Hawaii Surfing Reserves - Good or Bad for Hawaii?
The water and coastal areas on Oahu's south and north shores are now officially recognized as "Hawaii Surfing Reserves" (HSR). On June 1, 2010, Hawaii's former governor Linda Lingle signed an executive order to establish the Duke Kahanamoku Surfing Reserve, which extends from the Alawai to the Waikiki War Memorial Natatorium, and the North Shore Surfing Reserve, which extends from Alii Beach in Haleiwa to Sunset Beach.
The stated purposes of the HSR executive order are to "provide recognition of world famous surfing sites as areas that have quality surf and significant cultural, historical, and sports value" and to promote the preservation of particular surfing areas. In addition to recognition and preservation of these designated areas, the executive order also provides a means for the State of Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) to accept donations or gifts to place signs or markers that identify and commemorate the surfing reserves, as well as contribute to the protection and preservation of these areas.
Gov. Lingle's executive order was generated from a bill that was proposed by former State Senator Fred Hemmings in the 2010 Hawaii state legislative session. Senator Hemmings, founder of the Triple Crown of Surfing, and known by some as ?the father of professional surfing' in Hawaii, is a former world-champion surfer who served as a state senator for 10 years before retiring from politics at the end of 2010. The HSR bill was developed by Sen. Hemmings to recognize the historic and cultural significance of surfing in Hawaii. It was based on the National Surfing Reserves Australia program, which recognizes surfing areas throughout Australia for their environmental, cultural and sports value.
Although Sen. Hemmings' HSR bill was unanimously supported in the state Senate, it received resistance as it passed through the state House. Some have speculated that politics was a cause of resistance in passing the bill. However, according to House Speaker Calvin Say, the resistance and eventual vote to recommit the bill was due to issues raised by members of the local surfing community about the impact of the bill.
Opponents of Sen. Hemmings' HSR bill have voiced concerns regarding how the bill may further the displacement of local surfers by promoting commercial uses, such as surfing contests, of the surfing reserves. George Downing, a legendary big wave surfer and representative of an organization called Save our Surf (SOS), has expressed uneasiness regarding the language of the bill and the potential impact of designating areas for "competitive surfing." He has argued that the term "competitive" in the language of Sen. Hemmings' bill raises red flags for those interested in promoting the recreational use of surfing areas for local surfers.
Although the term "competitive" was used in bill proposed by Sen. Hemmings several times, it was not included in the language of the executive order issued by Gov. Lingle. This may have been done to appease concerns regarding the implementation of HSRs, but it seems that the concern over the impact of the impact of the surfing reserves remains. Because the HSRs were designated through an executive order, rather than passed as a bill, they do not carry the weight of law and can be overturned by a new governor. This means that the newly-elected governor, Neil Abercrombie can revoke the HSRs established during the Lingle administration. For now, the newly designated Hawaii Surfing Reserves are considered by some as a symbol of Hawaii's cultural heritage and contribution to the international surfing community and by others as a threat to recreational surfing activities and local surfing culture. However, the actual longevity and impact of these surfing reserves remain to be seen.
Melissa Akaka
