Residents share ideas for resource management

The Hawaii Ocean Resources Management Plan is not meant to be a static policy reviewed, approved, bound and filed in a cabinet. Nor is it meant to be seldom referred to and used only for the updating process. The plan’s value lies not in the paper on which it’s recorded, but in the collective and ongoing actions that happen after, officials with the state Office of Planning’s Coastal Zone Management Program and its Honolulu-based consultant SSFM International said Wednesday.

Roughly 30 residents attended the listening session on the plan, being updated by the program. Following the open house and presentation at the West Hawaii Civic Center, attendees spilt into two groups, indicated on maps areas with concerns, and shared ideas on how to best manage our natural and cultural resources.

Last updated in 2006, an evaluation of the plan and its first five years are under way. The draft will be released in August or September. Up for discussion will be whether the statewide plan should be refined or changed to incorporate new issues for the next five years. The final plan is anticipated to be complete by the third quarter of 2013.

The plan is a tool used by a network of federal, state and county agencies, as well as the community. It establishes management priorities for the next five years; assigns responsibility to specific agencies and stakeholders for each goal and strategic action; requires great collaboration between jurisdictional authorities; has a timeline for implementation; measures success, and catalyzes community and private sector involvement, said Cheryl Soon, SSFM International planning group manager, during the open house.

Unlike the others completed, the 2006 plan took a more “holistic,” integrated and area-based approach to managing resources — which could be seen in demonstration projects, so-called working examples that received funding from the program. For instance, a project at the Heeia wetlands on Oahu was successful in building community participation, restoring the area, reducing nonpoint source pollution at the shoreline, and incorporating water quality monitoring within the ahupuaa concept, Soon said.

Demonstration projects on Hawaii Island included the creation of a wetlands habitat restoration plan for Honuapo estuary; Hilo Bay Watershed Advisory Group conducting water quality monitoring throughout streams and creating a website; and the development of a tsunami education, preparation and recovery plan for downtown Hilo, said Marnie Meyer, the program’s planning and policy analyst.

Another success from the last plan was the creation of a working group, consisting of multiple government agencies, which has been meeting monthly since 2007. Through the group, there’s less duplication of work, better reaching of common goals and objectives, and wiser uses of limited resources. The group, with the University of Hawaii, also helped create the framework for adding climate change adaptation priority guidelines. During this legislative session, Office of Planning introduced a bill with those priority guidelines, which prepare the state for assessing climate change impacts on various sectors, and it passed, Meyer said.

Wednesday evening, attendees said the public should help decide who serves on the Marine and Coastal Zone Advocacy Council and one member should be from West Hawaii. They wanted to know who was representing Native Hawaiian rights in the plan.

A popular suggestion, mentioned first by West Hawaii Fisheries Council member Marni Herkes, was establishing fishing licenses to fund the actions outlined in the plan and management of resources in specific areas. She and several other attendees said this would put money where it’s needed, hold the public more accountable and provide an outlet for education.

Attendees asked for more clarity on how nonpoint source pollution is quantified, as well as how natural and cultural resources are valued economically, especially when compared with development. They said community-based management should involve regular meetings with the people in the affected areas and more opportunities for the public to participate. A few felt the rule making process was too long or too limited.

Wednesday’s meeting was still in progress at press time. Another listening session begins at 5:30 p.m. today in Hilo High School’s cafeteria. Comments may be emailed to ORMP_update@dbedt.hawaii.gov or mailed to: Office of Planning, Coastal Zone Management Program, P.O. Box 2359, Honolulu, HI 96804.