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Manta Pacific Research Foundation Announces
House Resolution 30 Passes to Protect Manta Rays
Honolulu, Hawaii - March
31, 2006 House Resolution No. 30, written by Kona
District Representative Josh Green, was heard and passed by the Committee
on Water, Land, and Ocean Resources. The Resolution calls for the
establishment of a working group to protect the batoidea
order, including manta rays, from poaching and fishing in Hawaiian waters.
Specifically, it directs the Department of Land and Natural Resources
(DLNR) with researching and pursuing
all possible means of protecting manta rays, and drafting proposed
administrative rules to prevent poaching, fishing, or killing manta rays.
In the meantime, DLNR is requested to immediately implement emergency
measures to prohibit the taking of manta rays while the study is in
progress. DNLR is required to submit their findings 30 days prior to the
regular legislative session in 2007. If significant protection is not
achieved by January 30, 2007, the Legislature is directed to enact laws to
implement 100% protection of all manta rays in Hawaiian waters.
Kona resident and founder of Manta Pacific
Research Foundation, Keller Laros, testified to
the committee during the hearing at the State Capitol. He explained that
data from the 15 year study that the Foundation has been conducting in
collaboration with Tim Clark from University of Hawaii shows that the Kona manta rays have a localized population that do not
migrate inter-island. With only 99 manta rays ever sighted on the Kona coast and only 70 along the Maui shores, it would
be very easy to wipe out the entire population if anyone decided to fish
for these rays, as Manta rays have a very low reproductive rate, only
producing one pup every 3-5 years. Laros states,
“It’s important to be proactive rather than reactive. We want this rule in
place so it protects the existing animals. If fishing ever started, the
population would easily be wiped out for our lifetime and that of our
children’s.”
This is a great step for the protection of manta rays in Hawaii which would not have been possible without the
support of the local community and visitors to Hawaii
who wish for manta rays to have a safe home in Hawaii. We would like to thank the over
5,600 people who signed petitions, wrote to our representatives, and gave
testimony at the hearing. Without your kokua, HR
30 would have never passed. Mahalo.
Click Here for Text
of House Resolution 30
About Manta Pacific Research Foundation
Manta
Pacific Research Foundation's mission is to study manta rays in their
natural habitat, conduct scientific research, provide education programs
for the public about manta rays and the marine environment, and to
establish and promote manta ray conservation.
Website: http://www.mantapacific.org/
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Manta Pacific Research Foundation
Janice McLaughlin
Director
email: janice@mantapacific.org
phone: (808)325-1630
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Water, Land, and Ocean Resources Committee
Website
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Manta
Pacific Research Foundation is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit
organization
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