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| Turtles, monk seals, dolphin and humbpack whales can be entangled in abandoned fishing nets and fish populations decline when illegal small mesh nets are used in fishing. Photo from wikipedia |
The Kona Coffee name is held in trust for Kona Coffee farmers through the state Department of Agriculture, along with other trademarks, including Kaua`i, Moloka`i, Maui and O`ahu coffees. Beyond state ownership of the name, agency spokespersons said, the state is also responsible for national trademarking, an expensive process. The state allows the farmers under each trademark to use the coffee region name without paying royalties.
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| A state Standards for Coffee hearing will be held this Thursday at 5 p.m. at Pahala Community Center. Photo by Geneveve Fyvie |
The proposed package of amendments to the state's Standards for Coffee would require: all Hawaii-grown coffee to be marked with its true grade or lower grade; coffees be labeled with the geographic region of origin; repeal of exemptions to mandatory certification; increase in the fee for additional copy of an issued certificate; increase of inspection fee rates; establishing the fee rate for an appeal inspection; establishing a definition for natural coffee; repealing the standards for grades of cherry coffee grown in the geographic region of Kona; repealing standards for parchment grades of coffee; amending standards for grades of green coffee; amending defect criteria for coffee beans; repealing the minimum export requirement for green coffee; amending enforcement, penalties, and prosecution section; amending the abbreviation section; repealing the coffee quality verification program; establishing a Hawai`i Natural Prime grade standard; and establishing a recordkeeping requirement for persons who produce, process, transport, or distribute Hawaii-grown coffee.
The rules can be read at http://hdoa.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Proposed-Rule-Amendments-to-4-143.pdf
TULSI IN YOUR TOWN has been cancelled for tomorrow at Pahala Library. Blaze DeLima, who usually comes to Ka`u to represent congresswoman Tussi Gabbard at least once a month, said she has been furloughed. She said that she is disappointed, not only for her situation that prevents her from reaching out to the public, but also saddened by the loss of commerce in Ka`u, particularly in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. She said that when the federal government reopens, she will set another date to visit with people in Ka`u. Her phone number is 987-5698.
CATCHING FISH NET VIOLATORS in order to protect fish populations and marine mammals is the goal of the state Department of Land & Natural Resources, according to a statement yesterday by DLNR chief William Aila, Jr. He said fishermen can help “by registering and tagging their lay nets and following state soak time and checking time rules.”
Aila gave the example of a 220-feet long, by seven-feet wide, lay net found in waters off O`ahu last month with mesh less than 2.75 inches, the legal limit. The DLNR also discovered an 1,100 long net in July without registration tags that was left in the water longer than the four-hour legal limit. State rules limit lay nets to 125 feet long - maximum seven-feet high. They must be registered with the state Division of Aquatic Resources and the must display tags with the owner name.
Aila reminds fishermen that lay nets are illegal at night. Lay nets are prohibited from 30 minutes after sunset until 20 minutes before sunrise. According to state regulations, fishermen must never leave a laynet unattended for more than a half hour. They must check the net after two hours of it being in the water, and remove it after a maximum four hours.
Abandoned nets are often found washed up on the Ka`u Coast and picked up by the Hawai`i Wildlife Fund volunteers. While many of them come from large fishing boats and places far away, some are local. It is illegal to abandon a net. Out at sea, tons of net balls are found floating in the ocean, with responsible fishermen hauling them to shore for recycling.
BIGGEST STACK OF PANCAKES ON EARTH, is how livescience.com describes the volcanic construction of the Big Island. The process called extrusion, not intrusion is the latest scientific explanation for new land that is constantly added to this island. The research was conduced by Garrett Ito, University of Hawai`i Professor of Geology and Geophysics. He and co-researcher Ashton Flinders, of Universities of Rhode Island and New Hampshire, employed gravimeters and created a density model to conduct their studies. Their research shows that Hawai`i's volcanoes were formed by lava spilling onto the surface of the island and stacking up. Earlier theory contended that magma infused into the interior of the island - the existing porous rock - and expanded the size of the island from within, much like a balloon.
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| Divers untangle a monk seal from fishing nets. Photo from DLNR |
Aila reminds fishermen that lay nets are illegal at night. Lay nets are prohibited from 30 minutes after sunset until 20 minutes before sunrise. According to state regulations, fishermen must never leave a laynet unattended for more than a half hour. They must check the net after two hours of it being in the water, and remove it after a maximum four hours.
Abandoned nets are often found washed up on the Ka`u Coast and picked up by the Hawai`i Wildlife Fund volunteers. While many of them come from large fishing boats and places far away, some are local. It is illegal to abandon a net. Out at sea, tons of net balls are found floating in the ocean, with responsible fishermen hauling them to shore for recycling.
