A new law passed by Hawaii’s legislature and awaiting signing by the governor will vastly change Hawaii boat tours, kayak companies, surfing schools, scuba diving operators, and more. That as the state looks to significantly curtail commercial permits at all its harbors and boat ramps. Hawaii has 23 such launching ramps with permit capacities. As with the FAA plan to significantly reduce Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and Haleakala National Park helicopter tours, tour boat operators say this will put them out of business.
The problem began with unbridled permitting at Hawaii’s boat harbors. One example is near Beat of Hawaii headquarters on Kauai’s westside. The small Kikiaola boat harbor at Kekaha, used for the ever-popular Kauai north shore tours, including along the Na Pali Coast, is overrun with nearly 25 permitted boat tour companies and is at times a free for all regarding boat launch facilities and parking, among other things.
The signature-pending legislation will create a new permitting process for all businesses operating at Hawaii’s harbors and launch ramps. House Bill 1090 allows the state’s Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) to reign in permits that exceed the permit limit. That limit was set after most of the permits had already been granted.
State of Hawaii wants to reduce boat tours by 60% or more.
The state says that things got out of control regarding boat and other water activity permits. DLNR said, “With the explosion of social media and the amount of tourism coming here, it just blew up. Our islands are being loved to death. We need to really get a handle on it. Unfortunately, the only way to do it is you’re going to have to reduce the numbers.”
However, that means that at the one harbor near Beat of Hawaii, sixty percent of the current boat tour operators would be gone. And that’s at just one harbor.
Boat tour operators say they have been caught off-guard by how the change in plans appears to be unfolding. While they knew that the state wanted to improve harbor operations and reduce crowds, they didn’t realize it would be this drastic an approach.
The bill will either need to be signed or vetoed by July 11. If not, it is set to become law even without his signature.
Hawaii boating changes have been pending for a decade.
It’s been about ten years since the state began setting limitations on permits at these facilities, as demand increased with more tourism without any additional capacity or infrastructure improvements at the boat harbors. Just before the state initiated those permit limitations, operators became aware of the imminent change in permitting and flooded DLNR with applications. Those were somehow approved, perhaps in error. Now, 10 years later, it is an incredible mess, and the number of permits DLNR issued exceeds the new limits.
Similarities to the plan by FAA/NPS to limit Hawaii helicopter tours.
The bill authorizes DLNR to issue new permits. These will be based on auditing the companies with current permits and issuing new ones based on a seniority system. Permits beyond the new limits will be valid until a one-year expiration date and will not be reissued. DLNR does not feel that a lottery system is fair and wants to give priority to legacy operators.
Hawaii looks to reduce Manta Ray tours by 66%.
At the top of DLNR’s permit revocation list sits other Hawaii harbors, including those below. They are overrun by manta ray night viewing operators. These are seriously overcrowded, as we’ve personally witnessed, and the state reports there may be up to 70 current operators of these tours. DLNR wants to limit the operators to no more than 24.
- Makako Bay, Big Island
- Keauhou Bay, Big Island
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They all fly here regardless and we take thousands of them off the islands every day. Tourists will just find other spaces and those spaces will become more crowded and abused. Instead of molokini or na pali it will be big beach or hanalei. If we want to curb tourism then it needs to be done at letting them in the front door. There are only too many tours because there are too many tourists. Simple supply and demand. Take away the demand and you take away the supply. Take away the supply and you still have the demand and price skyrockets.
Just visited first time.found it difficult to book tours. So with fewer sites will become even more difficult. So why bother to visit the islandscay all?
They could increase harbor capacity. Just say’in.
Looks like the price of boat tours is about to go through the roof like everything else in the state. The tour boat operators aren’t going to take the loss until they try staying in business by increasing fees.
What is the status of the whale watching tours on Maui
Thank you
Karyn D
Hi Karyn.
Those will be starting up again during the migration from November until spring.
Aloha.
Again, I get it. Visitors are not welcome; only their money. Very well, we shall not visit.
This is ostensibly to protect the precious marine habitat. There is just one problem, there is no evidence that snorkeling, scuba or sunset dinner cruises harm the reef. Per the Nature Conservancy Atlas of West Maui Reefs, what’s hurting the reefs are 1. Fishing 2. Sediments 3. Land based pollution and 4. Invasive species. This isn’t about environmental protection, it’s about people who don’t want to share.
I have friends that work for those companies. But this is the right thing to do. Can’t sweep it away and put a band aid on this one. They should cut it down to the number it was in the early 90’s. Yes, I have family and friends that will be directly affected by this. But if this law doesn’t pass, our beautiful island will be directly affected also.
