DLNR
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Exhibits
Western
Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council
Longline
fishing is prohibited within this zone. In addition, lobster fishing is prohibited
20 miles around Laysan Island and 0 to 10 fathoms around all other islands
and atolls. The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council has developed
for recommendation to the National Marine Fisheries Service a Fishery Management
Plan for additional protection of coral reef ecosystems in the Western Pacific,
including the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.
In the State's waters in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, the Department of Land and Natural Resources has begun the process of designating the region as a Fisheries Management Area. Given the expressed interest for increased access to the area by both commercial fishing interests and ecotourism companies, the State felt it necessary to establish a management framework for the area that requires a permit for access for all activities occurring in the region. The State also manages Kure Atoll as a Wildlife Sanctuary.
Under
the Endangered Species Act, the National Marine Fisheries Service established
Hawaiian monk seal critical habitat around each of the eight Refuge islands.
Critical habitat includes all waters, beaches, sand spits, and islets from
the beach crest vegetation out to a depth of 20 fathoms, except at Midway's
Sand Island and its harbor.
Partnership Projects
Conservation of the Northwestern Hawaiian Island coral reef ecosystems requires establishment of multiple partnerships to ensure the best possible stewardship of this natural treasure. Innovative programs involving federal, State, and private entities have resulted in the establishment of ongoing projects designed to restore and monitor the coral reefs at various locations.
A
14-member multi-agency marine debris cleanup team received Vice President
Gore's Silver Hammer Award in 1999 for the team's exemplary achievements in
the removal of debris from coral reefs of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.
Several agencies are also sponsoring an International Marine Debris Conference
on Derelict Fishing Gear and the Ocean from August 6-11, 2000, at the Hawaii
Convention Center.
Multi-agency response teams led by the U.S. Coast Guard have responded to shipwrecks in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, including a recent one at Pearl and Hermes Reef. This has saved human lives and reduced impacts on the environment.
The
Fish and Wildlife Service, National Marine Fisheries Service, and State of
Hawaii cooperate on several research projects in the Northwestern Hawaiian
Islands. At Tern and Laysan Islands and Midway Atoll, facilities are operated
year-round, while temporary field camps are established at other locations
such as Kure Atoll, Pearl and Hermes Reef, Lisianski Island, and East Island
in French Frigate Shoals.