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Question: I go frequently to Ala Moana Beach. Recently there’s a person who throws out a long line with a lot of hooks into the water by Magic Island, where we all swim, to fish for oama. I’ve heard some people got snagged by the hooks. The lifeguard said he couldn’t do anything. But this is dangerous. Shouldn’t he be fishing where people don’t swim?
Answer: There are no state or city rules or regulations that would prohibit someone from fishing there.
We contacted the city Department of Parks and Recreation, since Magic Island/Ala Moana Beach Park is under its jurisdiction, and were told simply that “the state regulates fishing, not the counties.”
We were told to contact the state Department of Land and Natural Resources.
“The Ala Moana Beach basin is multi-use, and unless there is a county park rule about fishing along that stretch of beach, there really is no violation,” responded DLNR spokeswoman Deborah Ward.
Under Section 13-244-34 of its Administrative Rules, which cover Ala Moana Beach Park’s ocean waters, the only restrictions are that no one can operate or moor a vessel except a canoe, and the canoe can be used only in the canoe practice area.
No other section would cover swimming zones in particular, Ward said. Each section covers a specific area, and, according to the section for Ala Moana Beach, fishing is not prohibited.
That all said, “It’s important for ocean users to be aware of others also sharing the ocean and to exercise common courtesy for one another by adjusting your activity accordingly,” Ward said.
“Common sense indicates first-come, first-served in our public areas.”
That means swimmers should be aware of other activities and “adjust accordingly, especially when there may be seasonal runs, as is happening in different locations with oama,” she said.
By the same token, fishermen are advised to watch out for vessels and swimmers.
Question: My child catches the No. 18 bus from Maryknoll School to St. Louis Drive every afternoon after school. He gets out at 2:45 p.m. and just misses the bus, which comes around that time. He then waits for the next bus for more than one hour. But on Sept. 6 the next bus came at 4:15 p.m. I know it changed last school year to every hour. Has it now been changed again to every 90 minutes?
Answer: No. It should arrive every 65 to 67 minutes, traffic accommodating.
Oahu Transit Services confirmed that on Friday, Sept. 6, the Route 18 bus (University-Ala Moana) arrived at your son’s Wilder Avenue/Alexander Street bus stop at 2:49 p.m. The next bus was scheduled to arrive at about 3:56 p.m. But “due to extreme traffic that day, the bus arrived at 4:17 p.m.,” said OTS spokeswoman Michelle Kennedy.
She also said Route 18 has been an hourly service for many years but recently was adjusted to the 65- to 67-minute frequency to account for the increase in traffic.
If your son can make a transfer, she suggested an alternate bus: Route 4 (Nuuanu-Punahou) arrives every 20 minutes at his stop. He can take Route 4 to the University Avenue and King Street stop (No. 416), walk around the corner to the King and Kapaakea Lane stop (No. 3067) fronting Moiliili Community Center, then take Route 1 (Kahala Mall).
Route 1 arrives every 10 minutes and will take your son to the Waialae Avenue/Opposite St. Louis Drive stop (No. 2998).
Anyone else with questions about routes and schedules can call the OTS Customer Services Department, 848-4500.
MAHALO
To a nice lady. I dropped $3 at Don Quijote last month, and she was kind enough to pick it up and give it to me. — No Name
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