Bill Text: HI HCR56 | 2024 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Urging The Department Of Agriculture To Support Efforts To Improve The Aquaculture Development Program Strategic Plan.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 7-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2024-03-08 - Referred to AGR, referral sheet 18 [HCR56 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2024-HCR56-Introduced.html

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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.C.R. NO.	56
THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2024
STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

 

urging the department of agriculture to support efforts to Improve the Aquaculture Development Program Strategic Plan.

 

 

 

     WHEREAS, Hawaii's aquaculture industry is well-established, and the islands offer a competitive edge over the mainland United States and other parts of the world in a number of ways, including:

 

     (1)  A favorable climate with critical biosecurity through natural geographical isolation;

 

     (2)  Access to varied water temperatures, from warmer tropical water to pristine, deep, cold water, which provides the ability to farm a wide variety of species;

 

     (3)  Restorative aquaculture at Native Hawaiian fishponds, which form a unique part of Hawaii's culture and identity, is already ongoing and supported by the community at large; and

 

     (4)  Hawaii's current aquaculture research environment, which provides an excellent infrastructure to test and validate new aquaculture concepts; and

 

     WHEREAS, to promote aquaculture in Hawaii, the Aquaculture Development Program of the Department of Agriculture devised a ten-year strategic plan, which aims to achieve the dual goals of increasing aquaculture food production and supporting initiatives for restorative aquaculture; and

 

     WHEREAS, the strategic plan also seeks to create socioeconomic advantages for the State that benefit its people, economy, and environment; and

 

WHEREAS, although the aquaculture sector in Hawaii is already well-established, it needs to attract larger numbers of industry players, entrepreneurs, and investors to stimulate greater commercial activity and generate increased opportunities to fulfil its ultimate potential; and

 

     WHEREAS, the Department of Agriculture commissioned Hatch Innovation Services to investigate the state of aquaculture in Hawaii and make recommendations on how to improve the Aquaculture Development Program's existing strategic plan; and

 

     WHEREAS, the objective of Hatch Innovation Services' report, which was released in February 2024, was to offer recommendations for key areas on which state--as well as local and federal--agencies can focus to drive the aquaculture sector forward and develop a robust, sustainable food-production system that will contribute meaningfully to the community, economy, and environment; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirty-second Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2024, the Senate concurring, that the Department of Agriculture is urged to support efforts to improve the Aquaculture Development Program strategic plan; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Agriculture is urged to adopt the recommendations made by Hatch Innovation Services in its February 2024 report regarding the strategic plan; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a certified copy of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the Board of Agriculture.

 

 

 

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title: 

Aquaculture Development Program Strategic Plan; Department of Agriculture