CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARBULLETIN.COM
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration commissioned yesterday its newest ship, the Oscar Elton Sette, which was named after the first director of the Honolulu Fishery Laboratory. The Sette replaces the vessel Townsend Cromwell. Gov. Linda Lingle spoke before the dedication ceremonies.
Hawaii has a strategic role in the U.S. mission to explore and develop ocean resources, says the administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. New ship aids
isles’ research roleThe NOAA vessel will conduct
coral studies and other projectsBy Helen Altonn
haltonn@starbulletin.comNOAA now pumps about $70 million a year into the state for a wide array of fisheries, ocean and atmospheric programs, retired Navy Vice Adm. Conrad Lautenbacher Jr. said in an interview here. "Hawaii obviously is critical for NOAA, being a strategic location in the middle of the Pacific."
The addition of the vessel Oscar Elton Sette to NOAA's Hawaii fleet dramatically increases capabilities for fisheries and coral reef research and mapping, he said.
The Sette, a former Navy ship converted for fisheries and oceanographic research at a cost of $12.4 million, was commissioned yesterday at a pier at Aloha Tower. It is named for the Honolulu Fishery Laboratory's first director, who pioneered in fisheries science.
Lautenbacher said the Sette, which replaces the "venerable" Townsend Cromwell, will begin work immediately in Hawaii and other Pacific waters. It will conduct fishery surveys, physical and chemical oceanography, coral reef research and marine mammal projects.
"NOAA performs the foundation for our economic security, and the ship we're bringing on line ... is an essential piece of that," Lautenbacher said.
He stressed the importance of a national fleet to survey and explore the oceans for the health and economy of Hawaii and the country, pointing out, "We know more about the backside of the moon."
Commercial fishery landings in the United States total about $3.3 billion, with Hawaii's landings of 30 million pounds a year worth $60 million, he said.
"If we could get assets to restore our fisheries to reasonable levels, we could increase that harvest by $1.4 billion," he said. "Here is enormous potential for us to improve our economic value from the sea with more research and survey work. This ship (the Sette) represents part of that effort."
Another Navy ship is being converted and refurbished by NOAA, which hopes to obtain funding to operate it in Hawaii in 2004-05, Lautenbacher said.
He is also "looking for a more permanent place to nest these ships and have a safe harbor for them" at either Navy piers or Snug Harbor, which he now uses when space is available. University of Hawaii marine operations are based at Snug Harbor.
Lautenbacher said he is also looking into consolidation of some of NOAA's scattered facilities and a location to build a new fisheries laboratory. The present one at 2570 Dole St. is no longer adequate, he said.
"When we get that location, we'd like to bring more of the NOAA family together," he said. "I think there are synergies and efficiencies to gain."
Lautenbacher said a number of issues are pending here, such as the need for experiments by the fishing fleet "to make longline fishing more environmentally friendly."
"Now the court is holding us up from doing some experiments. It's not a very satisfactory situation," he said.
NOAA's $70 million investment in Hawaii's economy includes about $22 million distributed in grants to various organizations, Lautenbacher said.
Among recipients are the Sea Grant Program, Hawaii Undersea Research Laboratory and the Joint Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Research, all at UH.
NOAA employs about 261 people in its Hawaii operations, including the National Weather Service, National Marine Fisheries Service, Hawaii Coastal Management Program, National Water Level Observation Network, Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, Richard H. Hagemeyer Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, and Mauna Loa Observatory Climate Monitoring and Diagnostic Laboratory.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
