Schatz asks president to expand marine sanctuary and elevate Hawaiians’ role

U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz on Thursday joined Native Hawaiian groups and environmentalists working to expand Papahanaumo- kuakea Marine National Monument and make it the largest marine sanctuary on Earth.

In his proposal to President Barack Obama, Schatz asked to preserve 582,578 square miles, expanding the size of Papaha- naumokuakea to 200 from 50 nautical miles offshore. The proposal includes an eastern boundary allowing local fisherman to continue to fish in certain areas.

The current national monument, which President George W. Bush established June 15, 2006, covers 139,797 square miles of ocean including 10 islands and atolls northwest of Niihau and Kauai.

In the proposal, Schatz said that the monument would strengthen an ecosystem for tuna, swordfish, sharks, seabirds, sea turtles and Hawaiian monk seals.

“A thoughtful expansion of (Papahanau- mokuakea) will continue Hawaii’s long history of sustainable use of the land and oceans into the future, and help ensure that we can give our children the legacy of a healthy, vibrant Pacific Ocean,” Schatz said in the letter.

Within the region there are more than 7,000 marine species. The area is one of the few remaining predator-dominated ecosystems in the world. Large predatory fish such as sharks, giant trevally and groupers are abundant. Elsewhere, these populations have been heavily depleted by fishing.

In the letter, Schatz proposed to guarantee an increased role for Native Hawaiians in managing the national monument. The proposal said the Office of Hawaiian Affairs should be recognized as a co-trustee on the same level as the Department of Commerce, the Department of the Interior and the state of Hawaii.

Members of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Native Hawaiian Working Group said Thursday they supported the proposal.

“The Cultural Working Group thanks Sen. Schatz for his leadership and supports this proposal, which gives maximum ecological and cultural protection while supporting small boat fishermen,” Chairman Kekuewa Kikiloi said in a statement.

Schatz is a member of the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard. His office said he developed the proposal after he and his staff met with Gov. David Ige, state Senate President Ron Kouchi, Kauai Mayor Bernard Carvalho and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.

Representatives from the White House Council on Environmental Quality met with stakeholders in Hawaii in May after Native Hawaiian leaders sent a letter to the administration in January asking the president to increase the size of Papahanaumokuakea to 200 nautical miles from shore.

The commercial fishing industry opposes the expansion. Earlier this year the Hawaii Seafood Council, Pacific Islands Fisheries Group and Hawaii’s Fishermen’s Alliance for Conservation and Tradition Inc. sent letters to the president claiming that widening Papahanau­mokuakea’s boundaries would hurt the domestic fishing industry due to the loss of access for U.S. fishermen to fish in U.S. waters.

Kitty Simonds, executive director for the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council, said she was disappointed Schatz is negotiating with the president without consulting with the council.

“His letter is full of unsupported and unsubstantiated statements,” Simonds said. “My suggestion is that he should meet with us and the industry.”

Simonds said the expansion will hurt Hawaii domestic fisheries and that foreign fleets will benefit.

“They’re fishing right outside our 200-mile zones, so we shove our fisherman out to compete with them,” she said.

Sean Martin, president of the Hawaii Longline Association, said he does not agree with Schatz, but appreciated that the proposal recognized the accomplishments of the longline fishery in Hawaii.

“If there is going to to be an expansion, we hope that there is recognition of the responsible fishery that we developed here in Hawaii and some accommodations that the fishery continue to access the waters in an expanded monument.”

The proposal includes stopping expansion at 163 degrees west longitude right before a spot near NOAA weather buoy 51101. Schatz’s office said this was so Kauai and Niihau residents will have access to all existing fishing areas.

“Sen. Schatz has taken an initiative to propose an eastern boundary,” Martin said. “(Schatz) mentioned that’s in his letter to the president, and we appreciate the recognition and support, and hope that there is consideration to the responsible fishery in allowing historical pelagic fisheries to continue within the proposed expanded area.”

Schatz requested that there be opportunity for the public to provide written comments, oral testimony or both before Obama makes a decision on expansion.

“Sen. Schatz has addressed many of the concerns I’ve heard about the expansion of the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument and has proposed reasonable accommodations for local fishers who are helping to feed our families,” said Ige in a statement. “I look forward to the public process as it moves forward.”

Martin said that the Hawaii Longline Association would participate in the public engagement process.

“Public input has limited value but certainly we intend on participating,” Martin said.