MEDIA RELEASE

The West Hawai`i Fisheries Council will meet on Thursday, November 17, 2011, at the Hawai`i Big Game Fishing Club at Honokohau Harbor 6:30 PM. The majority of this month’s meeting will be dedicated to a proposal from the Act 306, Marine Reserve Committee on their suggestions for ‘fish reserves’. Act 306 sets up the West Hawaii Regional Fishery Management Area which suggests that there be established a portion of Fish Replenishment Areas as Fish Reserves were no fishing of reef-dwelling fish is allowed. The committee has been working with two areas where it might be possible to set up these reserves and will give a presentation to the Council on their suggestions.

There will also be reports from the other committees on the status of recommendations already submitted to DAR for rule as well as Hawaiian Place Names for moorings which have been installed. The December meeting will the WHFC Annual Strategic Planning and will be the second Thursday of December on December 8th at 6:30 P.M at the Hawaii Big Game Fishing Club.

The mission of the West Hawai`i Fisheries Council is to “manage fishery activities to ensure sustainability, enhance near shore resources, minimize resource depletion and manage conflicts of use”. The council was created after the 1998 Hawai`i State Legislature created Act 306 which called for a community source to formulate and recommend West Hawai`i fisheries management actions and changes to the Department of Land and Natural Resources’ Division of Aquatic Resources.

Council meetings are open to the general public and, for those wanting to join, applications can be picked up at the Division of Aquatic Resource office at Honokohau Harbor in Kona as well as contacting Marni Herkes at 808.987.2171 or marnih@hawaiiantel.net or Glennon Gingo at 808.960.9348.