551 dead yellow tang

[Rob Tucker]

I am actually kind of sorry you agree with me on some of my rant. It would be a better world if I was wrong and the true facts were other than they are.

I study the County budgets a fair bit and read the auditor reports. I am pleased to say that the Animal Control Department seems to be well run and efficient. Maybe somewhere in the State Of Hawaii there is a functioning department which is well run from top to bottom.

Still waiting.

I hope you are not reprimanded for posting what you have posted here.

Email me privately perhaps and tell me who I can get the most enjoyment from annoying at DLNR.

[Carey]

Rob, i might be time to note that this story came to light due to the efforts of DAR personnel that did respond to a call, dumpster dove, found the discarded fish, cataloged & are now trying to establish what happened that caused this event (the tangs & others were not of the expected size for this time of year) & they are trying to piece together what actually occurred.

I was there this weekend & they are taking this very seriously & trying to work with people at the harbor, fishers, divers & community members alike. unfortunately, there are soo many questions in this scenario & there are very few answers....

I have worked with DAR & DLNR employees (all field workers) in my school research work & every one that I have worked with puts in long hours, they do work in rough field environments & have had to deal with some of the more disturbing aspects of human nature....

It is also very important to note that these DAR employees are members of the DLNR.... so to say (or imply) they have little, to no, value may not be fair, at this time...
http://hawaii.gov/dlnr/dar/

ETA: The HPD may not be the right place for action to occur.... in another thread, it took 3+ months for the HPD to have detectives start to look into a ROBBERY in Hilo.... sounds like they may not have the resources needed for protecting fish....

[Guest]

Rob,

I could rant on this thread a whole bunch, and you are right on here. The officer’s in the field are absolutely the best that Hawaii has to offer, bar none. The administration of DLNR needs to be gutted and revamped totally. They are a major drain on the state budget and should be abolished. The guys in the field [at least on the Big Island] need a raise and more help, they have my vote and always will.

The Lack

The Lack Toons

[Rob Tucker]

Tom,

You say you once were involved in harvesting tropical fish for profit. Could you describe the extent to which you
were or were not regulated in this action - at least as it might apply to the here and now. I am simply interested in insight on how over exploitation of our ocean can best be dealt with.

Are limits on taking of tropical fish enforceable?
Are there any ways to improve enforcement?
Should taking of topical fish be banned?
If so what type of penalty would be capable of restraining a harvestor?
Are our reef fish simply doomed to near total or total depletion?

[JWFITZ]

Rob, not to crowd on your conversation with Tom, but the probably most knowledgeable local expert on the issue is a friend of mine and has a significant organization at his disposal that would be very likely to cooperate with a project by FoPF if you were interested in taking such a thing on. He's dealing with some family issues at the moment with aged parents but is looking for a project. If you'd like, I'll put you in touch. Let me know.

Yes, absolutely, the taking of tropical reef fish should be banned. I love to spear fish but I've quit. The reefs are beat to death here.

The other thing we need to do is create opportunities for local guys to do something other than ineffectually murder fish and throw them in the trash when they can't sell them. You can't just run around prohibiting stuff. That's the other side of the issue. There certainly are tremendously hopeful opportunities here, but we are going to need to force some creative thinking to make them viable. Otherwise we're going to continue to create a situation where the only viable option is ripping off houses.

http://sensiblesimplicity.lefora.com/

[Rob Tucker]

Sure. I'd be happy to discuss.....

Mahalo.

[JWFITZ]

I'll talk and send you an e-mail.

http://sensiblesimplicity.lefora.com/

[Kapohocat]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Rob Tucker

I made several attempts to contact DLNR by phone and email a couple years back regarding the public access, over state lands, to the Kapoho ponds. I was trying to find out what DNLR's intentions might be and to see what opportunities for public input might exist. No reply.

I was never able to secure a respond from anyone and I gave up.... which I assumed to be what DLNR preferred. My general tactic in life is to assume the best and ask questions. With DLNR I am now in an assume the worst position...

...The whole Kapoho access situation has been aggravated by DLNR's failure to engage much less acknowledge the situation. Budgets were not resitricted when this came up. People were upset about things. All attempts to work with DLNR, who I have reason to understand has responsibilites regarding land and natural resources, were and remain futile.

---

Try contacting Chris Conger
He is with the DLNR and working on the Kapoho issues, and specifically the shoreline survey issues.

[JWFITZ]

Hi Rob, you should have received an e-mail from me. Let me know if you haven't got it and I'll send it again. This guy is a busy guy, and a go getter, for sure. He's achieved things everyone has read about. Pretty much everyone, ahem, who reads anyway. Nonetheless he's definitely willing to talk with you and your organization. I expect his advice will be constructive.

Meanwhile, I'll continue working on the "alternatives" to killing reefs. . .LOL. It's coming along very well, really. Proven, at this point.

http://sensiblesimplicity.lefora.com/

[Greg]

People that buy marine animals not specified as "farm raised" are as much of the problem as the gatherers. These are the folks that give value to the reef animals.

Stoneface