Meetings Set to Discuss Rodent, Mongoose Control & Eradication

Mongoose on Maui. Photo credit Forest and Kim Starr.

The US Fish and Wildlife Service and the Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Forestry and Wildlife, will hold a series of talk story sessions across the islands about methods to control and eradicate invasive rodents and mongooses to protect the state’s native species.

The agencies are co-leads in developing a draft programmatic environmental impact statement, which will analyze the impacts of and alternatives to controlling these invasive animals for the protection of native wildlife, plants and the habitats that support them.

The meetings on Maui will be held on Thursday, March 10, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Lahaina Civic Center, 1840 Honoapiilani Highway in Lahaina. A meeting will also be held on Friday, March 11, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Kahului Community Center, 275 Uhu St. in Kahului.

“Introduced rodents and mongooses in Hawai‘i pose a significant threat to many of Hawai‘i’s native plants and animals,” said Suzanne Case, chairperson of the Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources. “It is important that we have a discussion with a wide variety of interested people so we can comprehensively address the damage these rodents and mongoose have on Hawaii’s ecology, culture, and way of life.”

“We really want to hear what communities would like us to consider in this analysis, including what methods should be considered and what are some alternatives,” said Mary Abrams, field supervisor for the US Fish and Wildlife Service. “Methods to control rodents and mongooses in urban and agricultural areas currently exist, but those tools and methods aren’t always effective or available for use in conservation areas. This process will look at rodent and mongoose control efforts worldwide, and document the most appropriate ones that could be used in Hawai‘i.”

Session Schedule for Neighbor Islands

O‘ahu

Thursday, Feb. 25, 6:30 to 8 p.m.
McKinley High School, 1039 S King St., Honolulu

Thursday, March 17, 6:30 to 8 p.m.
Hale Ponoi, 91-5420 Kapolei Parkway, Kapolei

Moloka‘i

Tuesday, March 1, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Mitchell Pauole Center, 90 Ainoa St., Kaunakakai

Lāna‘i

Thursday, March 3, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Lāna‘i Public Library, 555 Fraser Ave., Lāna‘i City

Kaua‘i

Monday, March 7, 6 to 8 p.m.
Waimea Neighborhood Center, 4556 Makeke Road, Waimea

Tuesday, March 8, 6 to 8 p.m.
Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School Cafeteria, 4431 Nuhou St., Līhue

Hawai‘i Island

Monday, March 14, 6 to 8 p.m.
University of Hawaii-Hilo, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources
Komohana Research and Extension Center (conference rooms A and B)
875 Komohana St., Hilo

Tuesday, March 15, 6 to 8 p.m.
West Hawaii Community Center, 74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Highway, Kailua-Kona

US Fish & Wildlife Service

In addition to these talk story sessions, the public is invited to submit written comments through April 7, 2016. Comments may be made to either agency for joint consideration.

Electronically: Follow the instructions for submitting comments on Docket No. FWS–R1–ES–2015–0026.

U.S. Mail: Public Comments Processing, Attn: FWS–R1–ES–2015–0026; Division of Policy and Directives Management; US Fish and Wildlife Service; MS: BPHC; 5275 Leesburg Pike; Falls Church, VA 22041–3803.

Website: Click on “Get Involved” and enter a comment.

Once the comment period closes, both agencies will review the comments received and begin development of the document.

For the US Fish & Wildlife, comments previously submitted during the first comment period do not need to be resubmitted. The draft programmatic environmental impact statement will be published in both the Federal Register and the Environmental Notice and provide another public comment period for review. For more information visit http://www.fws.gov/pacificislands/nativerestoration/
or http://www.removeratsrestorehawaii.org.

For more information, visit www.fws.gov/pacific.