STAND. COM. REP. NO.
Honolulu, Hawaii
APR 1 8 2024
RE: H.C.R. No. 198
S. D. 1
Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi
President of the Senate
Thirty-Second State Legislature
Regular Session of 2024
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committees on Water and Land and Transportation and
Culture and the Arts, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 198
entitled:
"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE STATE'S
CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION TO ADVOCATE FOR THE ENFORCEMENT OF
EXISTING INTERNATIONAL LAWS TO REDUCE GHOST NETS ENTERING THE
STATE FROM INTERNATIONAL WATERS AND TAKE OTHER ACTIONS TO
REDUCE MARINE DEBRIS FROM FISHING GEAR,"
beg leave to report as follows:
The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the
State's congressional delegation to:
(1) Advocate for the enforcement of existing international
laws to reduce ghost nets entering the State from
international waters;
(2) Advocate for the establishment of a requirement for
United States fishing vessels to mark their fishing
gear; and
(3) Create financial incentives to retrieve and dispose of
floating fishing gear.
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 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3g74
Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure
from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Friends of
Hanauma Bay, and one individual.
Your Committees find that discarded or lost fishing nets in
the ocean, otherwise known as ghost nets, regularly wash in from
international waters to the reefs of Papahanaumokuakea Marine
National Monument, causing harm to the reef and marine wildlife.
Your Committees further find that the International Law of the Sea
allows states to take action against vessels entering their ports
if there is evidence that they have abandoned or negligently lost
fishing gear, although gear is not marked in a way as to trace
ownership. Your Committees conclude that Hawaii's congressional
delegation should advocate for the enforcement of existing
international law and the establishment of new requirements and
financial incentives to reduce the number of ghost nets entering
Hawaiian waters.
Your Committees have amended this measure by making
technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity
and consistency.
As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your
Committees on Water and Land and Transportation and Culture and
the Arts that are attached to this report, your Committees concur
with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 198, as amended herein,
and recommend its adoption in the form attached hereto as H.C.R.
No. 198, S.D. 1.
Respectfully submitted on
behalf of the members of the
Committees on Water and Land
and Transportation and Culture
and the Arts,
CHRIS LEE, Chair
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 The Senate
Thirty-Second Legislature
State of Hawai‘i
Record of Votes
Committee on Water and Land
WTL
Bill / Resolution No.:* Committee Referral: Date:
VWTU /Tc.^ 04
The Committee is reconsidering its previous decision on this measure.
If so, then the previous decision was to: ___________________________________
The Recommendation is:
Pass, unamended U'^ass, with amendments __ Hold __ Recommit
2312 2311_______________ 2310________ 2313
Members Aye Aye (WR) Nay Excused
INOUYE, Lorraine R. (C)
ELEFANTE, Brandon J.C. (VC)
CHANG, Stanley I^Z***"
MCKELVEY, Angus L.K. yZ*
FEVELLA, Kurt
TOTAL 5
0
Recommendation: __
Adopted __ Not Adopted
Chair’s or Designee’s Sign^are.:—j ~
Distribution: Original Yellow Pink Goldenrod
File with Comrmttee Report Clerk's Office Drafting Agency Committee File Copy
*Only one measure per Record of Votes
Revised: 01/09/24
 The Senate
Thirty-Second Legislature
State of Hawai‘i
Record of Votes
Committee on Transportation and Culture and the Arts
TCA
Bill / Resolution No.:* Committee Referral: Date:
ML/TCA
__ The Committee is reconsidering its previous decision on this measure.
If so, then the previous decision was to: ___________________________________
The Recommendation is: /
__ Pass, unamended v Pass, with amendments __ Hold __ Recommit
2312 2311_______________ 2310________ 2313
Members Ay^ Aye (WR) Nay Excused
LEE. Chris (C)
INOUYE, Lorraine R. (VC)
ELEFANTE, Brandon J.C.
KANUHA, Dru Mamo V
AWA. Brenton
TOTAL 4^ I
Recommendation: i—
[3^ Adopted 1221 Not Adopted
Chair’s or Designee’s Signature:
Distribution: Original Yellow Pink Goldenrod
File with Committee Report Clerk's Office Drafting Agency Committee File Copy
*Only one measure per Record of Votes
Revised: 01/09/24