Fishing net regulations also include minimum 2-inch stretched mesh for throw nets. Smaller mesh is illegal to sell and use. Gill, draw, drag and seine nets are limited to a minimum of 2-inch stretch mesh. Scoop nets can be of smaller mesh, but only to be used to take fish and other marine life for on commercial use. Scoop nets cannot exceed three feet in any dimension. Licensed pond operations can use small mesh nets to take young mullet for stocking ponds. Those with a bait license can use small mesh nets to take `iao, Marquesan sardine, nehu, pihal, tabai and threadfin shad.
Everyone can use a small mesh nets to take shrimp, opelu and makiawa.
Using nets to catch akule is restricted to a stretch mesh of no less than 2.75 inches. Surround nets can be used with mesh no smaller than 2.5 inches. No bag nets are allowed. Akule can not be left in bags in the ocean for more than three days, without reporting the reasons to the state. Drift gill nets are prohibited. For more see http://state.hi.us.dlnr/dar/regulated_gear.html. To volunteer to clean up nets from the Ka`u Coast, see www.wildhawaii.org. To comment on or “like” this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.
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| Garrett Ito of U.H. |
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| Hawai`i Island in 3D, showing more gravity pull in the red areas. Image from Ashton Finders |
The gravimeters show that much of the makeup of the island is less dense and more porous than previously measured, indicating the extrusion onto the surface. The researchers also say that Hawai`i Island may be comprised of only 10 to 30 percent dense rock, while it was previously concluded that up to 90 percent of the volume is dense.
Hawaiian Volcanoes Observatory chief scientist Jim Kauahikaua was unavailable for comment as HVO is closed except for minimal volcanic activity monitoring during the federal government shutdown. See more at http://www.livescience.com/39906-how-hawaii-volcanoes-formed-layers.html. Also see http://www.sci-news.com/othersciences/geophysics/science-hawaiian-islands-extrusive-volcanism-01445.html. To comment on or “like” this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.
"The findings could mean that Hawai`i Island’s current eruption along the East Rift Zone, which has already been going on for 30 years, could continue for many more years than previously estimated," Ito said in a press release.“This could imply that over the long-term, Kilauea’s (East Rift Zone) will see less seismic activity and more eruptive activity than previously thought. The three-decade-old eruption along Kilauea’s ERZ could last for many, many more decades to come."
The study could also stimulate new analysis of the stability of the surfaces of Hawaiian Volcanoes. Said Flanders: “Collapses occur over a range of scales from as large as the whole flank of a volcano, to bench collapses on the south coast of the Big Island, to small rock falls. If the bulk of the islands are made from these weak extrusive flows, then this would account for some of the collapses that have been documented, but this is mainly just speculation as of now.”
The study could also stimulate new analysis of the stability of the surfaces of Hawaiian Volcanoes. Said Flanders: “Collapses occur over a range of scales from as large as the whole flank of a volcano, to bench collapses on the south coast of the Big Island, to small rock falls. If the bulk of the islands are made from these weak extrusive flows, then this would account for some of the collapses that have been documented, but this is mainly just speculation as of now.”
Hawaiian Volcanoes Observatory chief scientist Jim Kauahikaua was unavailable for comment as HVO is closed except for minimal volcanic activity monitoring during the federal government shutdown. See more at http://www.livescience.com/39906-how-hawaii-volcanoes-formed-layers.html. Also see http://www.sci-news.com/othersciences/geophysics/science-hawaiian-islands-extrusive-volcanism-01445.html. To comment on or “like” this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.
KA`U PLANTATION DAYS organizers met last night and finalized the musical lineup for this Saturday's event at Pahala Plantation Managers House. Following the 9 a.m. parade on horseback, with classic vehicles, Plantation Days entertainment will begin with Hands of Time, followed by the Jamie Santiago Halau, Demetirus Oliveira and Gene Beck, Miss Hawaiian Islands Ulu Makuakane and Aleah Makuakane dancing hula, the Hawiaian Civic Club Halau, Keoki Kahumoku and his Ukulele Band, Ty Chun, and the finale, the Puerto Rican band El Leo, with Ka`u's state Senator Russell Ruderman. The event, with ethnic foods, dance and historic displays, ends at 3 p.m. at Pahala Plantation Managers House.
To comment on or “like” this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.
SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
ALSO SEE KAUCALENDAR.COM AND FACEBOOK.COM/KAUCALENDAR.
To comment on or “like” this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.
SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK. ALSO SEE KAUCALENDAR.COM AND FACEBOOK.COM/KAUCALENDAR.
