Life in Hawaii has always been inextricably linked with the ocean, which is central to our livelihoods, culture, health and island lifestyle. Carefully refined Native Hawaiian management practices ensured continued abundance for the people of Hawaii for centuries.
However, in recent years, it has become apparent that both local and global impacts are affecting the health and resilience of Hawaii’s nearshore marine systems.
In response to the declines, in 2016, Gov. David Ige announced the Sustainable Hawaii Initiative and the Department of Land and Natural Resources’ (DLNR) commitment to “achieve effective management in at least 30 percent of Hawaii’s nearshore marine environment by 2030,” known as the Marine 30×30 Initiative.
As the state agency tasked with “managing, conserving and restoring Hawaii’s aquatic resources and ecosystems for present and future generations,” the Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR) is using the ambitious Marine 30×30 Initiative as a springboard to achieve nearshore management that is place-based, participatory, science-informed, adaptive and focused on building valuable partnerships with communities and nearshore users. A broad range of management tools will be offered to ensure effective management of our nearshore waters.
2019 Lahaina News