A proposed Ocean Stewardship Fee for tour boats and other passenger vessels is being considered by the state Department of Land and Natural Resources’ Division of Aquatic Resources.
The user fee would be $1 for each passenger on commercial vessels, watercraft and water sports equipment.
The proposal will be discussed at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Aupuni Center Conference Room in Hilo and at the West Hawaii Civic Center in Kailua-Kona.
If approved, the collected fees would be given to the DLNR before the last day of each month.
“Nobody wants to pay more money, but as long as that money is being put into the proper places, then you gotta do what you gotta do,” said Devin Milligan, manager of Hilo Ocean Adventures, which offers scuba diving and snorkeling tours along with kayak and paddleboard rentals in Hilo.
“They’re asking for more money, but at the same time, if you’ve ever been to the Wailoa boat harbor, it’s a really neglected area,” he said. “My first thoughts are: What are they going to do to improve our harbor over here?”
Milligan said possible improvements might include some additional help with trash removal, especially near homeless camps under Wailuku bridge, as well as supporting the infrastructure of the harbor.
“The guests will pull us aside and say, why does it smell so bad down here, why is there so much garbage, and why are there so many homeless people?” Milligan said. “That’s when I start to wonder as well.”
Milligan added Hilo Ocean Adventures hosts monthly trash pickups and educates visitors about coral damage to help protect the environment.
“Will we continue doing it? Of course,” he said. “But should we have some help? Probably.”
The DLNR also would require 24 months of reporting and record-keeping for commercial operators, with applicable penalties for potential violators. Those penalties are not yet listed in the proposal.
“I don’t know how much it would really affect us out here in Hilo, being the only tour company here,” Milligan said.
“I do know it’s going to have major impacts in Kona.”
Dustin Jewell operates Glassbottom Boat tours out of Honokohau Harbor in Kona. With several tours a day at roughly 27 people per trip, Jewell was hoping for an overall percentage as opposed to a per-person fee.
“It’s a little tough for us being one dollar per person instead of just a percentage of the gross,” Jewell said.
“In our case, we take out a lot of people on trips multiple times a day. It would definitely impact us a lot more.”
But much like Milligan, Jewell is OK with the fee as long as it goes toward supporting facilities and improving harbors.
He said he’s put in several requests now to replace missing dock cleats and missing fenders at Honokohau Harbor.
“We put in all of the requests to put them back in, but none of it has happened,” Jewell said.
“We’re happy to pay, but we kind of expect these things to be fixed.”
Other businesses cited significant fees they’re already paying to the DLNR, and hope anything additional will results in significant improvements.
“I don’t think most operators are too stoked about them upping fees,” said Chad Barga, who runs Captain Chad’s Charters out of Waikoloa. “I have a ramp permit, and that costs me $300 a month regardless of how many charters I run, or it can be up to 3% of my gross receipts for the month.”
He also cited missing channel markers out in the Pu‘ukohola Heiau area, which has made it dangerous for some boaters.
“I don’t think the money that we’re paying them is really going on to good use right now,” Barga said. “In my opinion, I think they receive enough money from me, and they’ve got plenty of work to do.”
The proposal does not have an intended start date, and additional information, along with how to submit testimony for the meeting, can be viewed at https://tinyurl.com/s97djjvv.
Email Grant Phillips at gphillips@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
