February 13, 2020 Advisory Board

HAWAII OCEAN SAFETY TEAM

Advisory Board Meeting

February 13, 2020

DLNR Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation Office

Attendance:

William Anonsen, Keri Benes, John Bravender, Mimi Cleary, Ethan Creps, Erika Janzen, Michael MacDonald, Bill Marhoffer, Crescent Moegling, Gabe Nelson, Whit Olson, Peter Pillone, Brad Rimmel, Tammie Smith, , CDR Arex Avanni (USCG), and Petty Officer Bo Blacklaw (USCG) were in attendance.

By phone: Vanessa Almanza, Tom Collins,.  Ayla Meserve (USCG)

1. Call to Order: 2:08 pm. The meeting was called to order by Michael MacDonald.

• Treasurer’s Report:

1. Current balance is $721.92.
   1. Taxes were not filed in 2019; Neil Kanemoto plans to file for both 2019 and 2020.

• Old Business:

1. Legislative session. Bill Anonsen offered support.

• New Business:

1. Michael MacDonald, Captain Avanni, and Neil Kanemoto are looking into getting State funding for HOST, to meet the precedent set by West Coast Harbor Safety Committees.
   1. The newly installed dock at Port Allen was reported damaged, but none in attendance had any further details.
   1. The HOST Certificate of Recognition program will be re-started as a mechanism to recognize HOST partners who assist the group in accomplishment of its mission. Gabe Nelson will create template certificates. A procedure will be developed to identify the internal approval necessary for presentation of a certificate.

• USCG Concerns:

1. Captain Avanni reported on several items:
   1. 1,200 gallons of diesel + lubes have been removed from the sailing vessel aground near Hilo, and the pollution threat mitigated. A security zone is in place around the vessel.
   1. State Representative David Tarnas is introducing the Commercial and Recreational Ocean Safety Bill, which would, among other things, require a crewmember on certain vessels to hold a nationally recognized certification (i.e. Lifeguard/EMT), and would require certain safety equipment to be carried by a range of vessels. Capt. Avanni reported that he is working with Rep. Tarnas on the scope of the bill, as much of the requirements are already mandated.
   1. The Coast Guard provided the State information regarding the Aquatic Biosecurity Bill. Julie Kuo from DLNR reported that the info was helpful.
   1. Regarding the Snorkel/Dive Safety Working Group, most snorkel/dive companies are in favor of developing a Standard of Care. This solution represents an industry-developed, non-regulatory, way forward, and will supersede HOST’s SOP.
   1. A success story: Recently, a freediver who lost his float alerted the Coast Guard. A search and rescue case was averted when the float was located shortly thereafter by a Coast Guard patrol boat. Capt. Avanni mentioned the orange “If Found” stickers, and Michael MacDonald reported that the PR firm his company works with is developing an alternative sticker.
   1. Marisco’s new drydock departed Seattle, as was 900 NM from Barbers Point Harbor at the time of the meeting. Marisco will operate both the old and new drydocks temporarily to catch up on backlog, and then the old drydock will depart for American Samoa. Julie Kuo from DLNR reported that her team will conduct a survey of biofouling on the new drydock on Feb 27^th, 2020.
   1. A 10-person team from the USCG Maritime Safety and Security Team will deploy to Hawai’i Island from late February through early March to conduct law enforcement and search and rescue missions, as there is no surface asset dedicated to Hawai’i island.
   1. Capt. Avanni communicated his intention to improve the safety of the Hawai’i Island manta ray snorkel and dive operations.

• Bill Marhoffer asked Peter Pillone about precautions being taken to prevent spread of the Coronavirus. Peter confirmed that proper protocol is being followed by the shipping industry and DOT; he cited an example of a sick crewmember who was reported to Center for Disease Control.

• State of Hawaii Concerns:
  • Peter Pillone from the State Department of Transportation, Harbors Division reported on several items:
    • The Kapalama Container Terminal is under construction. The land side of the project may be finished by end of 2020, and the call for bids is out on the water side package.
    • Warehouses at Piers 31-33 are planned to be demolished in the next 6 months.
    • The US Army Corps of Engineers will be conducting dredging on the Honolulu Harbor Entrance Channel. There will be a site visit during the week of Feb 25^th, 2020. During the dredging, a 250-foot-wide section of the channel will always remain open, except for during occasional night closures on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Dredging will take place in Kapalama Basin, the entrance channel, near the Coast Guard piers, and in the vicinity of piers 27, 12, 38, & 36.
  • Julie Kuo reported that a bill relating to biofouling has passed the first stage in the State legislature and is currently in the Ways and Means Committee stage.
  • Julie Kuo provided the group with the new handout with best management practices for biofouling on recreational vessels. Various HOST members agreed to disseminate at their respective yacht clubs.

• City and County Concerns: Tammie Smith reported that there will be a Snorkel Safety conference on Feb 29^th, 2020 at the Hawaii Convention Center. Gabe will forward information to the HOST Membership.

• NOAA/NWS
  • None.

• Announcements: None.

1. Next Meetings:

1. Advisory Board Meeting: 1pm March 12, 2020, directly followed by General Membership Meeting at 2pm.

1. Adjourn 3:07 pm.