Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Network
National Marine Sanctuary Systems Saved
Hawai`i Congressman Neil Abercrombie had key role In last-minute actionMay 17, 2006
Today in Washington, D.C., the House Resources Committee killed legislative language from a House fisheries bill that would have effectively gutted the National Marine Sanctuaries System. In Hawai`i, the provision threatened both the Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary and the proposed Northwestern Hawaiian Islands National Marine Sanctuary. Although the language was changed at the last hour to exempt Hawai`i, it still applied to the existing 12 and all future sanctuaries and thus represented a long-term threat to Hawaii's sanctuaries.
"Today's action by the House Resources Committee ensures that Hawaii's sanctuaries will be managed first to protect marine life," said Keiko Bonk, campaign director for the NWHI Network.
Under consideration today was H.R. 5018, amendments to the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Management and Conservation Act. This law governs commercial and sport fishing in US federal waters. Sanctuaries are managed under the National Marine Sanctuary Act, which has different goals and objectives designed to preserve marine ecosystems. Commercial fishing in sanctuaries under current law is determined on a case by case basis by the National Marine Sanctuary Program based on a careful balance between commercial and social needs and conservation of ocean resources. The vast majority of existing marine sanctuaries permit commercial fishing.
"The National Marine Sanctuary system works because it broadly considers ecosystem health, and it collaborates with the fishery management councils and the public on fishery regulation issues. The system works and after today, it will continue to work," said Ellen Athas, Director of Ecosystems Protection for The Ocean Conservancy.
The language in H.R. 5018 would have removed from the hands of the Sanctuary Program the authority to balance commerce and conservation and handed that authority to the same agency that manages commercial fishing everywhere. This action would have been particularly egregious for the proposed NW Hawaiian Islands National Marine Sanctuary where the State of Hawai`i and the public have made clear they donšt feel commercial fishing should be allowed.
"Congressman Abercrombie deserves particular thanks for his efforts in supporting removal of the sanctuary language from the H.R. 5018," said Bonk, "His efforts helped protect the integrity of the National Marine Sanctuary Program and in particular the NW Hawaiian Islands, the crown jewel of the system."
"We are gratified to see bipartisan support in the committee for the nation's sanctuaries. Hopefully this support will prompt additional sanctuaries and improvements in the sanctuary law. The Sanctuaries Act could use a face lift to reflect the latest scientific thinking in ecosystem management," commented Bill Chandler, Vice President for the Marine Conservation Biology Institute.
The Magnuson-Stevens Act legislation adopted by the House Resources Committee now goes to the House floor for consideration sometime this summer. A similar bill in the Senate also excludes any reference to the Sanctuary Program.
For more information please contact Keiko Bonk at Hawaii Audubon Society, 548-3474 or nwhibonk@earthlink.net.