It’s great if they cut it by 60% it’ll focus the wealth in on the most wealthy and they’ll be able to buy more expensive homes to help drive up home prices and that’ll be less work for poor people good job government
Never said anything about putting a price cap on it and spreading the wealth around
Hello Hawaii – been a fond friend and visitor for 50 years and have seen the islands change vastly. For years we’ve looked forward to our visit only to change direction due to cost. When Australia or Tahiti is a less expensive alternative you have to consider that maybe you have outpriced yourself. The traffic in many areas is horrific and to be honest – the natives are so rude to mainlanders; what used to be far fetched alter alternatives is worth the longer flight.
Islanders first – OK, then have some respect for the people paying for your lifestyle.
There were so many boats and people when we went on the nighttime manta trip we will not go again. We don’t mention the trip because we felt the commotion was detrimental.
I just hope developers don’t have their hand in this to show usage declines for justification at certain development propositions for places like Keauhou Bay. If you reduce usage of a boat launching area then less parking is needed.
Just remember, SCUBA divers are the ones out there picking up garbage, plastic, fishing line, lures and all the other garbage on the reef. Divers love the reef. We are it’s caretakers.
Don’t worry they have a plan for picking up stuff off the bottom like trash you’ll need a permit for that you have to ask for permission
The cutbacks to boating and air activities are necessary. As a 58-time island tourist, I have relished opportunities to partake in such adventures. The islands are “loved to mediocrity.” The costs of these adventures has really skyrocketed and will probably increase more with less supply. I feel bad that they might be out of reach for many visitors.
Visiting Molikini was a great example of “too many” boats and people, or even the Napali boats seemed to snorkel the same spots. I’ve enjoyed beach snorkel more ove the years.
I’m no longer astonished for the lack of planning. Hawaii has many examples of uncontained expansion. One of the governors in her farewell address warned of this concern but also did nothing about it over her terms.
In the conversation of permits, I see on Maui a dive shop that says “we specialize in shore diving”, which means that they don’t have or operate boats. So they have ocean use permits for a handful of popular beaches. They have something around 10 of these 15 passenger vans and will regularly see 5 or 6 or more of these vans parked at the same site, Mala Pier for example; and therefore dumping 50 or so divers on the same beach for the same dive site. Shouldn’t this company be required a permit for each vehicle rather than a single permit that covers all of the vehicles of the shop at the same time?
The most important thing is to not eliminate the native tours. The conglomerate money making machines must be targeted first. Hawaiians must be given first priority.
Your putting people & Business’s out of work you should be ashamed of your selfs !!!
Sounds like you went to school people to give the permits I guess they just can’t think
The helicopter restrictions are not really a state function they come from the feds (FAA and NPS) and have been implemented at other parks as well not just the ones in Hawaii.
Most, if not all of the state’s small boat facilities are funded in largr part by Federal monies designated for recreational sportfishing and vessels (Dingell-Johnson Act). Commercial access benefits from these enhancements, but treads a line when it edges out (or blocks) recreational access – something that seems lost on DLNR-DOBOR managers, lenient Federal disbursement officers, and special-interest politicians.
This has nothing to do with tourists or people from the mainland.This is about local people who own businesses being shut down. The tourists will still come they’ll still snorkel and dive but they will just have fewer operators to take them out.This is about concentrating the business among a few legacy operators and shutting out all the rest.
You’re right it’s the mafia
This makes me very nervous! We are coming in a few weeks for a month & have many water activities planned. Will this law go into effect anytime soon?
I’m obviously in the minority here, but I think they all need to be limited. We visited Kauai last summer, securing shuttle passes for Haena State Park. Others went on the hike, while I stayed on the beach. I was really distressed by the constant din of helicopters flying to and from Napali. I know others love that excursion, but there seems to be no consideration for how much the noise disrupts the beauty of the island. The same concerns hold for the numbers of boats ferrying tourists. Hard decisions for sure, but something needs to be done.
Thanks for your information!
Hawaii has found another way to reduce competition and drive up prices. Yay!
Fantastic you’re right less work and more money for the rich
As if there weren’t enough regulations governing aviation operations. This will all end in a fantastically large lawsuit. I really feel for the small tour boat operators.
