Monk seal official hired for Kaua'i

Associated Press

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources has hired a monk seal coordinator for Kaua'i.

Financing for the post and technical assistance are being provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The financing lasts only three months, but the state and federal agencies are seeking more money to keep Shawn Farry on the job, the DLNR said.

Farry took over duties in late October to manage monk seal-related incidents around Kaua'i. He also serves as a point of contact for county agencies, the Kaua'i Monk Seal Watch Program and others with a stake in monk seal conservation efforts.