Northwestern Hawaiian Islands

From dKosopedia

Categories: Hawaiian Islands | Environmental issues in Hawaii

The Northwestern Hawaiian Islands are the small islands and atolls in the Hawaiian Islands located northwest of the eight main and larger islands of State of Hawaii. The Northwestern Hawaiian Islands are uninhabited and are part of the State of Hawaii except Midway Atoll, a U.S. territory, which has temporary residential facilities and is administered by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. In May 2006, state and federal officials signed an agreement to manage the islands jointly.

There more than 7,000 marine species, a quarter of which are found nowhere else on Earth, living in abundance in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. The critically endangered Hawaiian monk seal and the threatened Hawaiian Island green sea turtle have their home in these waters. Multitudes of seabirds make their home on the islets and atolls.

The waters contain the world's only remaining ecosystem where predators like sharks, ulua or jacks, and big snappers dominate. [1]

On Sept 29, 2005, Gov. Linda Lingle signed the new state rules creating the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands State Marine Refuge. Fishing will be now banned and public access limited in the state waters surrounding the tiny islands and atolls of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. State waters extend three miles from the shores of the largely uninhabited area. Traditional native Hawaiian cultural practices in the area can continue. [2]

On June 15, 2006, President George W. Bush, with a stoke of a pen, designated the waters of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands a national monument. This gave immediate and permanent protection to 140,000 square miles of federal waters surrounding 10 islands and atolls creating the largest single conservation area in the history of the United States, and the world's largest protected marine area. The 1906 Antiquities Act gives the President the power to designate monuments without consulting Congress. The monument would be regulated by the Department of Commerce under the jurisdiction of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Commercial fishing in the area will be phased out over a 5 year period. Native Hawaiians will continue to have access to the monument for cultural activities. The islands of Nihoa and Mokumanamana have great cultural importance to native Hawaiians. Research will be permitted, but, most other activities will be either prohibited or strictly controlled. Recreational and tourist visits could be allowed, although permits will be required for all activities.

The monument will get a Hawaiian name, but it has not yet been selected.

In a Honolulu Advertiser article on June 15, 2006, Jan TenBruggencate reported:

Bush aligned himself to the cause of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands on April 5, when he met with environmental filmmaker Jean-Michel Cousteau and saw his film on the the islands, "Voyage to Kure." Gov. Linda Lingle and other Hawai'i officials were there.

"The president was impressed with the diversity of the wildlife after watching the film," said Russell Pang, Lingle's chief of media relations. [3]

President Bill Clinton in 2000 and 2001 had written Executive Orders creating the Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve. These orders set in motion the process of designating the area as the nation's 14th national marine sanctuary under the NOAA National Sanctuary Program. President Bush's declaration of national monument supersedes this process, now in its fifth year. The monument status prevents "extractive uses", such as fishing, and will afford more protection than a sanctuary would.

U.S. Rep. Ed Case, HI-02, had introduced, in 2005, House Resolution 2376, the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands National Marine Refuge Act of 2005, to the U.S. House of Representatives, which had similar stict provisions as the President's monument status.

External Links

• Voyage to Kure PBS.
• The Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (Dept. of Land and Natural Resources, State of Hawaii)
• Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve (NOAA)
• Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (Kahea)
• True Protection or Paper Refuge? Devising a state management plan for the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Hawaii Island Journal, July 15-31, 2004.
• Public Hearing Notice for Proposed Rules to Create the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Marine Refuge (State of Hawaii, DLNR, Division of Aquatic Resources)
• Kahea: Northwestern Hawaiian Islands
• Ship focuses on NW isle study Honolulu Star-Bulletin, September 18, 2004.
• Organizations seek protection of albatross Honolulu Star-Bulletin, October 11, 2004.
• Setting refuge status for northwestern isles a wise move Honolulu Star-Bulletin, May 12, 2005.
• Northwestern Islands get protection plan Honolulu Star-Bulletin, May 6, 2005.
• Northwestern Hawaiian Islands should be ‘Yellowstone of Oceans’ -- This precious marine resource needs our protection Honolulu Star-Bulletin, May 22, 2005.
• Northwest islands trip yields preservation data -- Researchers gather information that could support the case for a marine sanctuary Honolulu Star-Bulletin, June 8, 2005.
• Fishing banned in NW isles -- New state rules create the nation's largest conservation area By Tara Godvin] Honolulu Star-Bulletin, September 30, 2005.
• NW Isles fish catch at issue -- A U.S. agency rejects a proposal to allow 17 commercial boats By Diana Leone Honolulu Star-Bulletin, October 27, 2005.
• Editorial: Fishing ban fits state's goal of protecting northwest isles THE ISSUE: Conservation groups and state leaders favor prohibiting bottom-fishing in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Honolulu Star-Bulletin, October 27, 2005.
• Lingle making first visit to Midway By TARA GODVIN Honolulu Advertiser, December 12, 2005.
• Koberstein, Paul. Rogues of the Pacific Cascadia Times, Spring 2006.
• Laura Bush walks with wildlife -- Laura Bush touts the Northwest Isles' ecological value after visiting Midway Honolulu Star-Bulletin, March 2, 2007.
• Eilperin, Juliet. Hawaiian Marine Reserve To Be World's Largest Washington Post, June 14, 2006.
• Leone, Diana. Bush to create huge isle monument -- The Northwestern Hawaiian Islands will immediately receive maximum protection Honolulu Star-Bulletin, June 15, 2006.
• TenBruggencate, Jan. Northwestern Islands to become monument Honolulu Advertiser, June 15, 2006.
• TenBruggencate, Jan. Earlier protection efforts, Northwestern Islands profiles Honolulu Advertiser, June 15, 2006.
• Simonds, Kitty. Fisheries can coexist with NWHI monument Honolulu Star-Bulletin, June 29, 2006.
• Leone, Diana. A Monumental vacation -- The Northwest Hawaiian Islands could be opened to ecotourism by next summer Honolulu Star-Bulletin, July 9, 2006.
• TenBruggencate, Jan. Fishing clubs assail Wespac head Honolulu Advertiser, January 3, 2007.
• McAvoy, Audrey. $8 million sought to manage Northwestern Isles Honolulu Star-Bulletin, January 27, 2007.
• OUR OPINION: Do no harm in researching Papahanaumokuakea THE ISSUE: The state has approved permits for research in the Northwestern Hawaiian islands. Honolulu Star-Bulletin, June 13, 2007.
• Islands' new name: Papahanaumokuakea
  • Leone, Diana. Bush gets monument’s meaningful name rolling Honolulu Star-Bulletin, March 3, 2007.
  • Leone, Diana. Add Hawaii's ecology to the first lady's causes -- Laura Bush happily fulfills the role of an environmental steward Honolulu Star-Bulletin, March 4, 2007.
  • OUR OPINION: Papahanaumokuakea a fitting name for islands' rebirth THE ISSUE: A new name has been bestowed on the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands marine monument. Honolulu Star-Bulletin, March 6, 2007.