HB123 would exempt actions involving the operation and management of all fisheries in Hawaii from the environmental review requirements of chapter 343, Hawaii Revised Statutes. The bill states that fisheries management in state waters is already the responsibility of the Department of Land and Natural Resources, and that the department should rely on fishery and ecosystem data to determine whether harvesting can be done sustainably while protecting environmental and cultural values. Based on that finding, the bill concludes that separate chapter 343 documentation is unnecessary for fisheries operations and management.
If enacted, the bill would add a new section to chapter 343 creating a categorical exemption for fisheries-related actions. The exemption would apply broadly to the operation and management of all fisheries in the State, and the act would take effect upon approval.
Impact
HB123 would amend chapter 343, Hawaii Revised Statutes, by adding a new statutory exemption for fisheries. This would remove fisheries operation and management actions from the state environmental review process, reducing permitting and documentation obligations for the Department of Land and Natural Resources and for others involved in fisheries management. The practical effect would be to narrow the reach of chapter 343 for a specific class of natural resource activities, potentially speeding fisheries-related decisions while limiting environmental review oversight.
Sentiment
The available legislative history suggests the bill did not advance out of committee, as the EEP/WAL committee recommended deferral. No vote record or committee transcript is provided, so there is little direct evidence of debate. The bill’s framing indicates support for streamlining fisheries management and reducing duplicative review, but the deferred status suggests at least some committee concern or lack of consensus about exempting fisheries from environmental review.
Contention
The main point of contention is the scope of the exemption from chapter 343. Supporters would likely argue that fisheries management already includes ecological analysis and that additional environmental review is redundant, while opponents may worry that exempting all fisheries actions could weaken public environmental oversight, reduce transparency, or bypass review of impacts on ecosystems and cultural resources. The broad application to all fisheries, rather than a narrower set of activities, is the most notable feature likely to draw scrutiny.