conduct assessments of impacts of fishing and fishing gear, marine debris, vessel groundings, oil & chemical spills
· Place burden of proof for research sampling permits on applicants, to establish that such sampling will not damage a public trust resource
· Require each vessel operating in the NWHI to carry a $2 million vessel grounding bond, and a Vessel Monitoring System operated 24 hours per day so as to alert appropriate federal and State agencies if vessel enters an off-limits zone.
· Require 100% observer coverage on all commercial vessels fishing 50 miles or less from the NWHI National Wildlife Refuge (This will not adversely affect longline vessels since they are already prohibited from approaching within 50 miles of the NWHI)
· Harvest (species, number, size, sex, location, gear) reporting by all takers; no privileged information from managed NWHI coral reef areas
· Prohibit all non-selective gear capable of taking pre-reproductive-sized fish and invertebrates (lobster)
· Establish and fund a joint Federal/State Coral Reef Emergency Response Team