As a frequent user of Maunalua Bay, I am not in favor of the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration’s (“NOAA’s”) proposal to make Maunalua Bay a Special Sanctuary Management Area (“SSMA”) for the following reasons:

     The proposed regulations as written would prevent the setting of temporary buoys (for sailing and canoe races), anchoring in most areas within Maunalua Bay, fireworks displays, maintenance of existing mooring balls (except by State or Federal authorities), walking over the inner reef during low tide, and numerous recreational fishing activities.

     The proposed regulations would limit anchoring of vessels in the vast majority of Maunalua Bay.  The result is that recreational boaters, scuba charters, fishermen, and others will be forced to use the same limited number of mooring balls.  This will deplete the natural resources immediately surrounding those mooring locations and will force incompatible uses to operate in the same limited areas.

     The proposed regulations would prohibit, or make it exponentially more difficult to create artificial reefs or “wreck dives” in the future.  The existing artificial reefs are disintegrating with time, and it will not be long before new artificial reefs will be needed.

      The proposed regulations could unnecessarily restrict recreational activities including scuba diving, parasailing, surfing, fishing, jet-ski rentals, and other attractions that residents and visitors to Hawai’i enjoy.

     I am concerned that the NOAA proposal could prevent altogether, or add significant expense to any future dredging of the marina and the Hawaii Kai channel.  The proposed rules provide the Director of NOAA significant power to block dredging if he/she believes it would have any negative impact on the Sanctuary.  The marina provides access to numerous recreational activities that I enjoy, and I want them to be available in the future.

     I support NOAA’s broader efforts to protect marine life, including the Humpback whale; however, the proposal to make Maunalua Bay a SSMA is unworkable in its current form.  These regulations are redundant to State laws, and create unnecessary federal oversight in an area that has been served by the State of Hawaii and its residents.

     For all these reasons, NOAA should adopt the no action alternative and not expand the Sanctuary boundaries or create an SSMA in Maunalua Bay.

Photo Credit - D RameyLogan: WPPilot

Additional Comments can be made at:

http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=NOAA-NOS-2015-0028