Honolulu Weekly

Peter Young, as head of Hawai’i’s Department of Land and Natural Resources, has helped thrust the state to the forefront of marine conservation around the globe. In the process, he has apparently angered many local fishermen–an estimated 7,000 if claims are to be believed.

Today, the state Senate is expected to decide whether to confirm Young’s reappointment. But a petition available at Pacific Ocean Producers (POP), a commercial and sport fishing supply company, and other places around the state is calling for Young’s removal from office. The petition is being circulated by Pacific Islands Fisheries Group, which has been represented at public meetings by a POP employee, Neil Kanemoto. PIFG calls for re-opening the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands to fishing.
In September, a PIFG cover letter to the petition claimed that 5,000 signatures calling for Young’s removal had been gathered. KAHEA, The Hawaiian-Environmental Alliance, reports that number may now be closer to 7,000.

Young says that during his tenure, which began four years ago, he has viewed the NWHI as ‘a place where future generations from around the world can see what it’s like to have a place in the world when you don’t take something.’

According to the DLNR director, numerous decisions by Wespac over the years have led to overfishing of commercial species, such as tuna and bottomfish, or have threatened rare species like monk seals and sea turtles. Young says he has been trying to persuade Wespac ‘to do things differently because all the fish are being overfished.’

But the petition is sponsored, he says, by people who want to ‘tie the hands of resource managers and let everyone do what they want.’ He adds, ‘We can’t allow that to happen.’

Jerry Edlao, a member of the state Board of Land and Natural Resources, which oversees Young’s agency, says, ‘It would be like suicide not to confirm him.’ He says Young has built positive momentum toward protection of the state’s natural resources.

Rick Gaffney, spokesman for Hawai’i’s 10,000-vessel small boat fleet and a member of Wespac, calls Young ‘the best DLNR head this state has had in several decades. His efforts have always been to conserve our fisheries for current and future generations.’

Young says he has heard from people who claim they ’signed the petition without knowing what it is.’