Ka`u News Briefs Sept. 1, 2011

The Deep 7 fish, which can be legally fished during the bottom fishing season. Photo from Hawai'i state Dept. of Aquatic Resources.

BOTTOM FISHING SEASON FOR THE DEEP 7 opened today. The Deep 7 fish are: onaga, ehu, opakapaka, kalekale, gindai, lehi, and hapu‘upu‘u. Even with the season open, there is a kapu on a section of water to the southeast of Kalae – South Point. Two other restricted areas are along the northeast side of Kohala and Hamuka, and just southeast of Hilo. A kapu on all the Deep 7 prohibited fishermen from catching these fish from March 12 through yesterday. Federal fishing regulators have set an Annual Catch Target for Hawai`i at 325,000 pounds of Deep 7 fish. When the limit is reached, based on required reports by fishermen, the fishing season will be closed.

Kulani Correctional Facility. Photo from Dept. of Public Safety

KULANI CORRECTIONAL FACILITY LANDS are still be considered as one of the locations to help return prisoners from the mainland and transition back into the community.
      According to Sen. Gil Kahele, who held his first community forum last night at Cooper Center in Volcano Village, the main correctional facility could be constructed on Hawaiian Home Lands closer to Hilo. The effort is to help prisoners be closer to their families, provide local counseling that will help them become good citizens and train them for employment. The effort is also directed at keeping tens of millions of dollars in Hawai`i that go out each year to pay for out-of-state. Kahale also noted the need for retaining the Youth Challenge Academy, which is now at Kulani.

Rep. Bob Herkes. Photo by Julia Neal

THE MOBILE MEDICAL VAN, championed by Rep. Bob Herkes and supported by Sen. Gil Kahele with successful legislation this year, should be on the road in November. Herkes gave the update at Kahele’s public forum last night. The van will likely be stationed at Na`alehu School and will be supported by telemedicine. It will travel to the most rural areas of Ka`u and South Kona. Referring to Neil Abercrombie signing off on the legislation in July, Herkes said: “I can’t tell you how happy you are, after all that hard work, when the governor signs it.”

A FOOD SECURITY bill that helps farmers receive loans is already helping agriculture, said Kahele, who helped push Bill 1153 through the Legislature this year. He noted that some farmers have already received loans from the program.

THE SOUTH KONA WILDERNESS AREA that passed the Legislature this year to preserve the cultural, biological ad historical aspects of the area could be expanded. The measure was championed by Kahele and Herkes for decades. Kahele said he wants to add the ahupua`a of Kapua onto the Wilderness Area. It is owned by Honolulu developer Jeff Stone.

KILAUEA LODGE OWNER LORNA JEYTE said that she hopes tourism officials will help to educate visitors on the local culture, nature and out-of-the way places and activities. She said that the visitor promotions concentrate too much on “sand and palm trees.” Other speakers at the Kahele forum asked that farmers markets be publicized to visitors.

Sen. Gil Kahele. Photo by Julia Neal

THE AXIS DEER threat came up at the Kahele meeting, where it was noted that permission has been given for state personnel to hunt them on Hawaiian Home Lands around South Point. Several people asked whether local hunters could take part and Kahele said that could happen over time.

DAVID HOWARD DONALD, of Volcano, suggested that the state might consider pushing forward its alternative energy goals by acquiring Hawaiian Electric Industries and using the profits of the electric company to give back to the community with lower rates and other programs. He said that electric rates are low in such places as Quebec in Canada, where the people own the power company and profits don’t have to be exported to investors.

INTERNET AVAILABILITY for remote areas also came up at the Kahele meeting. One speaker suggested installing at the end of cable lines, a transmitter to beam internet to even more remote areas.

REVAMPING BUILDING CODES and the permitting process is a project planned by Rep. Bob Herkes. He said last night that the Big Island has a bad reputation for taking a long time to get a building permit and that he would be talking with the mayor this morning.

SEN. GIL KAHELE will host more community forums in Ka`u, at 5:30 p.m. at Ocean View Community Center on Oct. 14 and at Pahala Community Center on Oct. 26.

ALTERNATING LANE CLOSURES continue through tomorrow in both directions on Hwy 11 between Mileposts 69 and 72 near South Point Road from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The road crew is resurfacing and installing guardrails.

THE HIGH SURF WARNING has been extended by the National Weather Service until 6 p.m. Several days of high surf have seen crashing waves along the Ka`u Coast and waves washing over the beach at Punalu`u into the ponds.

HAWAIIAN CIVIC CLUB OF KA`U’S Steak Fry and Laulau Fundraiser will be held on Monday, September 5th (Labor Day) in the Ocean View Market parking lot from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm.