33 



agement of our fish stocks. We do not want outside profit taking fishing to damage 

 our fish stocks, destroy current wise-use practices, or prevent the sound manage- 

 ment of our stocks. 



With commercialization and the introduction of motorboats, and large cannery 

 boats with accommodations so small and uncomfortable that Samoans opted not to 

 participate actively in the longline and purse seine fisheries a stereotype developed 

 that few Samoans were interested in offshore fishing. The evidence, however, shows 

 that this stereotype is not true. It also shows important historical and cultural con- 

 tinuity in offshore fishing for management species by American Samoans. There is 

 also a continuing cultural, social, and religious framework based on the capture and 

 distribution of numerous management species. 



Natural Regulation and matai and tautai control of the nearshore and offshore 

 fishery has been an appropriate strategy throughout most of American Samoa's his- 

 tory because domestic pressure on the stocks has never been high enough to stress 

 the stocks close to overfishing. Allowing outsider and foreign fishing would require 

 that native Samoans keep close tabs on the catch and also have the ability to the 

 impose fees, as proposed in some amendments to the Magnuson Act currently not 

 directly before this Committee. Current fishing by Samoans has luckily not resulted 

 in any significant problems with stock decline due to domestic fishing, but it is obvi- 

 ous, from speaking to my fellow Samoans, that they are wary about overexploitation 

 and want to keep fish stocks healthy, both through our lifetimes and our children's 

 lifetimes. Samoans have had a long and intimate history with the ocean and its fish. 

 This attitude must be kept and actively supported by the U.S. Government. This 

 amendment should be included in the Magnuson Act to allow Samoans the same 

 indigenous rights mainland Indians have. Samoans should be granted preferential 

 rights and encouraged to maintain our customs and traditions. Anything less than 

 this could be a cultural calamity for us. Thank You. 



Prepared Statement of James Keli'ipio Kahea Mawae 



Aloha kakahiaka and good morning Senator Inouye. Thank you for the oppor- 

 tunity to testify this morning in support of amendments to the Magnuson Act. The 

 changes being considered to the federal statute — that recognize traditional fishing 



gractices and the value of community-based fishery demonstration projects to Native 

 [awaiians and other indigenous Pacific islanders — are much needed and long over- 

 due. Native Hawaiians and their neighbors in other Pacific island communities are 

 truly blessed in having you as their champion in the Nation's Capital — Mahalo nui 

 loa no kou kako'o ia makou a ho 'opomaika 'i i kau hana i kawa mahope (Thank 

 you very much for your support for us and bless you in your future endeavors). 



I am James Keli'ipio Kahea Mawae from the island of Moloka'i. I am a resident 

 on homestead land in Ho'olehua and a true kanaka maoli-descendant of the People. 

 My family of four, including my 80-year old father, subsist on what we are able to 

 grow and gather from the aina and catch from the hohonu kai (ocean depths). My 

 family is not unique in this regard, as it was reported that among the Hawaiian 

 families living on the island, over 38% of all food was acquired through subsistence. 

 It is a hard life; but one that is culturally enriching as it is rewarding to those who 

 are willing to put in an honest day's work cultivating the land and sharing in the 

 bounty of the ocean. 



I truly believe that small-scale subsistence fishing benefits the Native Hawaiian 

 community in many ways other than placing food on the table or, through ho'o 

 ku'aku'ai (sale or exchange), acquiring other necessities of fife. It also cultivates a 

 strong sense of individual accomplishment as well as community pride, both essen- 

 tial building blocks for reinforcing the spiritual and cultural relationship of the Ha- 

 waiian people with their natural surroundings. This consciousness isn t taught in 

 the schools; nor can it be gained from watching television or reading books. It can 

 only be acquired through the teachings of one generation of lawai'a [fishermen] or 

 other kumu [teachers] to the next generation of practitioners. I know this is true 

 because that is how I learned. 



I have been fishing in Hawai'i for over 50 years. I learned from my father at age 

 9 to pole fish, net fish, and spearfish. I still fish as a means for putting food on my 

 table and to share with my friends and community. Over the years, I have fished 

 in most Hawaiian waters to catch reef fish like the he'e, uhu, manini, moi, kala, 

 kumu, and nenue. I have also fished the open ocean for akule, weke-ula, ulua, and 

 opelu. I also admit to have taken an occasional honu-when it was legal to do so — 

 and being ono for lobsters at family gatherings. One of my fondest recollections was 

 of my days as an aku (skipjack tuna) fisherman and the memories of all the aku- 

 boats that used to dock at Ma'alaea. 



