Images of Old Hawaiʻi

by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Western Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Council (WRPFMC – WESPAC)

Where do I begin?

How about starting with what Fisheries Councils are set up to do … let’s look at the federal law.

WESPAC is one of eight regional fishery management councils established by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.

The Regional Council system was designed to allow regional, participatory governance by knowledgeable people with a stake in fishery management.

The eight Regional Councils develop management plans for marine fisheries in waters seaward of state waters of their individual regions.

Plans and specific management measures (such as fishing seasons, quotas and closed areas) are developed. These plans and measures are implemented by the National Marine Fisheries Service.

The Western Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Council (WESPAC) is composed of 16-members members and is the policy-making organization for the management of fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ – generally 3- to 200-miles offshore) of member US interests.

Management includes areas around the State of Hawai‘i, Territory of American Samoa, Territory of Guam, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and US Pacific island possessions, an area of nearly 1.5 million square miles.

The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act is the guiding document for fisheries management actions. In it are “National Standards.”

The first National Standard states that any fishery management plan, its rules, and conservation and management measures shall prevent overfishing.

I am very concerned about purported “management” of our marine resources – particularly, the stated goal of “sustainable fishery management plans” that have proven to be insufficient to sustain the fisheries.

Over the recent years, here’s what’s happening with some of the managed species under the management plans of WESPAC:
• Big Eye Tuna – NOAA Fisheries announced in June 2004 that overfishing was occurring – it continues
• Yellowfin Tuna – The 2006 assessment results indicated overfishing is occurring – it continues
• NWHI lobster fishery – NOAA Fisheries declared an emergency closure in 2000
• North Pacific albacore – the stock is considered fully exploited
• Southwest Pacific Swordfish – Since 1997, catch rates and mean size have been declining
• Striped Marlin in the Southwest Pacific – levels of fishing mortality may exceed the maximum sustainable yield
• Bottomfish – In May 2005, NOAA Fisheries determined that over-fishing is occurring in the Main Hawaiian Islands – it continues
• Black Coral – Due to the reduction in large colonies the minimum size of harvested colonies was raised
• Swordfish – NOAA periodically halted longline in 2006 and 2011 because of too many endangered sea turtle interactions

(Overfishing means the rate at which a species is being harvested is greater than it can sustain itself.)

Again, the law says, “Conservation and management measures shall prevent overfishing while achieving, on a continuing basis, the optimum yield from each fishery for the United States fishing industry.”

Obviously, this hasn’t been working and we need to do things differently.

The decline in marine resources has an enormous impact on local, subsistence and recreational fishermen, and coastal fishing communities statewide.

I was honored to serve as a member of WESPAC – initially, as a representative for the State of Hawai‘i, then, a term as an at-large member on the Council.

However, I was mostly frustrated while serving – too often, it looked like decisions were made for the benefit of short-term fish harvesting, rather than long-term fisheries sustainability.

I hope in the future WESPAC more-fully addresses its obligations and opportunities to prevent overfishing and protect the resources for future generations.

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by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Water Matters

