Gov. Josh Green has signed off on an extension to a fee levied on the ocean tourism industry to support marine conservation efforts.
Hawaiʻi lawmakers created the Ocean Stewardship User Fee in 2021. All commercial ocean operators are required to pay $1 per customer they serve into a special fund managed by the state Department of Land and Natural Resources.
DLNR began to collect fees this year, and the program is expected to raise up to $5 million annually. Operators who do not comply may be subject to a $1000 fine or possible revocation of their commercial use permit.
The fund will go towards marine resource conservation projects like coral reef restoration and coastal water quality monitoring.
Lawmakers initially set a five-year limit on the fund to ensure DLNR could demonstrate that the money collected from the ocean tourism industry was being used as intended.
This year, the Legislature passed a measure extending the fund to 2031, with support from environmental groups like the Nature Conservancy, Sierra Club, and Kuaʻāina Ulu ʻAuamo.
Some ocean operators petitioned the Legislature to delay extending the fund, arguing it was important to see how it was managed before levying more fees on the ocean tourism industry.
