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Setting refuge status
for northwestern isles
a wise move

THE ISSUE The state has proposed stringent protections for waters surrounding the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.

THE state steps to the forefront in protecting the 1,200-mile stretch of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands under a bold proposal to establish a refuge by its own authority. The Board of Land and Natural Resources should adopt the plan, which makes clear to the federal government the importance the people of Hawaii place on the archipelago and the health of the ocean.

The northwestern islands, declared a marine reserve by President Clinton in 2000, is being considered for re-designation as a national "sanctuary," putting partial direction under the U.S. Department of Commerce. However, sanctuary status, which would regulate a 50-mile zone around the islands, might still allow fishing and other "extractive" practices, contrary to public wishes.

The state's jurisdiction extends only three miles out, but its proposal would bar commercial and recreational fishing, removal of natural resources and visits for purposes other than permitted research, management or Hawaiian cultural activities.

It would preserve a resource vital to sustaining the reef ecosystem that serves as an ocean "nursery" for fish and other sea life and a haven for federally protected species.

The reserve's conversion to marine sanctuary has been the subject of discussion for more than two years. A citizens advisory group's recommendations and public comments have shown overwhelming support for stringent protections. That conflicts with the inclination of the Western Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Council, representing the industry, to allow fishing.

Only nine boats fish the area, but their hauls could increase as technology advances. Conservation advocates correctly argue that so few boats mean a minimal amount of economic activity would be affected by the state's rules.

The proposal, announced by Peter Young, director of the Department of Land and Natural Resources, has received endorsement from environmental and Hawaiian groups, who often have been at odds with Young.

Even if the U.S. government decides to allow fishing and commercial uses to continue, as it does in the 13 present marine sanctuaries, at least some areas would be shielded. Moreover, the state's move sets a precedent for the federal government to weigh in establishing the sanctuary.

The reserve contains the most extensive and robust coral reef systems in the nation, supporting more than 7,000 species of marine mammals, turtles, plants, fish, invertebrates and birds, a quarter of them unique to Hawaii. Unfortunately, ocean currents deliver tons of debris, such as discarded fishing gear and plastics, piling up on shores and snagging in reefs. The islands and their waters should be sheltered from further harm.

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