For centuries, Hawaiians recognized the life giving qualities, significance and value of water to their survival.  Water is wealth; water is life.
On islands with limited supplies of water, we need to better understand the importance of water in our lives.  With greater understanding, we may then give greater respect (and attention and care) to water and recognize its critical link to our quality of life and ultimate existence.
Ground and surface water resources are held in public trust for the benefit of the citizens of the state.  The people of Hawai‘i are beneficiaries and have a right to have water protected for their use and/or benefit.
The Hawaii Supreme Court identified water-related public trust purposes: Maintenance of water in their natural state; Domestic water use of the general public, particularly drinking water; and Exercise of Native Hawaiian traditional and customary rights.
The object of the public trust is not to maximize consumptive use, but, rather, the most equitable reasonable and beneficial allocation of state water resources, with full recognition that resource protection also constitutes “use.”
“Reasonable and beneficial use” means the use of water for economic and efficient utilization for a purpose and in a manner which is both reasonable and consistent with the state and county land use plans and the public interest.
Such uses include: domestic uses, aquacultural uses, irrigation and other agricultural uses, power development, and commercial and industrial uses.
Under the State Constitution (Article XI,) the State has an obligation to protect, control and regulate the use of Hawaii’s water resources for the benefit of its people.
Over 90% of our drinking water statewide comes from ground water resources.
This percentage could change to include more surface water, as Counties make use of surface water ditches formerly run by sugar companies, most whose fields have since been taken out of sugar cultivation.
Virtually all of our fresh water comes through our forests.
Forests absorb the mist, fog and rain, and then release the water into ground water aquifers and surface water streams.  Healthy forests protect against erosion and sediment run-off into our streams and ocean.
A healthy forest is critically important to everyone in Hawaii.
We are fortunate that 100-years ago, some forward-thinkers established Hawai‘i’s forest reserve system and set aside forested lands and protected our forested watersheds – thereby protecting the means to recharge our ground water resources.
Interestingly, it was the sugar growers, significant users of Hawai‘i’s water resources, who led the forest reserve protection movement.
Threats to the forests, and ultimately to our fresh water resources, are real and diverse – whether it is miconia (a tree that prevents rain water from soaking into the watershed, resulting in run-off and erosion,) ungulates (such as pigs and goats that disturb the forest floor and lower level shrubs and ferns) or the many other invasive plants and animals that negatively impact the native forest resources.
We are reminded of the importance of respect and responsibility we each share for the environment and our natural and cultural resources – including our responsibility to protect and properly use and manage our water resources.
I was honored to have served for 4½-years as the Chair of the State’s Commission on Water Resource Management overseeing and regulating the State’s water resources.
We are fortunate people living in a very special place.  Let’s continue to work together to make Hawaii a great place to live.

by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Royal Footsteps Along the Kona Coast Scenic Byway

