The state plans to observe commercial boating activities in Hanalei Bay on Kauai this summer to monitor the effects of new rules approved Friday by the Land Board.
The Board of Land and Natural Resources approved rules that will regulate commercial activities at the bay. The rules limit the number of commercial operations and require them to have a state permit.
No more than five permits will be granted to load and unload passengers at the bay, and no more than two permits will be granted to use the Hanalei launch ramp for kayak tours. Additional rules are in effect.
“This is a good start,” said Ron Agor, the board’s Kauai member who worked with the community in drafting the rules.
The rules will be sent to the Governor’s Office and are expected to be adopted within the next two weeks. Agor said he and the state Division of Boating and Recreation will monitor how the new rules affect operations at the bay this summer and possibly through next summer. Changes to the new rules are possible depending on how the assessment goes.
Brian Lansing, owner of Whitey’s Boat Cruises Inc., said, “We’re OK with rules for Hanalei.” Lansing has conducted tours at the bay since 1973.
During Friday’s meeting, Lansing asked that the maximum number of passengers be increased to 45 instead of 30, saying the proposed lower limit could affect business. Lansing said he is limited to operating about 150 days a year because of weather-related reasons. Board members kept the passenger limit at 30 but said they are open to changing it depending on the assessment.
Mitchell Alapa, owner of Hawaiian Surfing Adventures, also testified the rules could affect his business as each permit authorizes only one instructor per day to conduct lessons, to a maximum of four students at any given time.
Alapa testified his company gets an influx of clients seeking surfing lessons when the weather is good, noting Kauai receives a lot of rainfall. “We don’t get 16 people daily,” he told the board. “I have 10 instructors who work for me. Hopefully I don’t have to lay off anyone.”
Michael G. Sheehan, owner of the boatyard at the Hanalei River, testified that the rules impose a partial ban and questioned how the numbers of allowed commercial boating operations were arrived at. “I’m always in favor of rules, but not these rules,” he said.
