Management Plan To Be Reviewed for Hawai‘i’s Whale Sanctuary
Trisha Smith
Photos
The Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary (HIHWNMS) lies within the shallow (less than 600 feet) warm coastal waters surrounding the main islands, representing one of the most significant humpback whale habitats in the world.
Congress created the sanctuary in 1992 to protect these mammals and their habitat. The Department of Commerce’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) administers the sanctuary in partnership with the state.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, March 3 and 4, from approximately 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., HIHWNMS will hold a two-day meeting with approximately 40 individuals from across the Isles who will determine the themes for the upcoming management plan review process of the sanctuary.
“Our whale sanctuary is supposed to have a management plan update every five years to evaluate and update rules and regulations, but the latest is years overdue,” said Mike Moran of Hawai‘i Ocean Noise Coalition (HONC). The coalition is a grassroots division of International Ocean Noise Coalition (IONC), a group that combats the impact of human-generated ocean noise on marine life.
The last complete management plan review was in 2002.
“The reality is that we just haven’t had the funds,” said Naomi McIntosh, the sanctuary superintendent of HIHWNMS.
McIntosh said this week’s meeting is more of a “working group” seeking a broader opinion of the sanctuary’s future role—a “workshop” of handpicked “new faces” from across the islands.
“We’ll be trying to figure out ways to get people engaged in the upcoming management review process,” said McIntosh.
Dr. Marsha Green of Albright College and the Ocean Mammal Institute (OMI) is also campaigning to get people involved in the process. Green has stated that the Hawai‘i sanctuary is a “sanctuary by name only.”
For the last 15 years, Green has conducted research and conservation work with Maui’s humpbacks. Previous research conducted by OMI interns resulted in legislation banning parasail boats and jet skis in West Maui and two other Hawai‘i coastal areas during whale season. (Visit www.oceanmammalinst.org.)
As the North American liaison for IONC in 2007, she organized public demonstrations in Hawai‘i to protest the U.S. Navy’s “indiscriminate use of sonar in areas frequented by marine mammals.”
What concerns Green, Moran and others are five major issues “critical to protecting the whales” that are not on the agenda. These issues are water pollution, acoustic impacts, vessel strikes, budget and the taxpayer’s money, and transparency regarding whale deaths and their causes.
According to Green, there were nine confirmed instances of whales being hit by boats within the sanctuary in 2009. “Does the public even know this?” she said.
The Change Solutions Working Group of the Sanctuary Advisory Council will host the initial meeting at the Sanctuary Learning Center located at 726 S. Kīhei Road. Technically, they could hold a closed-door meeting, said McIntosh.
“It’s especially important the public have input now at the beginning of the process, as this will set the stage for what is discussed and included in the final plan,” said Green.
“We appreciate the interest, but this is more about planning for the upcoming meetings,” said McIntosh. “Those interested in contributing are more than welcome to attend during the process.”
“One of our main points is to ask if the sanctuary should possibly include other marine resources, and look beyond humpback whales, and concentrate on all areas in coastal waters,” McIntosh said.
In October 2007, the sanctuary presented Gov. Linda Lingle with an accomplishment report of the prior five years. McIntosh said the governor agreed it was a good idea to include more species including dolphins, sea turtles and other whales.
“Let’s worry about the whales first,” said Green. “For example, naval sonar caused a live stranding of melon-headed whales in Hanalei Bay (Kaua‘i) a few years ago.”
Noise can cause whales to completely change migration routes or disrupt mating and nursing, according to Green.
Green said it’s “imperative” HIHWNMS follow the guidelines on noise federally issued in 2007 by NOAA’s National Marine Sanctuary System Director Dan Basta and “use the tools at their disposal to prevent or mitigate human-induced acoustic impacts on marine life.”
“I think they may have forgotten this policy,” Green said.
Moran and a group of proactive residents against the dumping of waste and chemicals by vessels in our oceans also seek resolutions (www.pumpdontdump.com).
“I was told my opportunity was during this review,” he said. “And I want to see some rules changed. Many of the issues from before have not been dealt with.”
“It seems to be a classic case of business versus the environment,” said Green.
Under “Resource Protection” on the HIHWNMS Website is a list of sanctuary issues including entanglement, vessel conditions, acoustic disturbance, water quality and marine debris—a near mirror image of the issues Green and others feel are critical, yet not being addressed.
“These are issues—and we are prepared to address them as well—but we’re looking more towards establishing a broader future outlook,” said McIntosh.
“Let’s address immediate problems,” said Green. “This is still an endangered species.”
The next advisory meeting is on O‘ahu in May and they will return to Maui this summer.
“This is a pre-scoping meeting—we’re just reaching out to a particular group to try to ensure that we’re well prepared for actual public scoping meetings,” said McIntosh.
Green urges residents to attend the meeting this week or email Naomi.McIntosh@noaa.gov, Allen.Tom@noaa.gov and Dan.Basta@noaa.gov regarding your sanctuary concerns and interests.
“This is a golden opportunity to actually do something to make it a sanctuary,” said Green.
“Let’s work together to make it a real sanctuary, not a sanctuary in name only.”
Visit the new HIHWNMS update on the process at hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov/. And email inquiries to hihwmanagementplan@noaa.gov.
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