Boating & Ocean Recreations

(Honolulu) – In an effort to restore open beach space by removing unauthorized vessels from state unencumbered lands at Lanikai Beach, state boating officials on June 15 posted notice to advise owners of 90 small boats to remove these items or they would be impounded.

(Hilo) – The flow from fissure #8 is slowly creeping to the State of Hawai‘i’s Pohoiki Boat Ramp adjacent to Hawai‘i County’s Issac Hale Park.  During an assessment of eruption impacts today, steam and volcanic gasses from the nearby ocean entry wafted over the tall trees in the park’s now empty parking lot.  Stephen Schmelz, Hawai’i Island Branch Manager for the DLNR Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation (DOBOR) estimates the lava, if it maintains its current course and speed, could overtake Pohoiki and Issac Hale Park within the next few days.

(Honolulu) - Between 80 and 100 outrigger canoes and catamarans on the beach at Lanikai were posted with notices today. Owners have 72 hours to remove their vessels from unencumbered State lands or face their boats being impounded.

HONOLULU -- The Board of Land and Natural Resources (BLNR) approved a settlement today between the DLNR Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation (DOBOR) and Stephen E.J. Koehne regarding illegal commercial operation in Hanalei Bay ocean waters on Kaua‘i.

(HONOLULU) – This afternoon maintenance and harbor workers from the DLNR Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation (DOBOR) will finish a four-day-long clean-up of the Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor, Hawai‘i’s largest small boat harbor. DOBOR had hoped to retain a private contractor to clean up masses of debris that washed down the Ala Wai canal and into the harbor during and after the major rain storm more than two weeks ago.  Bids from contractors were either too high or lacked the proper paperwork, so after two rounds of bidding the division decided to do the work itself.

(HONOLULU) – Three officers from the DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement (DOCARE) and three lifeguards from the City and County of Honolulu Ocean Safety & Lifeguard Services recovered an enormous and extremely heavy ball of derelict fishing nets this afternoon.  It’s not known whether the nets are part of the two-mile-long marine debris field that was first reported by a fisherman last weekend between Moloka‘i and Oah‘u? DOCARE officers familiar with the area where the net was spotted, feel that it is. They say it’s unusual to finding nets of this magnitude off Waikiki.

HONOLULU -- The Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Boating and Ocean Resources (DOBOR), operator of the Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor, will host its second public meeting on planning for use of various sites in the harbor.

The Board of Land and Natural Resources (BLNR) at its regularly scheduled meeting today reviewed a proposed administrative enforcement action against Kona resident Sean Pagett for organizing unpermitted fitness swimming events in Kailua Bay. The Board voted to dismiss the fine upon receiving assurances from Pagett’s counsel, former Hawaii mayor William Kenoi that Pagett will apply for a DOBOR permit, including obtaining required insurance coverage, for all future marine events he plans. The Board also voted to confirm that DOBOR rules do authorize the boating division, acting in cooperation with the U.S. Coast Guard, to require and issue permits for marine events, including swim races.

The DLNR Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation will begin work starting October 19, to remove deteriorated asphalt and repave areas at the Wai‘anae Small Boat Harbor launch ramp and boat wash-down area. The total project scope of work includes repaving the existing asphalt roadways and parking areas, new striping, and at the boat launch ramp and wash-down areas, asphalt will be replaced with more durable concrete. Repaving of the roadway and parking areas has already been completed. Project contractor is Road Builders Corp. and cost is $1.5 million.

The Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR) has scheduled statewide public hearings on proposed administrative rule amendments that would increase the annual commercial marine license fees from the current $50/year to $100/year initially, then to $150/year on January 1, 2018. This date may be delayed until later in the year, depending on when the rules are approved. The proposed rules also would establish a reporting deadline for dealers who buy marine life directly from commercial fishers.