Off The News: Hawaiians and ‘customary exchange’

Don’t call it “customary”: Despite testimony that there is no Hawaiian tradition of canoeing to the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands to gather up fish for subsistence, the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council (Wespac) has voted to recommend federal rules allowing “customary exchange” by private fishing trip into the protected waters and “cost recovery,” allowing for the sale of up to $15,000 in fish to recoup costs.

Notably, the two dissenters in the 9-2 Wespac vote were both Hawaii-based: at-large member Shae Kamakaala and state of Hawaii representative David Sakoda. The recommendation now goes to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.