Fishermen to ask for time to discuss monk seal plan

Several fishing enthusiasts, along with state Rep. John Mizuno, said Wednesday they will ask federal officials to delay any decision to expand the critical habitat for monk seals or to relocate monk seal pups to the main Hawaiian Islands as part of a three-year conservation recovery program.

Mizuno (D, Kamehameha Heights-Kalihi Valley-Fort Shafter) said he and legislators he has spoken with were unaware of the proposals until recently and that they feel they need time to discuss them with federal officials. He said the fishing community and some Native Hawaiians agree.

"It’s just not enough time," he said. "We’re hearing the Hawaiian community was left out."

About 25 people attended a public meeting called by Mizuno Wednesday at the state Capitol. Mizuno said the proposal to expand the monk seal habitat has raised major economic worries about near-shore impacts, including tourism, and may infringe on states’ rights.

"This is our state," he said "These are our waters."

The deadline for public comment was Wednesday on the proposed monk seals’ critical habitat in the main Hawaiian Islands. But federal officials could reopen the comment period.

A final rule or revised proposed rule needs to be submitted by June 2.

Jeff Walters, Marine Mammal branch chief for the National Marine Fisheries Service, said that if his agency delays its recovery actions for too long, there will be too few pups to relocate from the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands and the species will be closer to extinction.

Walters said the earliest the agency would be able to relocate monk seal pups would be in about a year.

"We think there is time in the interim to work through any public concerns we have not already addressed in the draft," he said.

Walters said there are an estimated 200 monk seals in the main Hawaiian Islands and his agency doesn’t expect the small number of additional seals to have a significant impact.

Roy Morioka, a former member of the Western Pacific Fisheries Management Council, said that if the critical habitat for monk seals is expanded to the main Hawaiian Islands, a number of activities could be curtailed, including coastal construction, dredging, renewable energy development and sewage dispersal.

"The economic impacts are tremendous," Morioka said.

Morioka said the proposed habitat for monk seals in the main Hawaiian Islands excludes military areas and Waikiki but affects areas with civilian residents.

Fishermen said accommodating only a couple of monk seals can have a major effect on seafood resources, including near-shore octopus grounds.

"Some people depend on the ocean to feed their families," said Mary Ellen "Bryant" Malabey, a member of a family of fishermen.

Commercial fisherman Frank Farm said bringing the monk seal pups to the main Hawaiian Islands, where there are fishing interests, "is not a good mix."

Farm said that if a critical habitat for monk seals is established, fishermen encountering monk seals in the ocean would be asked to stop fishing or to move.

"It only gets worse as it continues," he said.