Royal Footsteps Along the Kona Coast Scenic Byway covers the entire length of Ali‘i Drive, seven miles of roadway and over seven centuries of Hawaiian Royalty archaeological, historic and cultural traditions that have shaped Hawai‘i into what it is today.
By whatever means (vehicle, transit, bicycle or on foot,) following the footsteps of ancient royalty and embracing the scenic beauty, natural and archaeological features, historic sites, associated cultural traditions and recreational opportunities will give the traveler a greater appreciation and understanding of Hawai‘i’s past and sense of place in the world.
Here are selected Points of Interest along the Scenic Byway:
1 – Kailua Seawall –  first built in 1900, the entry to Historic Kailua Village begins on Ali‘i Drive where its oceanfront promenade offers sweeping vistas of Kailua Bay, from Kamakahonu and Kailua Pier to Hulihe‘e Palace
2 – Pa o ‘Umi – marks the location of the landing and residence of the ruler ‘Umi-a-liloa (‘Umi) (ca. AD 1490-1525.)  Modern seawall and road construction has covered most of Pa o ‘Umi
3 – Hulihe‘e Palace – built in 1838, Kona’s only existing royal palace and one of three palaces in the United States
4 – Moku‘aikaua Church – built in 1837, it is the oldest Christian Church in Hawai‘i
5 – Hale Halawai – means “meeting house” and serves as a community meeting facility under the County Parks and Recreation program
6 – Ōneo Bay – scenic panoramic views of the shoreline and seasonal surfing -favorite place for residents and visitors to enjoy Kona’s famous sunsets
7 – Wai‘aha Beach Park – also known as Honl’s – “birth-beach and the birthplace” of modern bodyboarding (in 1971, Tom Morey created boogie board and first used it here)
8 – Kahului Bay – nicknamed Tiki’s after the adjacent small hotel (Kona Tiki Hotel,) lovely ocean vista
9 – Hale Halawai O Hōlualoa – stone church structure was built entirely by native Hawaiians under the direction of John D. Paris 1850-55
10 – Puapua‘a – popular local surf spot that once served as a canoe landing, now referred to as “Banyans”
11 – Hōlualoa Bay – oral traditions suggest King Kamehameha I learned to excel in board and canoe surfing in these very waters
12 – Hōlualoa Royal Center – Hōlualoa Royal Center includes Kamoa Point/Keolonahihi Complex, Keakealaniwahine Residential Complex and Kaluaokalani
13 – Jud Trail – constructed between 1849 and 1859 and intended to link the Kona area with Hilo – construction was abandoned when portions of the trail were covered by a lava flow in 1859
14 – Pāhoehoe Beach Park – County park with picnic and portable restroom facilities.  Ocean access is via coral rubble and rocky shore
15 – La‘aloa Beach Park – also known as White Sands, Magic Sands or Disappearing Sands
16 – La‘aloa Bay – small cove on the south side of the parking lot, entry point for snorkelers and divers
17 – Ku‘emanu Heiau – overlooks Kahalu‘u Bay and is associated with surfing – adjacent Waikui Pond was convenient for chiefs to bathe after an ocean outing
18 – St. Peter’s by the Sea Catholic Church – originally built in 1880, the church was dismantled and carried piece by piece to its present site at Kahalu’u in 1912
19 – Kahalu‘u Bay Beach Park – served as the Royal Center of Ali‘i, residence of Lonoikamakahiki ca. 1640-1660 and oral histories note its use by Alapa‘inui, Kalani‘ōpu‘u and Kamehameha — successive rulers from 1740-1760 on
20 – Helani Church –‘Ōhi‘amukumuku Heiau – old Helani Church (built in 1861 by Rev. John D. Paris) built atop the former ‘Ōhi‘amukumuku Heiau
21 – Hāpaiali‘i Heiau and Ke‘ekū Heiau – Hāpaiali‘i Heiau was built around 1411-1465; Ke‘ekū Heiau – after building it, Lonoikamakahiki attacked and defeated Kamalalawalu, king of Maui
22 – Mākole‘ā Heiau – also known as Ke‘ekūpua‘a, built (or consecrated) by Lonoikamakahiki and that it was used for prayers in general
23 – Heritage Corridor Overlook – pull out on Ali‘i Drive includes interpretive sign explaining the archaeological and historical significance of the lands of Kahalu‘u and Keauhou
24 – Royal Hōlua Slide – stone ramp nearly one mile in length that culminated at He‘eia Bay – this is the largest and best-preserved hōlua course, used in the extremely dangerous toboggan-like activity
25 – Lekeleke Burial Grounds – Following the death of Kamehameha I in 1819, Liholiho declared an end to the kapu system; Kekuaokalani (Liholiho’s cousin) and his wife Manono opposed the abolition and went to battle, here is the burial ground
S-1 – Kamakahonu Royal Center at Kailua Bay – residential compound of Kamehameha I from 1813 until his death in 1819; the center of political power in the Hawaiian kingdom during Kamehameha’s golden years
S-2 – Ahu‘ena Heiau – reconstructed by King Kamehameha the Great between 1812-1813; he dedicated it to Lono, god of healing and prosperity of the land
S-3 – Keauhou Royal Center at Keauhou Bay – ocean access at Keauhou Bay is superb and, just as boats use it today, canoe landings once dotted the shore.  The royal canoe landing of King Kamehameha I was located at Pueo Cove
S-4 – Kamehameha III (Kauikeaouli) Birthsite – son of Kamehameha I and high chiefess Keōpūolani, he was ruler of the Kingdom of Hawai‘i for thirty years from 1825-1854
We prepared the Corridor Management Plan (CMP) for the Royal Footsteps Along the Kona Coast Scenic Byway, the first CMP to be accepted by the State of Hawai‘i Department of Transportation.
We are proud and honored that American Planning Association-Hawai‘i Chapter selected Royal Footsteps Along the Kona Coast for the “Environment/Preservation Award”, Historic Hawaiʻi Foundation awarded the 2011 Historic Preservation Commendation and Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce awarded the 2011 Pualu Award for Culture & Heritage.
The image shows the Royal Footsteps map; in addition, images of each of the sites are added to a folder of like name in the Photos section of my Facebook page.

by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Hawaiʻi’s Visitor Industry

