I am writing to urge a permanent ban on fishing along the Waikiki shoreline. The current ban on fishing off Waikiki on only “;alternate years”; is not sufficient. I live in Waikiki and swim and snorkel its coastal reefs almost every day. On the alternating years when fishing is banned, the reefs are full of fish. On Jan. 1 of the alternate year when fishing is re-allowed, however, about 50 fishermen sporting poles, nets, lines, spear guns and their telltale red buoys show up and fan out along Waikiki's shoreline trampling the reefs as they go. This continues for about the next four to five days—but about 20 percent fewer fishermen show up each successive day because the supply of any fish big enough to be worth catching is already dwindling. By about Jan. 10, the supply of fish has been completely exhausted and the onslaught of fishermen basically stops coming.

Articles have suggested that healthy, fish-filled reefs attract millions of dollars in recreational activity, primarily from tourists bearing snorkels. Whereas we could have millions of snorkel-bearing tourists viewing the fish off Waikiki each year, we have, instead, allowed a hundred or so fishermen to get their kicks for a maximum of five to 10 days in alternate Januarys before they manage to strip the reefs of fish so thoroughly that even they quit coming.

I realize that traditional native fishing and gathering rights are an issue here, and I'm certainly sensitive to that. But there are plenty of other reefs and coastlines to fish on this island. If the ban on fishing off Waikiki was made permanent, then the waters off Waikiki could blossom into a mini Hanauma Bay for the enjoyment of literally millions of people.

To trade away that huge potential payoff in exchange for the fleeting satisfaction of a small special interest group is absurd. It is time to ban fishing off the Waikiki coastline forever.

Make Waikiki a beautiful fish haven now.