Call To Action Re Marine Sanctuary

In brief, there is a movement a foot to dump Peter Young as DLNR chair
by WestPac and the fishermen (same folks who supported HB1848 HD2.)

The environmental groups are trying to counter this with a call for testimony, contacting the Senators, and signing a petition, either online or on paper.

www.kahea.org ....signing the petition will keep the ball rolling on the hard-won protections of the NWHI State Refuge which are under attack by the same forces that have opposed protecting this world treasure all along. WESPAC and its commercial allies hope to oust Peter Young before he can fully implement the NWHI protections.

NWHI are spawning grounds for many types of fish caught "downstream" here in the major chain and commercial fishing threatens the supply. (basically)

The commercial fishing lobby interests need to be countered, IMO.

Best of luck with this, Catherine and other Hawaiian conservationists.

It never ceases to amaze me how shortsighted many fishers are. Marine reserves have been shown to help increase fish stocks in adjacent waters, and thereby serve to benefit fishers in their efforts to make a living.

Often it seems the worst of the bunch are the corporate fishers who seem to be concerned only about the next quarter's profits rather than the sustainability of their endeavor. The best of the bunch are often the long-term fishers who are old enough and smart enough to have seen the decline in their fish stocks. I've spoken with a number of the folks here on Catalina who have been commercial and recreational fishers back into the 1930's and to a person they comment on the long-term decline in many of our fish species here.

"The commercial fishing lobby interests need to be countered, IMO."
Where are you going to buy your opah from then?
Ive been on both sides of the fence on this one. Corporate fishing should end but the little guy can should still be able to make a living.

I hope everyone is watching this session in the state house
because it seems to me they are hellbent on destroying the ocean this
session. It seems that Westpac is continuing its anti-conservation
efforts by attacking MPAs like Hanauma Bay.