"The number of users that are going in there mostly for commercial activities are starting to have impacts, so we ned the funds to start mitigating some of hose impacts," says DLNR Dir. William Aila.
Senator Donovan Dela Cruz has drafted a bill that would establish a special fund by charging tour boat operators for non-residents who use 11 specified swimming, snorkeling and diving spots across the state.
Oahu: Hanauma Bay, Pupukea, Waikiki
Hawai`i: Kealakekua Bay Lapakahi, Old Kona Airport, Waialea Bay, Waiopae Tidepools
Maui County Honolua-Mokule`ia Bay, Manele-Hulopo`e (Lanai), Molokini Shoal
"For Molokini island a fee might be added that DLNR would decide what that fee is and use that money to protect asset, and do whatever conservation efforts they need to," says Senator Donovan Dela Cruz, Chair of the Water, Land and Housing Committee.
"Maybe if it’s kayaking it might be per person, if it’s a someone of a scuba dive tour it could be per person or per boat we don’t have any specifics," says Aila.
"The bill says the fees are only to be collected to account for the amount of money that we spend on the resource, so it can’t be a money maker it has to be a revenue neutral situation," says Aila.
Several tour boat operators oppose the bill, saying every time you charge visitors more for a product you lose business.
"This is just not the right time to burden our industry with additional fees, says James Coon, President of Ocean Tourism Coalition. "It’s not just the fee there’s a collection process, there’s a lot of different components to this there’s a record keeping collection precess that is difficult," says Coon.
"If it’s going to be limited to people who just take out tour groups, i think that’s a little iffy as well," says Bailey Shugart, Dive Oahu. "But from someone who has done scientific research and ares about the environment I think that a small fee or taxation to go to a marine reserve or something like that they’re proposing is totally fair."
Sen. Dela Cruz says about $30 million is also sitting in a bottle redemption fund that could also be used to fund DLNR’s conservation efforts.
"We’re trying to see if that’s an area since we have so many bottles in the ocean, often times and there is somewhat is a nexus, and the money is sitting there, instead of passing on an additional fee to operators. We can look at something like that."
"I think that’s a wise call, that makes some sense and that doesn’t hurt the small business that are struggling," says Coon.
See the original article at: KHON2 Local News
