NOAA will allow
taping of speaker

CLARIFICATION Friday, July 22, 2005 » State biologist William J. Walsh did not initiate a ban on taping a speech on aquarium fish that was planned for last night in Hilo, as suggested by a Page A4 article Wednesday. Walsh did endorse the ban when questioned by an official from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The ban was later withdrawn. The Honolulu Star-Bulletin strives to make its news report fair and accurate. If you have a question or comment about news coverage, call Editor Frank Bridgewater at 529-4791 or email him at corrections@starbulletin.com.

HILO » Former television fishing show producer Mike Sakamoto will be allowed to make audio and videotapes of a speech despite objections by the speaker, state marine biologist William J. Walsh, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration officials say.

For several weeks, Walsh objected to Sakamoto bringing recording equipment to Walsh's presentation tomorrow night of a five-year review of the effectiveness of a ban on taking fish for aquariums from certain areas of Kona waters. An earlier report said fish do recover when they're protected in designated "fish replenishment areas."

Walsh wrote to NOAA official Andy Collins saying he wanted to invoke the agency's "standard practice" of barring taping if it would make a disturbance or if a speaker "prefers not to be taped."

In turn, Zach Caldwell, manager of the Mokupapapa Center in Hilo where Walsh will speak at 6 p.m. tomorrow, wrote to Sakamoto saying "our policy" does not allow the taping.

Sakamoto's attorney, Russell Yamashita, said he asked NOAA to cite the authority for establishing such a policy but has not received an answer.

Based on Sakamoto's intent to report on tomorrow's event for Hawaii Fishing News, Collins yesterday said that Sakamoto can tape as a reporter. Sakamoto produced his "Fishing Tales" program for 18 years, but no longer does so.

The unwritten policy of banning taping when a speaker requests it still applies to other members of the public, and NOAA lawyers are preparing a written policy, Collins said.