Concerned citizens of the Hawaiin Islands organised the meeting to discuss the Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary’s possible plans for the future. Attendees heard a panel speak about the proposed changes. The Sanctuary — which falls under the control of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and is co-managed by the state — is undergoing a Management Plan Review.
Malia Chow, a representative for the sanctuary, said that sanctuary officials are currently in a 90-day “scoping period” to gather public input regarding their “Proposed Vision” for the future. The panel of speakers explained to the audience that the Sanctuary’s Proposed Vision may include expanding its scope to “protect and conserve other living marine resources,” such as Hawaiian monk seals, whales, dolphins, sea turtles, federally protected coral species, areas of significant habitat, and submerged cultural and historic resources.
Holzman said he asked NOAA at an earlier meeting whether broad restrictions were a probability of the plan. According to the Sanctuary’s Management Plan Review Timeline, after this scoping period ends, there are many more parts of the process — including another 90-day public comment period in 2013 — until the plan is finalized in 2014.
