nfcc: national fisheries conservation center

Marine Reserves: The Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Initiative
By Jim Cook

Fellow participants, Aloha from Hawaii. My thanks to NFCC for asking me to participate in this online discussion.

Among the many things I have little knowledge of is marine reserves. In fact my greatest interest in participating is to learn from you. I have experience here with areas that are restricted in use. During my years on the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council, the Council chose to limit use of many areas. However, the term marine reserve is new to me and has been mostly discussed in conjunction with the Coral Reef Task Force and the Council's work in its Coral Reef Ecosystem Fishery Management Plan. I believe President Clinton directed that 20% of all coral reefs in the U.S. be designated "no take" by 2010 and I further believe this concept is popular with many in the environmental community.

Coral reef resources are fragile and slow growing. During my life, the fish resources of the Main Hawaiian Islands have been greatly depleted by overfishing. Development, particularly in earlier years, has caused extensive siltation with resultant habitat damage. We have too many people and too little control. Are Marine Protected Areas the answer?

The concept of areas of no take seems basically sound to me. I do not know about all that biodiversity and seed for other areas, etcetera, but having some areas for non-extractive use seems natural. My concern is that Marine Protected Areas do not become a panacea for the ills of coral reefs.

I believe the problem for the coral reef ecosystem in the Main Hawaiian Islands is basic and the solutions difficult for people to accept. We have too many people taking too much from the reef and too much coastline development putting too much stuff on the reef. I do not think putting 20% of the reef in no take Marine Protected Areas will solve this problem. We need to reduce consumptive use of all our reefs and pay particular attention to land-based habitat degradation. These are not popular concepts in a political sense. I am concerned that putting some of the reef (20%) off limits may be a political possibility but only cosmetic to the problem. What happens to the other 80%? Marine Protected Areas are just another tool in the management bag. Mandating them over others seems odd.

The Northwestern Hawaiian Islands have a long history of foreign and domestic exploitation that is well documented. From U.S. Naval and Coast Guard facilities to foreign feather hunters and domestic and foreign fishing camps, the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands have known the presence of man for over 100 years. Today, the presence of man and extractive uses of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands are at almost historic lows.

The Coast Guard has abandoned bases at Kure and French Frigate Shoals as modern navigation aids have made those facilities obsolete. The Navy turned Midway Island over to the Department of Interior and the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council limited access to the bottom fishery, the lobster fishery and outlawed longline fishing within 50 nautical miles.

There are a few researchers living at French Frigate Shoals, a DOI-run aviation support and ecotourism operation at Midway and around 4 bottomfish boats and 4-8 lobster boats using the area. Spawning potential ratios for fisheries are healthy and there is no construction or development.

In May of this year, President Clinton directed the agencies managing the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands to develop recommendations for a new coordinated management regime to increase ecosystem protection and provide for sustainable use. Further, he asked these agencies to advise him whether he should use his authority to extend permanent protection to objects of historic or scientific or natural and cultural resources of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. He also directed the agencies to conduct visioning sessions for the public to comment and help shape recommendations. All of this had to be done in 90 days.

Anyone with a basic understanding of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands knows there is no need for emergency action. Should agencies better coordinate their efforts? Of course. Are there things that can be done to enhance sustainability? Certainly. Would some money help? Sure, but the fact of the matter is there are active, viable management regimes in place which are the reason the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands are in good shape today. All of the agencies managing the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, the DOI, Commerce, State and the Monk Seal Rescue Team have done a commendable job.

The Northwestern Hawaiian Islands are huge and desolate. The beauty of the area is intoxicating. No wonder the President has chosen the area to make a political statement. As a citizen of Hawaii, I commend all who want to come to the aid of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. The patient is in great shape and the operation will be a success. I simply wish that the hype, money and fanfare of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Initiative could be focused on the reefs of the Main Hawaiian Islands that are an important part of our valuable tourist industry and playground for our people.

Jim Cook was born in Hawaii in 1943. His parents were also born in Hawaii; his father in Hilo, and his mother in Waimea, Kauai. He attended primary and secondary school in Hawaii and received a B.S. in Business from Arizona State. He has been involved in Hawaii's commercial fisheries since 1965. He has fished in the high seas waters around Hawaii for tuna and actively fished bottomfish and lobster in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands in the 1970s and early 1980s. His experience in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands covers all of the reefs and islands from Nihoa to Kure. For the past 17 years, he and his partner have operated Pacific Ocean Producers, a Honolulu-based ship chandlery catering to commercial fisheries in Hawaii and the Pacific region. He has served three 3-year terms on the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council, the last three years as Chair.