LIHUE — The fishing community is being invited to share their knowledge and provide input by participating in the Reef Habitat Plan in an effort to improve nearshore fisheries.
The Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR) has launched a statewide initiative to improve nearshore fish habitat in areas of need by creating the Reef Habitat Plan survey for fishers, by fishers. The project is focused on habitat restoration and will not propose any new fishing rules or regulations.
“’For Fishers, By Fishers’ means working hand-in-hand with the fishing community to create a plan fishermen want,” said Tyler Kueffner, DAR Reef Restoration and Fisheries liaison. “Lawai’a (fishers’) voices on this project are essential to ensuring government is responding to what fisheries already know.”
DAR acknowledges that Hawaii fishers hold generations of experience and have an abundance of knowledge on the marine resources on the islands along with restoration methods that the fishing community already identified. Those include creating artificial reefs, coral out planting, invasive limu removal, research into the impacts of invasive roi, taape and toau, as well as working with other agencies to address the freshwater quality and quantity issues.
Feasibility for each site will be assessed while considering practicality, cost, existing habitat conditions and interagency collaborations.
In the coming weeks and into early 2025, DAR will invite the fishing community to a series of island-specific meetings that will focus on particular areas of each island where fish habitat should be improved. Guiding the development of a draft plan with input from fishers, biologists and other agency partners.
Nearshore fishers are deeply invested in the future of Hawaii’s marine resources, and DAR encourages them to share their input.
“The best way to get involved is to complete the survey,” added Kueffner, “It’s anonymous and takes three minutes.”
Individuals interested in learning more on the Reef Habitat Plan can visit storymaps.arcgis.com. Fishermen interested in taking the survey can visit https://arcg.is/vaDvXO.
