HONOLULU — The state Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Aquatic Resources will begin hosting virtual Holoholo Fisher Talk Story Sessions next week.
The sessions provide an opportunity for fishers and DAR staff to exchange information, concerns and ideas.
Kaua‘i DAR biologist Dr. Heather Ylitalo-Ward said she “hopes that by having a regular platform for dialogue with the fishing community we can build trust with fishers and be an advocate for their concerns from within the state government.”
The Kaua‘i DAR office began hosting a monthly series of fisher talk story sessions via Zoom in April, and said it has been a positive and mutually beneficial experience.
Not only has DAR been able to get information out to fishers, but they have been able to hear from a diverse group of subsistence, recreational and commercial fishers on concerns and ideas for better fisheries management.
Through these meetings, DAR has been alerted to community concerns like illegal activity, user conflicts and observed changes in fish populations that may have not been heard about otherwise.
DAR has also been able to have more transparency about data-collection methods and internal decision-making that is behind some of these new management plans.
According to Kaua‘i fisherman Klayton Kubo, “The fisher forums have been a good opportunity to exchange information with DAR and promote good relationships with fishers and gatherers.”
In the coming months, DAR will be hosting bi-monthly scheduled fisher talk stories for the entire state. The exact format may vary to meet the unique needs of each community, but the goal of clear and reciprocal communication will be the same. The schedule for the sessions has been posted on the “Announcements” section on the DAR website.
Last year, Hawai‘i’s fisheries suffered a major market collapse due to the pandemic and diminished visitors to the islands. A year later, tourists are back, and the local fresh-caught-fish market has rebounded.
In addition, the 2021 legislative session saw 11 bills signed into law that relate to aquatic resource management, the most in state history. New Community Based Subsistence Fishing Areas are in the works on multiple islands. Changes to bag limits, sizes and seasons for multiple species of fish and crustaceans are being discussed. The effects of climate change and ever-increasing human activity are pressuring marine resources in ways that have not been seen before, according to a DAR press release.
It’s critical to provide fishers with up-to-date information, and equally important to ensure that the voice of the fishing community across the islands is being heard loud and clear by decision-makers and resource managers, the release states.
With state offices closed and restrictions to in-person meetings due to the pandemic, DAR is looking for new and potentially better ways of conducting community outreach and receiving input from fishers.
“A common criticism I hear from fishers is that the only time we hear from DAR is when new fishing rules are being proposed,” said DAR Administrator Brian Neilson. “This is a valid criticism, and we need to do more to facilitate open dialogue with fishers that’s not associated with a rule-making process. In fact, we have plenty to discuss in regard to fishing, fisheries and other related topics.”
