(b) (2)
Each commercial manta ray viewing operation permit shall only authorize operations in one manta ray viewing zone and shall not authorize operations in any other areas. Commercial manta ray viewing operations shall only be conducted during manta ray viewing hours and shall be subject to two-hour shifts as determined and assigned by the department. No commercial manta ray viewing operator may operate within any manta ray viewing zone outside of their assigned shift.
Would a Honokohau based vessel with a Keauhou Manta permit be granted special ramp and docking privileges at Keauhou Harbor?
A two hour shift system would severely impact the smaller operators, restricting their income to the size of vessel and Coast Guard rating. This will only encourage permit holders to acquire larger vessels to maximize the profit for their given time slot. Conceivably this could result in all permit holders in a given two hour time slot putting in 30 to 60 passengers at the same time, exacerbating an already crowded and unsafe environment.
A study should be done to determine a manageable number of snorkelers that should/could be in the water at each individual site over a set time period. There also needs to be a determined ratio of small to large capacity vessels at each site for each shift and perhaps extended time periods for the smaller vessels.
Proposed Edit:
Each commercial manta ray viewing operation permit shall only authorize operations in one manta ray viewing zone and shall not authorize operations in any other areas. Commercial manta ray viewing operations shall only be conducted during manta ray viewing hours. No commercial manta ray viewing operator may operate within any manta ray viewing zone outside of their assigned shift.
The two-hour shifts unnecessarily restrict revenue and cap the entire manta ray tour industry at a collective 4-hour time period per night. Restricting the industry to 4 hours per night does not provide a safety benefit. I am proposing that we remove the two-hour shift rule and allow approved tour operators to run at any time they choose (as we do currently).
Each commercial manta ray viewing operation permit shall only authorize operations in one manta ray viewing zone and shall not authorize operations in any other areas.
Commercial manta ray viewing operations shall only be conducted during manta ray viewing hours and shall be subject to two-hour shifts as determined and assigned by the department. No commercial manta ray viewing operator may operate within any manta ray viewing zone outside of their assigned shift.