Bill Text: HI HCR225 | 2015 | Regular Session | Introduced

Hawaii House Concurrent Resolution 225 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Marine Refuge

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-03-16 - Referred to WAL/OMH, referral sheet 33 [HCR225 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2015-HCR225-Introduced.html

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.C.R. NO.	225
TWENTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE, 2015
STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

RECOGNIZING AND REAFFIRMING SUPPORT OF THE NORTHWESTERN HAWAIIAN ISLANDS MARINE REFUGE.

WHEREAS, October 10, 2015, will mark the ten-year anniversary of the establishment of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Marine Refuge by the State of Hawaii; and

WHEREAS, this anniversary serves as an important reminder of our State's commitment to the long-term conservation and protection of the resources of the northwestern Hawaiian islands for present and future generations; and

WHEREAS, recognizing the unity among all of the Hawaiian islands within our archipelago is integral to effectively managing our resources; and

WHEREAS, the purposes of the marine refuge at the time of designation included "[t]o manage, preserve, protect, and conserve the unique resources in the marine refuge, using the best available science and a precautionary management approach to resource protection to minimize risks of possible adverse effects on the regional ecosystem, its biodiversity or its indigenous wildlife, especially where data is limited"; and

WHEREAS, the northwest Hawaiian islands are considered a sacred area, from which native Hawaiians believe all life springs, and to which spirits return to after death; and

WHEREAS, the northwest Hawaiian islands serve as a significant region of Hawaii, where cultural, subsistence, and religious practices occur for the perpetuation of Hawaiian traditions; and

WHEREAS, in recent years, native Hawaiians, in their continuing journey to rediscover and perpetuate their traditional and customary practices, have voyaged to the northwest Hawaiian islands to honor their ancestors and to access their kupuna islands for the knowledge and spiritual inspiration these islands provide; and

WHEREAS, the reefs of the northwest Hawaiian islands comprise about seventy percent of the coral reefs under the jurisdiction of the United States; and

WHEREAS, these reefs are considered some of the richest and healthiest ocean environments remaining on the planet; and

WHEREAS, since the 2005 designation, these marine areas alongside surrounding waters and lands have been nationally and internationally recognized both as the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument in 2006 and as a mixed World Heritage site by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organizations in 2010; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-eighth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2015, the Senate concurring, that the ten-year anniversary of the establishment of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Marine Refuge is a time to recognize and reaffirm support of prior state leadership, which helped forge the way towards future designations, which have further protected and recognized this wahi pana, legendary place; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this Concurrent Resolution recognizes and reaffirms the purposes of the marine refuge as originally envisioned by our leaders ten years ago; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this Concurrent Resolution supports the continued state management for this aina momona, place of abundance; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a certified copy of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources.