HONOLULU, Hawaii (24 Oct 2008) — The state of Hawaii fined a Maui tour boat operator more than half a million dollars for damaging corals. Makena Boat Parters, Kai Kanani Inc and Maalaea Boat Sales were fined $542,950 after the Kai Kanani dive snorkel tour boat damaged 910 square meters of coral habitat and 539 specimens of coral when it anchored off the Maui Prince Hotel in Makena Bay last year from July through August 24. Authorities told CDNN the boat owners were also prosecuted through the criminal courts last year where they pled no contest and paid of fine of only $200. With the increasing wear and tear on fragile coral reef ecosystems attributed to scuba diving and snorkeling tourism, Hawaii officials have been getting tough on tour boat operators who fail to abide by regulations established to protect Hawaii's valuable marine habitat. Six weeks ago, Maui Dive Shop was fined nearly $400,000 for damaging coral at Molokini after one of its boat captains opened an engine room hatch and accidentally sank the Kai Anela dive boat. Last year, Shangri-La dive snorkel tour boat owner Crystal Seahorse Ltd. paid $7,300 for illegally entering the Ahihi-Kinau Natural Area Reserve and damaging stony coral heads with an anchor in 2005. "Hawaii statutes and regulations have long protected coral reefs, but historically these laws have been underutilized by the department," DLNR Chairwoman Laura Thielen said. On the bottom: Maui Dive Shop's 'Kai Anela' dive boat filled with water and sank because the captain did not understand that the inspection hatch of the vessel's jet propulsion unit was located below the waterline. In September, Maui Dive Shop paid a fine of nearly $400,000 for the damage its scuba diving boat did to corals at Molokini. (photo by Dylan Matheson) | | Owned and operated by Makena Boat Partners, the Kai Kanani damaged 538 specimens of coral when it anchored in Makena Bay. "As reefs are under increasing stresses from a variety of sources - including land-based pollutants, invasive species and direct trauma from vessels such as in the case of the Kai Kanani - the department is making it a priority to protect this important but vulnerable natural resource." Coral reef "not valuable" says boat owner Lawyer Russell Kim, representing Sidney Akiona of Makena Boat Partners, immediately appealed the decision arguing that the case should be heard by a Circuit Court jury, not the state land board. Akiona said he disputes the state's conclusion that the coral reef was valuable. Akiona and his partners were fined $1,000 for each coral damaged for a total of $539,000 and an additional $3,950.49 in fees and costs for the total of $542,950.49. |