It is believed that Hawai‘i’s first accommodations for transients were established sometime after 1810, when Don Francisco de Paula Marin “opened his home and table to visitors on a commercial basis …. (in) ‘guest houses’ (for) the ship captains who boarded with him while their vessels were in port.”
In Waikīkī, in 1837, an ad in the Sandwich Island Gazette newspaper extended an invitation to visit the new “Hotel at Waititi” (as Waikīkī was sometimes called) – the exact location of this first hotel was not given, however it remained in business for only a few years.
In the 1870s, another foreign resident, Allen Herbert, turned his home into a family resort.  Herbert’s enterprise broadened its appeal by welcoming ladies and children. In 1888, this became Waikīkī’s second hotel – The Park Beach Hotel.
In 1893, the first famous Waikiki hotel opened.  George Lycurgus, leased Herbert’s premises, renamed the hotel “Sans Souci” (“without care”) and turned it into an internationally known resort to which visitors like the Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson were attracted (the beach, there, is still named for it.)
When Hawaiʻi became a US territory (June 14, 1900,) it was drawing adventuresome cruise ship travelers to the islands.  Hotels blossomed, including Waikiki’s oldest surviving hotel, the Moana Hotel, in 1901.
However, the tourists stopped coming – possibly because Honolulu was swept by bubonic plague in 1899 and 1900.  There were reports that Los Angeles was anticipating a bumper crop of tourists for the winter of 1902.  Competition had already begun.
Over the decades, promotional efforts grew and so did the number of tourists.
In 1917, the Hau Tree was purchased and expanded – the buyers renamed it the Halekulani (“House Befitting Heaven.”)  The Royal Hawaiian Hotel opened on February 1, 1927.
During the 1920s, the Waikīkī landscape would be transformed when the construction of the Ala Wai Drainage Canal, begun in 1921 and completed in 1928, resulted in the draining and filling in of the remaining ponds and irrigated fields of Waikīkī.
In 1941, a record year, in which 31,846 visitors arrived, World War II brought an abrupt end to tourism in Hawaiʻi.  Three years later, the Chamber of Commerce began bringing it back to life with a Hawaiʻi Travel Bureau (now HVCB.)
An important priority was to get the ocean liner “Lurline” back in the passenger business after her wartime duty.  In the spring of 1948, with an enthusiastic welcome by some 150,000 people and an 80 vessel escort, she steamed into Honolulu Harbor to reclaim her title as “glamour girl of the Pacific.”
Also In 1948, American President Lines resumed flying the Pacific and scheduled air service was inaugurated to Hawaiʻi.
1959 brought two significant actions that shaped the present day make-up of Hawai‘i, (1) Statehood and (2) jet-liner service between the mainland US and Honolulu (Pan American Airways Boeing 707.)
These two events helped guide and expand the fledgling visitor industry in the state into the number one industry that it is today.
Tourism exploded.  Steadily during the 1960s, 70s and 80s, the millions of tourists added up, and Hawai‘i was learning to cope with the problems of success.  The yearly visitor arrivals total peaked at over 7.6-million people in 2006. 
It was recently reported that recalibrated estimates of visitor arrivals suggest a new record of 7.8-million visitors will come to the islands this year.
Tourism is the activity most responsible for Hawaiʻi’s current economic growth and standard of living.
Although many emerging industries – such as technology, film, health & wellness, professional services, specialty products and others – show great promise for the future, Hawaiʻi’s economy will likely depend on the activity generated by visitor activity for years to come.
Hawai‘i Tourism Authority (HTA) has been adjusting to deal with both the short-term challenges facing Hawai‘i’s tourism industry and the longer-term challenge of achieving a healthy and sustainable industry that provides maximum benefits to Hawai‘i’s community.
I was happy to have served for four years on the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority.
Recent news on visitor arrivals and expenditures has been good.  The outlook for the tourism industry in Hawaii is optimistic. 
The image is a postcard showing a Pan American Airways Boeing 707 at Honolulu Airport.

by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

All We Really Need To Know …

All we really need to know about how to live and what to do and how to be we learned when we were young.
Think what a better world this would be if we:
  • Share everything
  • Play fair
  • Don’t hit people
  • Put things back where you found them
  • Clean up your own mess
  • Don’t take things that aren’t yours
  • Say you’re sorry when you hurt somebody
  • Wash your hands before you eat
  • Flush
  • Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you
  • Live a balanced life – learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some
  • Take a nap in the afternoon
  • When you go out into the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands and stick together
  • Be aware of wonder
  • Things die; So do we

These words convert into “adult-like” references and they apply to our lives today – family, personal relationships, community, business, etc.  Everything we need to know is in there somewhere: The Golden Rule, love, basic sanitation, ecology, politics, equality and sane living.

We already know most of what’s necessary to live a meaningful life – it isn’t that complicated.  The challenge is living it.
Special thanks to Robert Fulghum, author of “All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten,” for keeping life in perspective.