Posted on May 29, 2023
The Department of Land & Natural Resources this week closed their comment period for a proposal to dredge Pohoiki Beach, on Hawaii Island, and restore access to the boat ramp.
The Pohoiki boat ramp has remained obstructed for 5 years now since the 2018 Kilauea eruption covered this beach in volcanic sand and rock.
But the DLNR has told KITV4 there is now a tentative timeline to move forward with the project. In the last 5 years, fishermen have had to rearrange their lives.
“Whatever fishermen still remained fishing moved to Hilo to fish out of the Hilo ramp. Two-thirds of the Pohoiki fishermen quit fishing,” Michael Harrington told KITV4, “They, you know, moved into other industries or had to leave, just find new jobs.”
For Harrington, it has meant packing up from Puna, and making the trek to the boat ramp in Hilo. Even the boat itself had to be altered.
“We had to put in fuel tanks double the size,” Bunnie Harrington said of adjustment since 2018, ” And make sure we had bigger motors.”
Trips out to the fishing site became more difficult access-wise.
“Before I could do a one night trip, come home the next morning and be good. Now I have to fish two or three nights at a time,” Michael Harrington said.
Michael’s wife, Bunnie, says the time away comes with a concern over safety risks- now that the boats are no longer going out from Pohoiki.
“If the fishermen are out there in a bad storm it does happen time to time- they would basically be able to run back into the ramp within an hour, hour and a half, as opposed to three to four hours back to Hilo,” Bunnie Harrington explained, “So, that’s a big thing for me is safety, especially because my husband is a fisherman and a lot of his friends are fishermen. And we all have families that want to see our fishermen come home safely.”
This month public comment was offered by the state on the dredging issue.
Some who oppose the dredging have become accustomed to warm water thermal pools which the public has enjoyed.
But fishermen see a more pressing need, “We just like our ramp back, truthfully. It provided a lot for the community. It provided a lot for the community. People were working. That money went to the gas stations and grocery stores,” Michael Harrington said.
The DLNR told KITV4 it plans on releasing a final assessment July 23rd, with a bid advertisement planned for October. Should the timeline go forward, construction may start in December. Tentatively, the DLRN would be looking at a September 2024 completion date for the project.
