Approve the Hā'ena Community Based Subsistence Fishing Area Rules

In 2006, members of the Hā’ena community successfully lobbied the Hawai’i State Legislature to designate the waters of the Hā’ena as a Community Based Subsistence Fishing Area (CBSFA). The Hā’ena Rules reflect the input and hard work of various stakeholders, user groups and community members who met on countless occasions to draft rules and plans based on the knowledge of kūpuna, kupa’āina families and traditional and customary practices of Hā’ena’s community. The Hā’ena Rules are an extension of the Hawaiian concept of aloha ‘aina- you take care of the land, the land takes care of you. These rules utilize culturally rooted, community-based management to restore the necessary balance of native species. The restoration of Hā’ena will not only extend the life of Hā’ena, but also ensure its continued existence for generations to come. We, the undersigned, support the proposed CBSFA administrative rules for Hāʻena, as it represents the community’s collective vision to restore and return to abundance the important fish nursery and feeding grounds that will continue to sustain future generations of families who rely on these resources for their cultural and physical sustenance.