Regulations were already in place but they weren’t being enforced over the past several years. This is an attempt to get the numbers back into alignment with where they’d have been, if enforced. That means many “businesses” (and that’s what we’re talking about here) wouldn’t have been operating right now anyhow, had they been enforced. Those businesses aren’t individually held accountable for ramifications of overuse, which impacts all who enjoy the ocean and/or use the harbors, non-business and business alike. And it’s either a matter of addressing now, or dealing with it later in an entirely different way, due to damaged harbors, reefs, ocean life, etc. from overuse. People choose to live in crowded, noisy areas; not true of sealife.
Just another way to keep visitors away!! Just a way to cover up the reckless Hawaiian government by over issuing permits. Please don’t get me wrong. I understand there needs to be some regulations for boating and helicopter companies, but why make the local companies cut their schedules by 60%. I am not good at math, but reducing trips by 60% reduces sales tax by 60%.
It’s going to be very interesting to see who the 40% are that survive – and how well connected they are.
I imagine that in Hawaii politics as in others it’s always “follow the money.”
According to the Nature Conservancy Atlas of West Maui Reefs, fish have declined by 90% and reefs by 40%. The primary causes are: overfishing, sediments, land based pollution and invasive species. Mala is actually among the healthier reefs. I have not found evidence that Scuba divers are harming the reef.
Trilogy
There may be legitimate reasons to curtail tour boat operators but I would think that’d negatively impact Hawaii tourism. It’s generally gotten more expensive and now it’s potentially going to be more difficult to do water based activities once there. While there is great beauty in Hawaii, the ocean is one of it’s major draws. At some point folks are going to decide there are other destinations. I’m a regular Hawaii traveler going out on snorkeling trips at least once, and often twice, during each two week trip and I would have to seriously think about returning if that opportunity were to be curtailed.
We are heading to Big Island over New Years with a driving factor being the Manta Ray snorkel. Do you think it is a better idea to book it now before this happens? Or will we risk booking with a company that may go out of business. Any recommendations based on your knowledge about which charter companies will be a safe bet?
Aloha, I work for a Big Island dive operator, but we are located 30 miles from Kona so we don’t do the Manta excursions. I wouldn’t worry too much about finding a company to go with – there’s so many and all these things take forever to happen. But – if you want a recommendation- try Aquatic Life Divers. Great eco friendly company. Nice boat. Also Manta Ray Dives of Hawaii is good, Kona Honu is good. They’ve all been in business a long time and are not likely going away.
So instead of choosing to invest in infrastructure, our state “representatives” decide instead to stick it to local small businesses (again) and run 60% of them out of business, as if they weren’t struggling enough trying to recover from the state’s over-reaching policies during Covid. These elected officials are it supportive of businesses or job employment. It’s as if they want everyone on welfare!
I appreciate the need for greater regulation, but this law creates an unlevel playing field, in effect a state government-imposed monopoly where only large legacy operators survive. This law will reduce competition and innovation, drive most smaller new operators out of business and cost many people their jobs.
So what’s your solution? If something isn’t done, the islands will be ruined, even more than they already are by the tourist who have no respect for the culture of the Hawaiians people.
I agree!!! It needs to be curtailed. This was proven during Covid when our reefs briefly came back to life. Yes it sucks for the tour companies that will be affected but it will benefit the ocean life.
Nobody had a right to go on a tour so if you can’t afford there is plenty of shore snorkeling available
We are not all like that.I know they(you, too?)hate tourists. We get that. There Are some of us that enjoy the beauty & culture of Hawaii. Do not put all tourists in one group. That is insulting.
There are alternatives to putting 60% out of business. DLNR could simply limit each permit holder to odd days or even days. That would reduce utilization by 50% and not kill dozens of businesses. There are other solutions as well. But this bill is based on seniority and was strongly supported by the OTC aka Trilogy Excursions who stand to benefit enormously by putting 60% of their competition out of business.
You mean residents of the U.S. State of Hawaii??
This comment is so unfair. I am 65 and have been going to Maui since I graduated from Highschool every year. I love the Hawaiian community,ocean and amazing sea life. I
have witnessed the absence of sea life and destruction of coral reefs due to careless visitors but not all visitors are like them. I have supported Maui and their whales for many years and it is very unfair to put the operator’s out of business. Great idea to have designated days which would also be safer for Humpbacks with less boating traffic. Please do not cry when Hawaiian tourism ceases after some of these comments.
Just because someone is Hawaiian doesn’t guarantee they are pono and malama kai. There are 3 truck tires off puu kekaa that were thrown in the ocean. That wasn’t done by tourists.
Don’t forget increase the cost to the consumer. SInce there is less competition and more demand from the remaining 40% the market will warrant an increase.