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View Point
I AM a representative of Kahea, an organization deeply involved in the protection of the Northwest Hawaiian Islands. There have been repeated inaccuracies in reporting on the future of the NWHI, the most recent being your Nov. 15 editorial, "Clinton to halt push for monument status." Monument status
is still possibleThird-hand hearsay was headlined as a statement of fact. Governor Cayetano's paraphrasing of what Clinton said is inference.
Did Clinton really whisper in the governor's ear promising that only the U.S. Department of Commerce and Western Pacific Fisheries Council (Wespac) would be involved in the decision about federal protection for NWHI? Ludicrous.
The governor's transparent attempt to manipulate the outcome of this process, and your complicity in misleading the public into thinking that this is a "done deal," are appalling. The process is still in negotiations and people can weigh in on the future of these islands.
Cayetano is suggesting that long-term protection of these sensitive ecosystems can be achieved under current management of the U.S. Department of Commerce. This is a major concern since, under this department, the lobster fishery has been wiped out, octopus populations have been decimated and monk seals are starving to death.
A presidential directive last May called for a cooperative approach to permanent protection of the coral reefs. Kahea and other groups encouraged adoption of a plan that places the islands and surrounding habitat under the jurisdiction of U.S. Fish and Wildlife. Commerce, through the sanctuary program, would oversee the remaining 90 percent of the 50-mile area.
Together with the state and the public, all parties would develop and implement a protection and use plan for these fragile, isolated islands. Existing fishermen (currently seven boats) could continue to fish. Recreation, commercial extraction, mining and other harmful activities within critical sensitive areas surrounding the islands would not be allowed.
Opponents of monument designation argue that there has been no public input. In fact, this has been the most open and involved public process this state has ever seen for a marine resource.
In response to the president's request for public input on the NWHI, we held a workshop attended by 65 cultural practitioners, makua, Hawaiian and non-native fishers, environmental activists, marine activists and researchers, and resource experts from state and federal agencies.
A CONSENSUS document emerged recommending specific ways to protect the NWHI and meet the president's directive for cooperative joint management and permanent protection of the coral reef ecosystem. It calls for strong protection for the NWHI and allows for continuation of the existing fishers who currently operate in the region.
Following our community workshop, the joint federal agencies (departments of Commerce and Interior) held six public meetings with 430 people attending on five islands. In addition, 1,100 people submitted written comments. Two-thirds of those comments advocated for strong protection around the fragile island chain.
Recently, native Hawaiian and other organizations representing over 3 million people wrote to the White House to support the strongest possible protection for the NWHI and 5,460 letters were sent to the president.
The NWHI are ceded lands and a unique world treasure. They belong to future generations. These islands deserve an objective, cooperative, ecologically sound and culturally appropriate management plan. And the public deserves objective reporting.
Cha Smith is director of Kahea:
The Hawaiian Environmental Alliance