Department of Land and Natural Resources

(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) – Video of a man standing on top of the carcass of a sperm whale off the south shore of O‘ahu is being investigated by both federal and state law enforcement authorities. NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement (OLE) and the DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement (DOCARE) are looking into this incident and any others where people have touched the whale or as some reports have suggested, tried to remove some of its teeth.

(Honolulu) – Forests for Life, is a comprehensive, one-hour documentary that chronicles the life-giving importance of Hawai‘i’s native forests. Set to debut on KFVE-TV (K5) on Friday, January 18th at 7 p.m., the special, produced by the Hawai‘i Dept. of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), is the culmination of five years of taping and conducting interviews in stunning and remote parts of the state.

(Honolulu)–Beginning on February 1, 2019 the operating hours of the ‘Iolani Palace State Monument grounds will change from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. to an earlier closure time of 6:00 p.m.

(Honolulu)–Are you someone who cares about our land and water? The Stewardship Mapping and Assessment Project (STEW-MAP) wants to hear from you. Be part of the first intensive effort in Hawaiʻi to take stock of the diverse community of groups that care of our many special places, mauka to makai.

(Na‘alehu) – It took a few months to celebrate the milestone, but last night staff and dozens of volunteers for the Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund (HWF) marked reaching 250-tons of marine debris collection just off Hawai‘i island. The group also received a DLNR & You Citizen Conservationists Award in recognition of their efforts.

(Honolulu) – Today, the State Board of Land and Natural Resources (BLNR) agreed to a request from the DLNR Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR) to reopen four of twelve Bottomfish Restricted Areas (BRFAs) in the Main Hawaiian Islands. These restricted areas were first established in 1998 to provide refuge for what are known as the deep-7 bottomfish species.

(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.

(Honolulu) – The DLNR Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation (DOBOR) has closed the public loading dock at the Maunalua Bay boat ramp in east O‘ahu. Engineers are condemning the dock due to structural failure. They report the concrete pier structure could collapse into the water.