THE SENATE

S.C.R. NO.

166

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2003

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 
   


SENATE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

URGING A JOINT EFFORT BETWEEN THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND THE DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES TO STOP THE IMPORTATION OF ALIEN AQUATIC ORGANISMS THAT COULD BECOME INVASIVE.

 

WHEREAS, many intentional introductions of alien aquatic plants and animals are potentially harmful to both the environment and the economy of the State when they become established in bodies of marine, brackish, and fresh water; and

WHEREAS, these alien aquatic organisms enter the State through various means, including aquarium, aquaculture, nursery, and research imports, the United States Postal Service and commercial delivery services, and commercial airlines; and

WHEREAS, more than three hundred fifty invasive marine, brackish, and fresh water species have already become established in Hawaii, clogging lakes and wetlands, altering aquatic ecosystems and habitats, displacing native plant and animal species, and causing economic damage; and

WHEREAS, once invasive organisms become established in the aquatic environment, control is often difficult and expensive and eradication is frequently impossible without destroying native plant and animal species along with alien species; and

WHEREAS, the Department of Agriculture is the lead agency for purposes of preventing the intentional introduction of alien aquatic organisms into the State, but lacks:

(1) An expertise in limnology and marine biology;

(2) The authority to prevent the sale and transport of alien aquatic organisms within the State; and

(3) The responsibility for eradicating invasive organisms once they become established in the aquatic environment;

and

WHEREAS, the Department of Land and Natural Resources is the lead agency for purposes of eradicating alien aquatic organisms once they become established and has the expertise in limnology and marine biology, but no authority to prevent the intentional introduction of these organisms into the State; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-second Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2003, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Land and Natural Resources are urged to develop a joint procedure whereby no potentially invasive alien aquatic organisms can be imported into the State without the approval of both the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Land and Natural Resources; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Land and Natural Resources are requested to report their recommendations, including any necessary proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2004; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources and the Chairperson of the Board of Agriculture.

 

 

 

OFFERED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Alien Aquatic Organisms; DLNR; DOA