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Information Needed to Adequately Comment on AQ DEIS

Request to:
Department of Land & Natural Resources
Law used:
State of Hawaii UIPA
Status of this request:
Request Successful
Summary of Request
Aloha Bin and Reginald, I know you are quite busy, but the information I am requesting is essential if we are to adequately comment on the aquarium trade DEIS by the January 7 deadline. Per the DEIS at pg. 20, just 3 - 11 of the 14 aquarium collectors seeking permits for the WHRFMA fished in the WHRFMA in 2000 - 2017, not 14 as is represented throughout the document (see, for example, Table 5-2 on pg. 94). Without knowing the actual number of collectors represented in the data sets throughout the document, it is impossible to gauge the potential impact of 14 permits. The basis for the preferred alternative is based on catch as a % of the population by "the 14 fishers" (see section 5.4.1.5). Because an unknown number of collectors, represented as “14 fishers”, accounted for as much as 78% of the catch reported in DEIS table 5-2, for example, the public has no way of determining what future levels of catch might be under the preferred alternative. In the most generous example, assuming that 11 of the 14 collected fish in the WHRFMA, an additional 3 collectors represents a 25% increase in potential fishing pressure. Therefore, we are requesting DLNR to provide the actual numbers of the 14 collectors represented in Tables 5-2 and 5-11 which are based on information provided by DLNR. In addition, in order to accurately gauge the beneficial impacts of the No Action Alternative and other aspects of the DEIS, we are also requesting the total yellow tang densities per 100 sq. meters, for the 3 areas (open, FRA, MPA) in the WHRFMA, as determined by all the the surveys conducted in 2019.

