Marine Managed Areas

Hawaii is a marine-centric state, with all of its people relying on the ocean for recreational, economical and cultural reasons. User conflicts arise, dependence on marine resources increases and impacts from our growing population stress our marine environment.

I will try to share the story behind the local scene here in Hawaii and in this way put our MarineGap project into context. We understand that this situation is much larger than our project but we hope to serve as a home for a forum where we can all understand the situation, the different approaches we may have, and then begin educating each other on the options ahead of us.

Kanaka Maoli (Indigenous Hawaiians)

• Ka hana a na kupuna: The kanaka maoli obtained a balance with their resources and learned how to sustainably extract what they needed without damaging the population or the habitats. Konohiki's governed the 'take' of specific fish and of specific locations using a 'kapu' system. This governing was closely maintained and is an adoptive approach to management.
• However, this did not mean that any Hawaiian could go down to the ocean and fish for what they wanted when they wanted. Restrictions were placed to protect the resource. To be a fisherman, lawai'a, one must be trained and earn approval.
  • Ka Hana Lawai'a project
• Loko i'a (fishponds) were an extremely important resource for the kanaka maoli. They served as refrigerators and also created habitats for the increased production of species. This is in contrast to modern fishing, catching lots at once and placing it into the freezer where it no longer has reproductive capability.
  • See Reference page

• The Department of Aquatic Resources within the Department of Land and Natural Resources manages Hawai'is marine resources. They are governed through legislation and department regulations. Partners in management also include National Marine Fisheries, US Fish and Wildlife and Western Regional Fishery Council.
• Restrictions to activities in the marine environment may include fishing regulations, site access, permitted vehicles or limit of commercial activities.
  • Fishing regulations include a limit on the take or size of species, amount of species, and gear restrictions in location and time. However, these regulations are very rigid and take a lot of time to be updated, or adjusted.
• Current regulations are not adaptive to local conditions and makes it hard for sustainable management to occur.

• Most scientists now believe that our oceans are being over fished (or have been over fished).
• Current politics do not allow for adaptive management and also for protection of habitats.
• Marine managed areas (MMA's) are being advocated as a tool that can address these management problems.
• See the Reference page for web sites about MMA's
  • MMa's serve as a refuge for species. Modern fishing technology allows us to reach every portion of the ocean while before fish could "hide" in deeper or rough waters and where there was rugged terrain. The demand for fish has increased and without a stable supply we can quickly diminish stocks.

Hawaii Activities

Politically: After recent attempts in the legislature to create a network of protected areas, many locals are on the offense. Open communication and education is warranted before anything can happen.

• Hawaii has enough laws on the books to create many more managed areas within the context of existing legislation. However if they are to work, our community must understand what they represent and the different types of management within each one.

Biologically: Although there are many reasons to create MMA's, there are 3 basic arguments.

1. Fishery enhancement: Do MMA's increase productivity to outside areas? The answer may depend on what resources and how much area is protected. Science is still debating...
2. Protection of resources within the managed areas: Even if fishing isn't enhanced outside of the area, MMA's can protect valuable resources within and serve as a control for the future.
3. Minimizing user conflicts: MMA's can be used to restrict activities that may overlap with other users. They also attract certain water users and thus draw them away from other areas.

We hope to create a framework where different scenarios and layers can be displayed and examined in the same environment: biology, management, land-use patterns, cultural resources, community activities... Not to design a single answer, but to create the ability to understand these ideas.

Hawaii Biodiversity and Mapping Program
Univ. of Hawaii at Manoa, Biomed Bldg, RM B203, Honolulu HI 96822

Contact: Dwight Matsuwaki 808.956.7184 or dmatsuwa@hawaii.edu