Governor Lingle establishes Hawaii’s first surf reserves with zero funding

HONOLULU—While Governor Linda Lingle issued an executive order to establish surfing reserves at two historic surfing areas on Oahu, there are still not going to be any funds for raising public awareness, nourishing, or developing the world famous surf sites. There will not even be money for signs on the beaches to announce their historic significance.

Lingle’s order establishes the Duke Kahanamoku Surfing Reserve, which includes surf breaks bounded by the Ala Wai and the Waikiki War Memorial Natatorium, as well as the North Shore Surfing Reserve, which includes surf breaks from Alii Beach in Haleiwa to Sunset Beach.

The executive order “acknowledges the cultural, sports, and historic significance of important surf sites in Hawaii,” and “raises public awareness about the importance of protecting, nourishing and developing Hawaii’s world famous surf sites.”

The executive order does not provide any funding for the surfing reserves, but enables the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), which is statutorily responsible for managing all waters and coastal areas of the state, to receive donations that could be used for signs or markers that identify the surf reserves. In addition, under the executive order, DLNR may assist in promoting federal, state and county collaboration in identifying, nourishing, and protecting Hawaii surfing reserves.

The Honolulu Advertiser’s Mary Vorsino reported that the executive order, which resurrected a bill creating the surf reserves, was a symbolic gesture by Lingle to retiring Republican state Sen. Fred Hemmings. The bill was reportedly killed, Republicans say, due to party politics.

DLNR had testified that while they were in support of the concept of surf reserves, they did not have the funds or ability to provide administrative support for the community groups and organizations seeking to provide signage and interpretive information regarding the surf sites.

The Historic Hawaii Foundation recommended that the bill include provisions for rule-making or otherwise adding more specifIcity and predictability in how promotion and protection will occur, rather than leaving State departments without guidance or parameters.

And while groups like Surfers’ Environmental Alliance, Save the Waves Coalition, and the International Surfing Association strongly supported the bill, individual surfers testified against surf reserves, which they felt favored larger commercial businesses in the surfing industry over recreational users.

“It is difficult to support a bill that fosters the reservation of surfing areas for commercial use such as contests,” said S C Siipman of Maui in testimony. “Corporations can buy the waves for their sponsored seven-figure-income pros and exclude local recreational users from access to the waves. The over-commercialization of surfing has exhausted the supply of aloha that needs to be restored to this traditional art of individual expression and rejuvenation. Water pollution and reef health are more important than some toothless feel-good omage to the industrial-surf-complex.”

To read the executive order, click here.