City council rejects proposal to ban shark tours

[vinegarbiscuit]

I am pleased to hear that the city council killed the proposed shark tour ban. Please don't get me wrong - I'm all for seeing critters in their natural habitat and not upsetting the natural balance of things by feeding them - but it seems this ban could have had far worse-reaching consequences for the island's dive shops- (if Maui's recent similar ban is anything to go by).

City Council Kills Shark Tour Ban

Hawaii Kai Opponents Wanted Island-Wide Ban

POSTED: 8:53 pm HST October 7, 2009

HONOLULU -- A Honolulu City Council committee on Wednesday killed two proposals to either ban outright or limit new companies from starting the tours on Oahu.
Two shark tour companies operating out of Haleiwa for the last nine years brought dozens of supporters to help them fight for the right to keep in business. The businesses take visitors down in cages 3 miles out from shore to view sand bar and Galapagos sharks.

"I have been out there for nine years. I go out there every single day, seven days a week and i don't have one single person coming up complaining to me," North Shore Shark Adventures owner Joe Pavsek said.

The operators said they take out 40,000 visitors each year.

"I think in these hard economic times it would be a shame to shut down something that is pumping a lot of money into the state," North Shore resident Mark Glaser said.

A group of Hawaii Kai residents successfully discouraged a shark tour operator from starting a business in Maunalua Bay. They were hoping for an island-wide ban.

"I have always felt that a passive viewing of sharks in their natural habitat might not be that bad, but this is artificial. This is attracting sharks. This is causing them to congregate," Hawaii Kai Neighborhood Board Chairman Greg Knudsen said.

Others objected to a proposal to grandfather in the two existing Haleiwa shark operations, but ban them elsewhere.

"Logically how can we say it is not OK in East Oahu, but that practice is perfectly fine on the north shore. I don't think there is any way to justify that distinction," Haleiwa fisherman Ed Ebisui said.

Oahu is not the only county to deal with the shark tour issue. Maui has already banned shark tours even though no one has set up a shark tour operation there yet.
Some council members rejecting Oahu's shark ban proposals said the matter should be handled instead by the state or federal government.

 

[Shaka Doug]

Maui already banned shark tours???? Where did you hear this? I know they've been discussing it but I didn't hear of any outcome yet. I would love to know more as there are so many sharks out at Molokini practically every boat that goes there is runnning a shark viewing tour. I also know some boats that run out to Mohu Ho'Oniki Rock off Molokai (when they get the chance) so they might be able to see the hammerheads. This is in Maui county so it would fall under this ban too, right?

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

Council backs shark tours ban, kuleana lands bills - Mauinews.com | News, Sports, Jobs, Visitor's Information - The Maui News

WAILUKU - Bills to provide property tax exemptions for Native Hawaiians with kuleana lands and a ban on shark tours both passed final reading Friday by the Maui County Council.

Council Member Jo Anne Johnson said that the bill prohibiting shark tour operations in Maui County was a matter of respect for Native Hawaiians who consider the animals sacred, and was a safety issue since it often involves using dead fish parts to attract the predators, potentially changing sharks' natural behavior.

The shark ban passed unanimously, said Council Member Mike Victorino.

Shark tours do not currently exist in Maui County, but there are some on Oahu.

"We're not Oahu," Johnson said.

While the county government doesn't have authority over activities that happen off-shore, the bill would regulate the business side of shark tours, prohibiting any business from operating in Maui County that charges customers to enter the ocean to feed or attract sharks for viewing.

Over a month ago (Sept 5th article); It is actually a ban on having a business on the Island(s) since they have no jurisdiction past 3 miles out to sea. Oahu's city attorneys deemed similar legislation outside of their jurisdiction. Maui County does not care if something is outside their jurisdiction.

 

[vinegarbiscuit]

Sorry to freak you out, Doug, but that's what I understand from the local newspapers and radio reports (Maui: Shark Tour Ban Bill Passed | KGMB9 News Hawaii | (KGMB9) bill would regulate the business side of shark tours, prohibiting any business from operating in Maui County that charges customers to enter the ocean to feed or attract sharks for viewing.

Halemano is absolutely right - the Council's jurisdiction can only go so far - so my big worry is the impact on Maui dive operators who have no intention of taking their customers on a shark viewing tour per se, but just happen to see a couple of sharks during the dive. A nit-picking council member could easily start moaning that dive operators are making money from taking people to see sharks (even though that's not their avowed intent...go into the ocean, and there's a slight chance you'll see a shark, right?) and start making life uncomfortable for the operator and his/her customers. Ridiculous, absolutely ridiculous.

 

[Shaka Doug]

Yes, it is ridiculous...probably never be enforced...kind of like the very recent ban on alcohol at Charlie Young Beach that now includes Kamaole Beach 1. I saw the regular bums down there today, sitting at the picnic tables, drinking their beers as usual...they were pretty much there ALL DAY!!

I'm just gonna stop talking about sharks on my dives. We never see them off shore anyway...

 

[Black_3000psi]

amazing, being that you are more likely to die in a plane crash then die in a shark attack...why dont they ban all flights to and from the Island.

 

[SteveAD]

How about banning idiots who want to ban other people from doing stuff?

 

[weenerdoggs]

Bear with me here if I play the devils advocate a bit.

The folks in Hawaii Kai were concerned with a shark tour operating right in the bay. The bay is extensively used for just about every watersport and the locals felt that a boat chumming for sharks didn't mix well with its current use. I guess some people got a little carried away and went island wide and thought everyone was chumming off the dock. i do not believe this is the case!

Personally I support the exclusion of any shark tours/shark chumming activities within the 3 mile zone, outside of that I say go for it. It is not too likely that people will be surfing 3 miles out from shore!

Lastly, it seems apparent that when we operate in a mode based on sense we find a society with fewer rules and better outcomes. The last thing we need in Hawaii is more rules (aka taxation).

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

Speaking of weenie's, the proposed Hawaii Kai shark snorkel cage tours were going to be conducted beyond the 3 mile zone. The guy with the idea had been a captain for one of the North Shore operators since nearly the beginning and the business model was nearly identical. Major sticky points with the Hawaii Kai folks were the fact that the money partner was not from the Islands and the fact that Hawaii Kai peep's and North Shore peep's really don't like each other.

IMHO, it was not the logical arguments that sank that proposed business; the knowledgeable detractors played on the fear of the ignorant masses to incite hysteria and it was all over but the cryin'!

 

[DiveWestOahu]

i like scubadrew