Latest news with #LANDANDNATURALRESOURCES
Yahoo
30-03-2025
- Yahoo
Opihi pickers cited for illegal activity in Pupukea district
COURTESY STATE DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES State conservation officers said 235 opihi were allegedly found in the possession of two men. COURTESY STATE DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES State conservation officers said 235 opihi were allegedly found in the possession of two men. An anonymous tip to the state Department of Land and Natural Resources' Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement led to citations being issued to two opihi pickers for illegal activities in the Pupukea Marine Life Conservation District, located on Oahu's North Shore. Conservation officers on Wednesday responded to a report of two men collecting opihi at the southern end of the Pupukea MLCD. Upon arrival, officers approached the individuals, a 53-year-old Wahiawa resident and 65-year-old Ewa Beach man, and found them in possession of 235 pieces of opihi, according to a DLNR news release. The opihi were within legal size limits, but DLNR noted the collection of any mollusk, including seashells and opihi, is prohibited within the boundaries of the Pupukea MLCD. The district, established as a protected area, is subject to strict regulations aimed at preserving marine life and ensuring the sustainability of aquatic resources. Both men were issued citations for violating Hawaii Administrative Rules relating to prohibited activities within the Pupukea MLCD. They are scheduled to appear May 13 in Wahiawa District Court to face petty misdemeanor charges. 'Activities in marine protected areas throughout the state, including the Pupu kea MLCD, are highly restrictive to protect aquatic resources, ' DOCARE Chief Jason Redulla said in the news release issued Friday. 'These areas have signs posted informing people of these restrictions. We remind everyone to follow the rules and restrictions to avoid being cited or arrested.' The Pupukea MLCD was established in 1983 as part of the state's Marine Life Conservation District Program to provide the highest level of protection for marine life, with regulations designed to allow fish and other aquatic species to grow larger and produce more offspring. 'This, in turn, can lead to a 'spillover effect' that benefits adjacent areas, ' the release said. Don 't miss out on what 's happening ! Stay in touch with breaking news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It 's FREE ! Email 28141 Sign Up By clicking to sign up, you agree to Star-Advertiser 's and Google 's and. This form is protected by reCAPTCHA. The boundary of the Pupukea MLCD stretches from the southern edge of Waimea Bay, extending northward past the popular Sharks Cove. 1 Comments By participating in online discussions you acknowledge that you have agreed to the. An insightful discussion of ideas and viewpoints is encouraged, but comments must be civil and in good taste, with no personal attacks. If your comments are inappropriate, you may be banned from posting. Report comments if you believe they do not follow our. Having trouble with comments ? .
Yahoo
22-02-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
New species of native bee discovered on Molokai
COURTESY STATE DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES A native bee—hylaeus connectens—sits on a native shrub kolomona (Senna gaudichaudii ) in Makolelau, an ahupuaa in East Molokai. COURTESY STATE DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES A native bee—hylaeus connectens—sits on a native shrub kolomona (Senna gaudichaudii ) in Makolelau, an ahupuaa in East Molokai. A new, native bee species has been discovered on the southern slopes of Molokai. The new species—Hylaeus paumako—has a distinctive, all-black face never before seen in a native male species on Molokai, according to conservationists. It has been named Hylaeus paumako, according to the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, with 'paumako ' meaning mourning or grief in Hawaiian. Karl Magnacca, an entolomologist for the DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife Survey, found the new species while surveying Mako lelau, an ahupuaa in East Molokai. He credited the exciting discovery to the Molokai Plant Extinction Prevention Program team, which showed him the area. 'While I didn't expect to find many bees during my visit, the presence of the native shrub kolomona (Senna gaudichaudii ) piqued my interest, ' said Magnacca in a news release. 'It was there that I first noticed the distinctive markings on one of the bees. I immediately realized that I had found something new.' The Hylaeus paumako is part of a diverse group of endemic bees native to Hawaii, according to DLNR, with all 64 known species in the same genus descending from a single ancestor that arrived on the islands roughly 1 million to 1.5 million years ago. Don 't miss out on what 's happening ! Stay in touch with breaking news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It 's FREE ! Email 28141 Sign Up By clicking to sign up, you agree to Star-Advertiser 's and Google 's and. This form is protected by reCAPTCHA. DLNR's Division of Forestry and Wildlife acquired Makolelau, an important watershed, in 2022 for conservation purposes. Much of the area had suffered from degradation due to invasive species and erosion, but some pockets of native vegetation protected by fences survived. These pockets now provide crucial habitats for native species such as the Hylaeus paumako and many rare plants. Magnacca said area's mesic forests are the most diverse in terms of native plants and insects in general, and also the most threatened. 'Everyone's attention is grabbed by the wet rainforest, but we have large portions of those forests protected and in relatively good shape, while dry and mesic forests are much more endangered, ' he said. 'So it's really important to protect these remnant patches, even when they're small, because our native species can survive in them.' This was not Magnacca's first new species discovery. He has collected some 500 new species over the past three years of field surveys, and expects to find more. 'There are quite a few that haven't been seen in decades, and recently discovered ones that have only been seen once or twice, so they seem to be quite good at hiding from us, ' he said. 'I have seen them persisting in surprisingly small or degraded areas, so that gives some hope that they may actually be doing better than it seems.'
