Last day to submit testimony for Marianas Trench Monument

Monday, 27 October 2008 00:00 by Therese Hart | Variety News Staff

Today is the last day to submit written testimony in opposition to President George W. Bush's plan to designate and develop several Pacific atolls and reefs as marine sanctuaries which includes the Marianas Trench.

The president's executive order has local residents taking a stand against the proposal and teaming up with the CNMI government, which also opposes the order.

Testimonies can be faxed to 1-202-456-6546 or emailed to the Council on Environmental Quality in Washington D.C. at oceans@ceq.eop.govThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Congresswoman Madeleine Z. Bordallo said that she was against the order. Last week, Bordallo met with members of the Guam Fisherman's Co-Op and its president Manny Duenas who will be submitting 300-500 petitions today to the congresswoman's office, which she will transmit to Washington.

Local fishermen stressed that they are not responsible for over-fishing in regional surrounding waters and should not be penalized for the acts in other jurisdictions that use gear and practices that do not support sustainable use or responsible conservation and management of fishing practices.

"The president cannot say that the marine life in our region is in danger because we are overfishing, because we aren't," Kenneth Quenga, a fisherman from Yona said. Quenga said that if this were the case, then President Bush should establish marine protected areas.

The Bush executive order recognizes the views of territorial governments, local governments and interested parties which have all demonstrated strong opposition to any form of arbitrary Presidential designation, according to a statement from the Guam Fisherman's Co-Op.

An April 30 letter states that "the White House will not consider any proposed project that hints of controversy."


Not the cause

According to the Marianas Fishing Community, fishermen are not the cause of the degradation of high seas fish stocks or the destruction of critical marine habitat. Fishermen have historically--nearly 4,000 years--proven to be excellent stewards of the ocean whereby the harvest is primarily consumed by the community.

Moreover, fishermen continue to provide sustenance to residents of their islands without the need to implement industrialized harvesting methods and should be allowed to continue to fish in the waters of the Marianas with traditional or modern effective fisheries management tools, according to MFC.

Members of the fishing community also stated that they support the existing management established by the U.S. Congress under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.

The community also recognizes that the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council for several decades has banned the use of the trawl nets, gill nets and most recently purse seine.

The WPRFMC also established large closed areas whereby larger (50') scale fishing vessels are prohibited from entering, thus protecting seamounts from industrial resource extraction to include anchoring which adversely impacts the marine habitat.


Guthertz

Sen. Judi Guthertz has already submitted her testimony, stating that it would be unethical and imperialistic for the U.S. to place Guam's waters under a conservation regime without the approval of the people it is entrusted with.

"The United States should be in the process of transferring authority and governance to the people of Guam, not taking authority away from the local government," Guthertz said.

Guthertz said that if Bush wanted to leave a legacy, he should have taken steps to further the development of self-determination and self-government for Guam.

"He has done absolutely nothing for the past eight years. Just looking at a map in an office inside the beltway and dreaming of a 'blue Legacy' is a ridiculous exercise in imperialism," Guthertz said.

Guam at the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues

Akaka Speaks to Seante Committee on Guam's Military Buildup

U.S. Senator Daniel K. Akaka (D-Hawaii) has attended a hearing this week on the military buildup on Guam, and the impact on the civilian community, planning, and response, in the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, which has jurisdiction over U.S. territories such as Guam.

His opening statement follows:

Thank you Chairman Bingaman and Ranking Member Domenici for holding this hearing. I see that we are also joined by my former colleague, Congressman Ben Blaz of Guam, Aloha Ben.

I welcome our witnesses, especially those that have traveled a great distance to testify today. I look forward to receiving your testimony as the Committee explores the impact that the DOD’s plans for an increased military presence will have on the population Guam. I also look forward to the opportunity to discuss the planning and resources needs of the civilian community in preparation and response to the build-up.

It is my understanding that while the Department of Defense has established a broad framework for military build-up on Guam, the DoD continues their planning process including a the preparation of the of a Join Guam Joint Military Master Plan which I understand is still in the DOD review process. Similarly, I know that the Government of Guam is still in the initial stages of addressing the many infrastructure challenges associated with the military build-up. I want to congratulate you for the work you have all done thus far. I know this process poses many inherent challenges and unexpected difficulties and you are to be commended for your efforts.

As we move forward, it is crucial that DoD and other federal agencies continue to work in close coordination with one another and Guam's local government. In particular, it is vitally important that each entity and contributing partner share a collective understanding based on accurate and timely information with respect not only to the military’s but also the community’s needs. Only by working collaboratively will we truly be able to plan accordingly including ensuring that federal resources are appropriately allocated to this undertaking.

I also want to take this opportunity to express my support of H.R. 1595, the Guam World War II Loyalty Recognition Act, which passed in the House and is currently pending before the Senate Committee on Judiciary. The people of Guam deserve no less than to be recognized for the loyalty and courage they displayed during the World War II occupation of Guam by the Japanese.

Once again, thank you to the witnesses for appearing before us today.