Posted on: Saturday, June 25, 2005

Makua kayak business loses permit

By Will Hoover
Advertiser Leeward O'ahu Writer

Following hours of emotional testimony from members of the Wai'anae community, the Board of Land and Natural Resources yesterday voted to not issue any further commercial recreational activity permits at Makua Beach.

It was the second protracted meeting on the issue that the state board has faced in the two weeks.

Last July, in a first-of-its-kind effort to allow land-based commercial activities on the remote western section of O'ahu, a special temporary permit was issued to Makua Lani — a kayaking and snorkeling concern that markets to Japanese tourists. Yesterday, the board voted not to renew its permit.

Makua Lani spokesman Adam White said company operators were caught off guard by the outcome. "We felt that we had a really strong stance. From here ... , we're going to regroup, that's for sure.," White said.

He said the company's entire focus had been aimed at operating off Makua. Now, he said, all available options would be considered.

Wai'anae resident Gail Hunter was one of many who pleaded with the board to accept the state Department of Land and Natural Resources' recommendation not to reissue the permit. Hunter was obviously pleased following the board's decision, but she said the occasion was not one for celebration.

"The first line of responsibility for the DLNR is to preserve and protect the resources," she said. "That's the bottom line. It's not to create jobs and it's not to promote tourism. So, they did their job."

The temporary permit, which expires at the end of this month, allowed Makua Lani to launch more than an dozen 2- and 3-person kayaks from Makua Beach on weekdays.

The kayaks were low-impact and the company provided jobs to dozens of young residents of economically depressed parts of western O'ahu, Richard Holland, Makua Lani executive director, had argued.

But Wai'anae fishers said the kayaking activity negatively affected the traditional fishing grounds. Others in the community believed that the kayaks intruded on a relatively undisturbed area that many in the largely Hawaiian community consider sacred.

Last year, the DLNR and members of the Wai'anae community seemed to favor the temporary plan because of its employment potential. Later, however, local sentiment seemed to shift, and the DLNR recommended that no more commercial recreational permits be issued for the area.

Staff writer James Gonser contributed to this report.