Based on a new five-year status review released earlier this year, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is seeking to reclassify the ‘ōpe‘ape‘a or Hawaiian hoary bat from endangered to threatened. The species was listed as endangered in 1970, “based … Continued
When the virtual meeting of the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council opened on September 21, chair Archie Soliai led off with a Christian prayer. Although the council is a federal body, no one objected. Rather, participants on the WebEx screen … Continued
Bottlenose bullies. That pretty much describes the behavior of some of the bottlenose dolphins that frequent the waters near Makako Bay, just north of the Kona airport. Up until about 2006, most of the dolphins in the area were the much smaller … Continued
Last month’s virtual meeting of the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council brought few surprises, but the council did take two votes that should reduce the impact of longline fisheries on protected species. It: • Voted to recommend a change in fishing rules … Continued
So Long, Skeeters: The multi-agency effort to save a number of native forest bird species from imminent extinction got a boost June 22, when the state Board of Agriculture unanimously approved a permit allowing the importation of 25,000 male Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes that … Continued
“It is a very dire situation. We have some strategies, and we’re pursuing them as fast as possible on parallel tracks, but it’s a lot of fingers crossed right now,” Department of Land and Natural Resources director Suzanne Case told … Continued
On October 16, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced that a draft recovery plan for the Main Hawaiian Islands insular population of false killer whales had been prepared and was open for public comment. The insular population, numbering 167 individuals, … Continued
At the virtual meeting last month of the False Killer Whale Take Reduction Team (TRT), it became clear, early on, that agreement on substantive recom- mendations the group is tasked with making to the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) would be difficult, if … Continued
A Loss for American Samoa: The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has overturned a lower court decision, effectively giving longline fishing vessels the right to fish as close as 12 miles from the territory’s coast. The decision is a blow to … Continued
The distinctive vocalizations of three Kaua‘i honeycreepers are disappearing. Once, and not that long ago, an ‘akeke‘e, or a Kaua‘i ‘amakihi, or an ‘anianiau could be identified by its song without setting eyes on the bird. Today, the calls of … Continued