We all bear responsibility to the place that we call Honua, Mother Earth, because we are all a
part of it. Not separate, not better than the other, we're all in part as the Kumulipo say,
we come from the same sources. So that to me is a responsibility, I think, being in this sanctuary
advisory council, that helps me to impart that and hope that those that follow will take on those
kinds of responsibilities and continue to bridge it generationally so that it's never forgotten.
The National Marine Sanctuary System is about 620 000 square miles of the ocean and great lakes.
It's protected for the resources that are there, but also what those resources mean to a community.
And one of the interesting things about the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries is that
we're protecting a place not only for species and habitats, but also so that we can educate our
youth and educate the public at large about what the ocean means and about what these individual
places mean. It's also an opportunity for us to to make sure that the protections we put in place are
allowing a community to thrive and bringing together the voices and the individuals and
the collective groups of people who matter to this place and that matter to keep that place healthy
for the long haul. I think one of the things I've been really impressed by with the sanctuary is
that sitting on the advisory council I see that they receive input and feedback from a variety
of different stakeholder groups and there are a lot of different voices in that room,
a lot of different perspectives in the room. And the sanctuary staff are hearing
all of those perspectives when they're making decisions about how to manage the sanctuary.
And the council, like all the councils, provides this unique forum for all the stakeholders,
all the partners who are participating in the marine sanctuary program, to come together
regularly to have really challenging discussions about the current issues to identify future issues
and to work as a set of partners to help achieve the goals of the sanctuary. It's really never
been more important for us to ensure that we have the right level of protection in place
and, at the same time, recognize the community's needs and what level of importance the sanctuary
represents for that community. I know it's something that I feel proud to be a part of
to be serving on the sanctuary advisory council. Being a fisherman and representing the voice of
fishing guides at the sanctuary advisory council level. I think we're a big part of
the partnership that it's going to take to protect these important places. I would really encourage
people to come and be part of it. It's the best way to find a solution that works for everyone,
is to is to come and respectfully listen and then contribute, so they can be part of the solution.
So what should your role be? Come help us. Right? Be a part of these communities. Be a part
of the decisions that we're trying to make here to protect these places for for my children,
for your children, for, you know, future generations too. You can do that in numerous ways,
right? You can step in and be a member of our advisory councils and you can come sit at the
table and provide input and be a liaison to your community to say what should the Office of
National Marine Sanctuaries know about this place, why it matters to you, and what we should do to
protect it to the future. With you and with you coming in and being a part of this with us we'll
make better informed decisions, but we're also going to be growing the capacity we have there
and being able to make even more of a difference in this place and a place that's important to you.