Department of Land and Natural Resources

FREE OPEN HOUSE SET FOR NEW COMMUNITY
FISHERIES ENFORCEMENT UNIT

KAHULUI – The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), the Harold K.L. Castle Foundation, and Conservation International’s (CI) Hawaii Fish Trust program will host a public open house and blessing of a new Community Fisheries Enforcement Unit (CFEU) patrol vessel on Saturday, March 23, from 1 to 3 p.m. at Kahului Harbor boat launch ramp. The event is free and open to the public.

Part of a pilot program, the unit is set to launch in North Maui by spring 2013 with the goal of developing a successful fisheries enforcement model that will enable the DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement (DOCARE) to deploy similar units across the state in the future. The North Maui unit will cover a 13-mile stretch of coastline from Hulu Island to Baldwin Beach Park, extending three miles seaward.

“We are excited about this cutting edge and promising partnership between the State of Hawaii, the Castle Foundation, and Conservation International’s Hawaii Fish Trust program,” said Gov. Neil Abercrombie. “This patrol vessel gives us the means to transform DOCARE’s capacity to effectively manage nearshore fisheries and respond to Hawaii’s fishing community and the general public. On behalf of the state and DLNR, I’d like to give special thanks to Conservation International for gifting the patrol vessel to the people of Hawaii.”

“This event is an opportunity for the Maui fishing community and broader public to learn about the Community Fisheries Enforcement Unit,” said William J. Aila, Jr., DLNR chairperson. “We encourage everyone to come out and learn more about how this innovative pilot initiative will support the local community, and about other ocean conservation and pono fishing activities in the community.”

“Hawaii’s people depend on our ocean for their livelihood and sustenance,” said Jason Philibotte, CI’s Hawaii Fish Trust director. “The Community Fisheries Enforcement Unit will be a vital tool to help ensure fishing and sustainable local seafood in Hawaii for generations to come.”

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For more information, contact:

Deborah Ward, Public Information Specialist
Department of Land and Natural Resources
Office 808-587-0320

About the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement (DOCARE)

– DOCARE effectively upholds the laws that serve to protect, conserve and manage Hawaii’s unique and limited natural, cultural and historic resources held in public trust for current and future generations of visitors and the people of Hawaii nei.

DOCARE enforces Title 12, Chapters 6D, 6E, and 6K, Hawaii Revised Statutes, and any rules adopted thereunder. The authority of enforcement officers, who have full police powers delegated by the Board of Land and Natural Resources, includes enforcing all laws relating to natural, cultural and historic resources under the Department’s jurisdiction, which spans from the top of the mountains to three miles out to sea. This jurisdiction encompasses nearly 1.3 million acres of state lands, beaches, and coastal waters, as well as 750 miles of coastline (the fourth longest in the country). It includes state parks, historic sites, forests and forest reserves, aquatic life and its sanctuaries, public fishing areas, boating, ocean recreation, and coastal programs, wildlife and its sanctuaries, game management areas, public hunting areas, and natural area reserves. More information can be found at www.dlnr.hawaii.gov or on Facebook.

About Harold K.L. Castle Foundation

– Founded in 1962, the Harold K.L. Castle Foundation works to build resources for Hawaii’s future by investing in promising initiatives and organizations through grant making, using our convening power, and introducing and spreading new ideas and approaches to help solve some of Hawaii’s most pressing problems. Specifically, our mission is to: Close the achievement gap in public education so that all of Hawaii’s children, regardless of their socioeconomic background, have access to and benefit from high-quality education; Restore Hawaii’s nearshore marine life populations so that future generations can benefit and learn from this rich natural resource; Build on the strengths of Windward Oahu communities through investments that support the region’s rich cultural legacy, its youth and families, and its natural resources; and, Invest in a limited number of other unforeseen but compelling opportunities to make a big difference in Hawaii’s future. For more information, please visit www.castlefoundation.org or on Facebook or Twitter.

About Hawaii Fish Trust, a program of Conservation International (CI)

– Ho‘i i ke kai momona: return to an abundant ocean. The goal of Conservation International’s (CI’s) Hawaii Fish Trust is to restore seafood security in Hawaii. To accomplish this goal, CI is working to transform Hawaii’s nearshore fisheries governance, from the State of Hawaii’s ability to enforce regulations to the capacity of fishers and communities to participate in the stewardship and management of their vital fisheries, to the development of a viable Hawaiian fishpond aquaculture industry.

Building upon a strong foundation of science, partnership and field demonstration, CI empowers societies to responsibly and sustainably care for nature, our global biodiversity, for the long term well-being of people. Founded in 1987 and marking its 25th anniversary in 2012, CI has headquarters in the Washington DC area, and 900 employees working in nearly 30 countries on four continents, plus 1,000+ partners around the world. For more information, For more information, please visit at www.conservation.org/hawaiifishtrust, or on Facebook or Twitter.