Commercial Boating Operators Invited to Maui Hearing

File photo by Wendy Osher.

By Wendy Osher

Commercial boat operators are invited to a series of public hearings being held across the state to comment on proposed rule changes.

State officials with the DLNR Boating Division say the hearings will focus on rule amendments to, “bring parity to all catamaran registration certificate holders.”

State officials are also trying to, “streamline commercial use permit fees, and requirements for commercial operations in all state waters.”

“There has been a significant increase in the volume and types of recreational and commercial activities taking place in state waters since these boating rules were written and last revised nearly 20 years ago,” said DLNR Chair William J. Aila, Jr., in an agency-issued press release.

“It’s time to update our rules so they are fair and equally applied to commercial operators operating everywhere in state waters. Since the use of our waters is changing, these rules allow us greater flexibility to adapt to those changes,” he said.

The Maui meeting will be held at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 17 at Maui Waena Intermediate School in Kahului.

Hearings on other islands include the following:

• Hawaiʻi Island, Kailua-Kona: Wednesday, Oct. 16, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Kealakehe High School cafeteria;
• Hawaiʻi Island, Hilo: Thursday, Oct. 17, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the State Office Building, first floor meeting room on Aupuni Street;
• Kauaʻi: Wednesday, Oct. 16, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School cafeteria in Līhuʻe; and
• Oʻahu: Thursday, Oct. 17, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. a the ʻAiea Elementary School cafeteria on Moanalua Rd.

The public is invited to review the rules online at the DLNR website, or at any small boat harbor from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., on weekdays, except state holidays.

State officials say comments received at the hearings will be presented to the Board of Land and Natural Resources for potential rule modifications.