Messages in this request

From Rene Umberger (For the Fishes)
Subject Records Request for Department of Land & Natural Resources: Information Needed to Adequately Comment on AQ DEIS [#293]
Date Dec. 19, 2019, 9:46 a.m.
To Department of Land & Natural Resources
Status Awaiting response
Attachments
Aloha, Pursuant to the public records law, I would like to request the following records in electronic format sent to my email address.
Aloha Bin and Reginald, I know you are quite busy, but the information I am requesting is essential if we are to adequately comment on the aquarium trade DEIS by the January 7 deadline. Per the DEIS at pg. 20, just 3 - 11 of the 14 aquarium collectors seeking permits for the WHRFMA fished in the WHRFMA in 2000 - 2017, not 14 as is represented throughout the document (see, for example, Table 5-2 on pg. 94). Without knowing the actual number of collectors represented in the data sets throughout the document, it is impossible to gauge the potential impact of 14 permits. The basis for the preferred alternative is based on catch as a % of the population by "the 14 fishers" (see section 5.4.1.5). Because an unknown number of collectors, represented as “14 fishers”, accounted for as much as 78% of the catch reported in DEIS table 5-2, for example, the public has no way of determining what future levels of catch might be under the preferred alternative. In the most generous example, assuming that 11 of the 14 collected fish in the WHRFMA, an additional 3 collectors represents a 25% increase in potential fishing pressure. Therefore, we are requesting DLNR to provide the actual numbers of the 14 collectors represented in Tables 5-2 and 5-11 which are based on information provided by DLNR. In addition, in order to accurately gauge the beneficial impacts of the No Action Alternative and other aspects of the DEIS, we are also requesting the total yellow tang densities per 100 sq. meters, for the 3 areas (open, FRA, MPA) in the WHRFMA, as determined by all the the surveys conducted in 2019.
[... Show complete request text] Rene Umberger (For the Fishes)
  1. 4 years, 6 months agoDec. 19, 2019, 9:46 a.m.: Rene Umberger (For the Fishes) sent a message to Department of Land & Natural Resources.
From Li, Bin C – Department of Land & Natural Resources
Subject RE: Records Request for Department of Land & Natural Resources: Information Needed to Adequately Comment on AQ DEIS [#293]
Date Dec. 20, 2019, 3:45 p.m.
Status Request resolved
Attachments
Aloha Rene and Inga, We worked on your requests last couple days with the Kona DAR staff and were able to get the help from Dr. Bill Walsh who is retiring in days. I’ll send over our disclosure in separate emails. So here’s the response to your question prepared by Dr. Bill: In addition, in order to accurately gauge the beneficial impacts of the No Action Alternative and other aspects of the DEIS, we are also requesting the total yellow tang densities per 100 sq. meters, for the 3 areas (open, FRA, MPA) in the WHRFMA, as determined by all the the surveys conducted in 2019. 2019 Yellow Tang WHAP densities Mean #/100m2 SE MPA 36.52 0.68 FRA 31.81 1.66 Open 24.27 0.48 <<email address>> Bin C. Li Administrative Proceedings Coordinator Department of Land & Natural Resources 1151 Punchbowl Street, Room 131 Honolulu, Hawaii 96813 Tel 808-587-1496, Fax 808-587-0390 <<email address>> and email address>>
  1. 4 years, 6 months agoDec. 20, 2019, 3:46 p.m.: Received an email from Department of Land & Natural Resources.
From Li, Bin C – Department of Land & Natural Resources
Subject RE: [EXTERNAL] 2019-12-7 and 12-10_UIPA for DEIS related info.pdf
Date Dec. 20, 2019, 3:52 p.m.
Status Request resolved
Attachments
Please see files for additional disclosure and response prepared by Dr. Bill Walsh. We’re still working on the other parts of disclosure. Bin ______________________________________ Attached are the three documents requested. Here’s responses to the following requests: 1. An explanation (and any supporting evidence) for the differing open area sizes used in the 2010 and 2013 NOAA grant reports to estimate open area populations. In the 2010 NOAA report, we excluded the most distant reporting zones - zone 103 in the north and zone 100A in the south. Both were open areas. The rationale for excluding them from the analyses estimating species populations available for collecting was that we assumed that because of their distance from the main West Hawai’i harbors, these areas would be very lightly collected and as such it made sense to exclude them from total Open Area estimates. Thus the 2010 Open Area was 7.08 km2. Subsequently we realized that this assumption probably wasn’t valid, and collectors were indeed far ranging, especially to catch species such as Achilles Tang. In subsequent analyses (e.g. 2013, 2014 & 2019) we included these two zones in total Open Area estimates which was now 10.55 km2. 2. For each of the 4 reports mentioned above, the values that were used in the equation (open area density X open area) for estimating yellow tang populations. Attached is an Excel file showing how Open Area Yellow Tang (ZEFL) population estimates were derived for the two most recent Open Area estimates with the change noted above. I can’t readily locate the earlier worksheets for 2010 and 2013 but the same process was employed. Bin C. Li Administrative Proceedings Coordinator Department of Land & Natural Resources 1151 Punchbowl Street, Room 131 Honolulu, Hawaii 96813 Tel 808-587-1496, Fax 808-587-0390 <<email address>>
  1. 4 years, 6 months agoDec. 20, 2019, 3:52 p.m.: Received an email from Department of Land & Natural Resources.
From Li, Bin C – Department of Land & Natural Resources
Subject RE: Records Request for Department of Land & Natural Resources: Information Needed to Adequately Comment on AQ DEIS [#293]
Date Dec. 20, 2019, 4:25 p.m.
Attachments
Here’s a response to the portion of the UIPA request that states: “Therefore, we are requesting DLNR to provide the actual numbers of the 14 collectors represented in Tables 5-2 and 5-11 which are based on information provided by DLNR.” Please see Word file for explanation. Mahalo. Bin C. Li Administrative Proceedings Coordinator Department of Land & Natural Resources 1151 Punchbowl Street, Room 131 Honolulu, Hawaii 96813 Tel 808-587-1496, Fax 808-587-0390 <<email address>>
  1. 4 years, 6 months agoDec. 20, 2019, 4:25 p.m.: Received an email from Department of Land & Natural Resources.
  2. 4 years, 6 months agoDec. 20, 2019, 7:19 p.m.: Rene Umberger (For the Fishes) set status to 'Request Successful'.
  3. 4 years, 6 months agoJan. 15, 2020, 12:26 p.m.: Rene Umberger (For the Fishes) set status to 'Request Successful'.