Letters 1-4

Fish collection

Stop the vendors

Ever since that incident last year when someone had dumped all the marine reef fish on Honokohau boat harbor, I was so appalled at the waste of life.

I brought up the subject with my students and told them how upset it made me to think people out there would take all these marine fish out of their habitat for profit.

One of my students had the audacity to say “my uncle does that.” It showed me then that people would do anything if the demand was there. By banning retailers and traders of marine fish, the need would be eliminated.

When I lived in the South Pacific, there was a company who dealt in the same sort of thing, raping the reefs of all the marine life until the local tourism council got on his case and made him do his business on the other side of the island.

Eventually this person and company moved to Indonesia. Once again, anyone who removes any animal from their natural habitat is wrong. Why is it that mankind feels the need to have control over every thing around them simply for a profit? Why can’t we all live together on this planet in peace and harmony? To make a profit at the expense of other living beings is just not right.

I hope retailers and pet shops will stop selling salt water aquarium creatures.

Colleen Wallis

Kona

Kahaluu Fishing

Ban spear guns in bay

My wife and I, and thousands of visitors to our island, love to snorkel in Kahaluu Bay because of the wonderful fish and turtles and the safety for swimmers.

We were horrified this past week to see a young man killing those beautiful fish with a spear gun. He actually brushed my wife in the water while swimming rapidly toward a school of fish. He had some beautiful fish in his bag.

We were told by the lifeguard on duty that fishing with spear guns or nets is allowed because Kahaluu is not a sanctuary. Imagine. In other places, the tropical fish have mostly disappeared because of the fishing, like Honokohau Harbor. This is not commercial fishing for real food.

This bay is a very valuable asset for our island, both for tourists and locals alike. The fish are incredibly important, but so is the safety of the people. The spear guns are dangerous. Will it take a serious injury or death to cause us to focus on this? Is there any government agency considering restrictions on this type of fishing? There should be — and we should all support it. This is important stuff.

Ron Austin

Kailua-Kona

Generosity appreciated

Kiholo donation

I would like to extend my deepest gratitude and aloha to Angus Mitchell for donating seven acres of land at Kiholo to the Nature Conservancy. I am deeply touched by his gesture to give back to the community.

I am also pleased that Hui Aloha Kiholo will be the stewards of this gift. I have confidence that the fish ponds and the land will flourish under its stewardship. Mahalo nui, Angus Mitchell.

Michelle Tomas

Kailua-Kona

Court sentence

A step further

The letter regarding expunge hit the nail on the head.

However, I’d like to take it to the next step. Some years ago, while investigating a case, I found where a person had committed a crime, spoke with investigating officers and researched the trial where the person was found guilty and punished. I sent all the information found to my client.

Shortly thereafter, I was threatened with a lawsuit for slander. Calling the attorney who sent me the letter and going over the information I had, his response was “his record was expunged and is no longer considered a felon.”

I said, “You mean he can legally lie about this?” His response: “We don’t look at it that way.”

I guess that’s when a lie is no longer a lie.

Arte McCollough

Waimea