Starting next year, surf lessons and snorkeling tours might cost an extra dollar.
The state Department of Land and Natural Resources has proposed an Ocean Stewardship Fee, which would require all operators of commercial vessels, watercraft, or water sports equipment to collect a $1 fee from each passenger or customer served.
The extra money would go toward the department, which hopes to learn more about the human impact on Hawaiʻi's marine resources.
David Sakoda, a DLNR aquatic program manager on the Big Island, said the funding will support conservation and restoration of the ocean.
"We've been seeing a disconnect between folks that use the ocean. They benefit from our natural resources," Sakoda explained.
“That's the whole reason [people] come to Hawaiʻi, to visit the ocean or coral reef. But there's no mechanism in place for them to really give back to those resources other than the general taxes that they pay.”
The proposed fee does not differentiate between residents and visitors. DLNR will be hosting three public hearings on the proposal this week.
This interview aired on The Conversation on July 25, 2023. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. on HPR-1.
