Department of Land and Natural Resources

(Lihue) – The population of Pacific Rats on tiny Lehua Island, off Kaua‘i’s west coast remains extremely low, two years after three applications of a rodenticide to clear them out of the State Seabird Sanctuary.

(Honolulu) – If you’ve sold or bought property or if you work in the real estate or title business, you’re familiar with the huge volume of legal documents required for property transactions. The Bureau of Conveyances has just awarded a $1.3 million-dollar contract to West Central Indexing to implement a highly specialized Land Records Management System to increase accuracy and improve efficiencies in recording these documents. 

(Nāpali Coast State Wilderness Park) - Thousands of black-chin tilapia have invaded near-shore waters in the Nāpali Coast State Wilderness Park on Kaua‘i. Fishermen first reported seeing large schools of mostly juvenile tilapia over the past two weeks.  Yesterday a team from the DLNR Divisions of Aquatic Resources (DAR) and Boating and Ocean Recreation (DOBOR) conducted in-water surveys at the Nu‘alolo Kai section of the park and confirmed the reports.

(Lihu’e) — The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) will open this year’s season for plum harvesting at Kōkeʻe State Park, Kaua‘i on Thursday July 4. This year’s plum crop happens to be poor.

(Honolulu) --The Commission on Water Resource Management (CWRM) is holding open hearings to solicit input on its update to the statewide Water Resource Protection Plan (WRPP). The purpose of the WRRP is to establish policies and identify actions needed to ensure the long-term protection and sustainability of Hawaii’s precious and limited ground and surface water resources.

(Honolulu) – The decomposing carcass of a sperm whale, at last report, has moved to a location about eight miles south of Pearl Harbor. This despite it being towed 15-miles off shore after it landed last week on the reef adjacent to the Sand Island Recreation Area.

(Honolulu) – A cooperative operation between city & county, state, and federal government agencies resulted in the successful removal of a decomposing whale carcass from shallow waters fronting Sand Island State Recreation Area.

(Honolulu) – More than 500 Aholehole confiscated from a pair of fishermen eight days ago did not go to waste. Many people inquired on social media about the fate of the fish. The DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement (DOCARE) photographed them for evidence and then turned them over to the Division of Aquatic Resources’ (DAR) Anuenue Fisheries Research Center at Sand Island.

(Honolulu) - Jason Redulla, a 15-year veteran of the DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement (DOCARE) and 27-year law enforcement professional, has been chosen as the agency’s new enforcement chief. Redulla currently serves as DOCARE’s Deputy Enforcement Chief and Assistant Division Administrator.

(Honolulu) – On Thursday, officers from the DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement (DOCARE) were on routine patrol in windward O‘ahu when they observed a lay net violation in progress. This was on Kawa Stream, just makai of the Kahana Bridge.