Below is my opinion, based on what I have seen when watching televised Hawaii County Council Meetings. Hawaii County is the Big Island where the city of Kailua Kona is located from which most commercial fisherman are based.
This has always been an emotional issue for some slightly crazy and self-serving people in Hawaii with "a bee in their bonnet". They stir the emotions of locals who really don't recognize the science that has already been presented. Determined to stop the exporting of Hawaiian wildlife to the mainland, these people ignore the scientific studies already conducted. The studies show that collection numbers continue to remain below that which would cut into the sustainable population of these animals. The data which the Hawaii Division of Land and Natural Resources compiles and the relationship which the DLNR maintains with collectors, clearly have been working in favor of local animal populations.
The crazy people found a loophole they had previously overlooked. Now they have used that loophole to get the Court to stop the issuance of additional Commercial Permits. I believe this will simply lead to the temporary extension of permits currently held by established collectors. Hopefully, the DLNR may only need to explain to the Court the reason for why it issues permits as it does and that it has always been on top of the issue, since it's very mission is the protection of Hawaii's wildlife.
How else will 100's of wedding guests at countless weddings continue to be served fried Kole Tang?
Delicious.
Aloha,
Mark
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