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THE NORTHWESTERN HAWAIIAN ISLANDS are a network of coral reefs, islands, atolls, and shoals that arches through the Pacific for 1,200 miles northwest of the Main Hawaiian Islands. These prehistoric landmasses are the oldest parts of the Hawaiian archipelago. Celebrated in stories of creation as the place where Hawai‘i began, these ancient islands are often described as the kupuna, or ancestors, of the Main Hawaiian Islands and their survival as one of the earth’s last remaining large-scale coral reef ecosystems is a critical issue for the Pacific region and the entire planet. The Northwestern Hawaiian Islands ecosystem contains over 3.5 million acres of some of the world’s oldest living coral colonies and encompasses tremendous biodiversity. More than 7,000 marine species have been recorded in the NWHI among them, the endangered Hawaiian monk seal, endangered and threatened sea turtles, reef fish, bottom fish, sharks, corals, anemones, jellyfish, mollusks, sea grasses, algae and over 14 million sea birds. more NWHI background)
 NWHI hui issues critical review of the Management Plan proposed for the Papahanaumokuakea Monument in the NWHI  Several thousand people throughout Hawai‘i and the world joined the call to uphold the strongest possible protections for the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands in the management plan for the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument. The NWHI hui, consisting of members from KAHEA, Sierra Club, and ‘Ilioula‘okalani Coalition, identified ten key shortfalls that must be addressed for the final management plan to be successful in protecting the amazing and sacred resources of the NWHI. The world's largest marine protected area was established in 2006 after years of overwhelming public support for the strongest possible protections. On April 22, 2008, the Draft Monument Management Plan (DMMP) was released to the public. The final version of the plan is expected to be released to the public in December. Once finalized the DMMP will be the single most important document dictating how the Papahanaumokuakea protections are implemented over the next 15 years.  After all the fanfare in establishing the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, the DMMP fell far short of creating a true pu'uhonua (place of refuge) in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. The DMMP proposes to increase harmful human activity in the Monument through more tourism, more extractive research, and more construction without a cummulative impact risk assessment, a numerical carrying capacity, or a citizen's advisory council. Statement on the final version of the Monument Management Plan (440k PDF) KAHEA, December 29, 2008. Read the Analysis of the DMMP by the NWHI hui: "Fulfilling the Promise: Recommendations for Improving the Draft Monument Management Plan for the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument," by the NWHI hui, July 23, 2008 - Executive Summary (368KB PDF) - Complete Comments (6.3MB PDF) - National Sign-On Letter (52KB PDF) - Statement to the Press (80 KB PDF) "No Human Footprint on the NWHI" Brochure (716 PDF) Learn more by clicking here... HIMB CONCEDES!! And the Deputy AG Agrees "Maximum Penalty is Entirely Appropriate"! HIMB accepts penalty for permit violations and requests to cancel the contested case citing concern about the investigation into additional research permit violations First, we got a letter on March 11, 2008 from HIMB to the Chair of the Land Board asking for special permission to drop HIMB's appeal of the Land Board's fine for one of several possible violations of a permit to research in the NWHI. They cited the recent decision by the state-appointed hearings officer to expand the scope of the investigation as a key motivation for withdrawing its appeal. Then on March 14th, we got the Deputy AG's response. He said "When studying disease, the highest priority in public health, environmental science or any other research discipline, is to prevent its spread into previously unaffected populations. This is exactly what condition #29 [the permit condition violated in this case] was designed to protect against and is the condition which should be most highly guarded. Consequently, the maximum penalty is entirely appropriate." We hope this signals a new commitment to enforcement at the AG's office and DLNR, too. The future of the case - whether the additional violations will ever be investigated and enforced against - rests with the Board of the Land and Natural Resources, which must rule on the Hearing Officer's recommendation that KAHEA participate in the case and HIMB's request to withdraw because the Hearing Officer broadened the scope of the investigation. Unfortunately, none of this requires any public notice under the law, but we will be sure to keep everyone updated. Deputy Attorney General Finds "Maximum Penalty Entirely Appropriate" for NWHI Research Permit violations March 15, 2008 KAHEA Press Release. Landmark Case Threatens To Reveal Illegal NWHI Activities, HIMB Requests to Cancel Contested Case March 12, 2008, KAHEA Press Release. Letter From KAHEA to BLNR Re: HIMB Request to Withdraw March 12, 2008. Click here to learn more. Long-time NWHI Advocate Louis "Uncle Buzzy" Agard Calls for True Commitment to Pu'uhonua in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Founding KAHEA Board member Louis "Buzzy" Agard is a revered kupuna (elder) who lived and fished in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands for many years. He is a former commercial fisher, who served on the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council (Wespac) for over a decade. In 2001, he was honored by President Clinton at the establishment of the NWHI Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve. Today, Uncle Buzzy still serves on the citizen advisory council to that Reserve. In Sunday's Gathering Place in the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, Uncle Buzzy called for renewed public attention to the NWHI: "Today more and more people are going up there for research, education, even sightseeing. Anytime you set something off limits, people want to go there; this is the irony of our success in establishing protections for the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Already this year, permits have been granted to allow unlimited numbers of people to go to the Northwestern Islands to do any kind of dredging, discharging, and taking, even recreational fishing. Researchers have violated their permits and we have seen little will for enforcement. This is wrong. We must change our attitude about this place entirely--there should be no human footprint up in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands." Read more here.  Navy Range Expansion Threatens the NWHI! The U.S Navy is proposing to expand its military training range across the entire Hawaiian Archipelago, this includes the highly protected Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI) State Marine Refuge, the Papahanaumokuakea Marine Monument, and the Pacific Humpback Whale Sanctuary. Their expansion plans call for ballistic missile interceptions over Nihoa and Mokumanamana in the NWHI, live-fire training on ranges contaminated with depleted uranium, and increased use of high-intensive active sonar in Hawaiian waters. You can help minimize the harm of the Navy's expansion. Get Involved! Submit Your Comments!! Even though the comment period has passed, we are still collecting people's mana'o for future opportunities. Your voice makes a difference! Learn More, Download this Flyer **spread the word!! share this flyer with friends New! NWHI T-Shirts! |
KAHEA is an alliance of Kanaka Maoli (Native Hawaiian) cultural practitioners, environmental activists and others concerned with protecting customary and traditional rights and our fragile environment.
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