KCA Testifies in favor of NOAA proposed protection of our Spinner Dolphins, nai’a, on Thursday Evening

Sep 22, 2016. Contained within our vision statement are the words “enhancing and sustaining our…kai.” Following that directive, we supported a proposed restriction on swimming or approaching a spinner dolphin in near shore waters between Maui, Lanai & Kaoohalawe to prevent disturbance or harassment of these creatures.

After a power point presentation by the NOAA team of Joan Higgens and Ann Garrett, they answered a series of often repetitive questions, then accepted about a dozen comments from individual testifiers

While the proposed alternative is the minimum acceptable one, of within 50 yards, we believe the stronger restriction of 100 yards would be preferable

We believe anything we can do to lessen stress on them is a positive, and this one can have effect, but that is seemingly at least a year away.

Written testimony is still being accepted For more information, see

http://www.fpir.noaa.gov/PRD/prd_spinner.html

Look for a professional report of the meeting soon in the Maui News