OPPOSE SB92 to protect Community-Based Subsistence Fishing Areas
/February 2 update:
The Senate Water and Land Committee passed SB92 out of committee, with amendments putting Hāʻena’s designation into statue and requiring reporting every five years to legislature, BLNR, and stakeholders. No defective date was added. All senators (Inouye, Elefante, Chang, McKelvey, Fevella) voted yes.
The bill is now headed to the Senate Judiciary Committee.
January 30:
Please take a moment to submit testimony IN OPPOSITION to SB92, which repeals Community-Based Subsistence Fishing Areas (CBSFAs) after an unspecified number of years.
Hearing information
Wednesday, February 1, 1pm in the Senate Water and Land Committee; conference room 229 + videoconferencing
About the bill
SB92: Establishes a time limitation for community-based subsistence fishing area designations; provided that the Department of Land and Natural Resources may consider extending a designation in the year prior to the designation's expiration unless the designation is made through statute before its expiration.
Why this is bill is bad
CBSFAs are a critical way for Native Hawaiian subsistence communities to apply their deep expertise to the management of their nearshore fisheries, and may be the best chance we have to both perpetuate Native Hawaiian cultural practices, and ensure abundant fisheries for all to enjoy.
By creating an arbitrary expiration date for CBSFAs, subject solely to an extension by Department of Land and Natural Resources staff, this bill threatens a premature end to communities’ sustainable fisheries management successes, and places an unnecessary burden on an already overburdened, understaffed Department of Land and Natural Resources.
Communities have fought tirelessly for decades to establish community-driven, kānaka maoli science- and values- based management for their nearshore fisheries—management practices that have proven to be incredibly effective. Designating Community-Based Subsistence Fishing Areas is an already difficult process and the changes proposed through this bill only make this process more discouraging and difficult.
Sample testimony
Dear Chair Inouye, Vice Chair Elefante, and Members of the Senate Water and Land Committee,
I OPPOSE SB92, related to Community-Based Subsistence Fishing Areas.
Communities across Hawaiʻi have worked tirelessly for decades, and continue to contribute thousands of volunteer hours, to establish community-driven, kānaka maoli science- and values- based management for their nearshore fisheries through Community-Based Subsistence Fishing Area designations and rules.
While SB92 may have the stated intention to make CBSFAs more adaptive, the changes proposed in this bill will inadvertently make the adoption and adaptation of CBSFAs more difficult.
By creating an arbitrary expiration date for CBSFAs, subject solely to an extension by Department of Land and Natural Resources staff, this bill threatens a premature end to communities’ sustainable fisheries management successes, and places an unnecessary burden on an already overburdened, understaffed Department of Land and Natural Resources.
[Share personal story/experience with CBSFAs, community-driven science, fisheries management, etc]
Please, do not pull the rug out of community members who have dedicated years of their lives to perpetuate their nearshore fisheries and subsistence practices, and create a resilient and sustainable Hawaiʻi for future generations to enjoy. I kindly urge the committee to HOLD SB92.
Mahalo nui for allowing me to testify on this important matter.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
Testimony instructions
Register for a capitol website account if you havenʻt yet (youʻll need to confirm your registration by responding to an automated email)
Sign in to capitol.hawaii.gov with your registration information and click the "Submit Testimony" button.
Enter "bill #" where it says "Enter Bill or Measure."
Input your information and your written testimony, select your testimony option(s)—in-person + written, remotely + written, written only. Please consider providing verbal testimony (in-person or remotely) if you are able!
Note: Virtual testimony option may be disabled 24 hours before the hearing.
If you are testifying via Zoom, be sure to review these instructions (page 4)