The Native Hawaiian culture lives and dies each day. One thing is for sure the ocean that surrounds the islands are filled with beautiful aquatic life. Our friends on the reef have the right to live in harmony and to expand the fragile ecosystem that exist under the sea. Currently 80% of all tropical fish collected for the aquarium trade in Hawaii is harvested in Kona. I live here, in fact I live in the "Last Hawaiian Fishing Village" of Milolii. The people of Milolii are proud Kanaka Maoli. We live off of the land and ocean to survive. Our culture has remained in tack for all generations because we practice the old traditional ways. Currently our way of life is being impacted by pressure mainly from the outside. We don't take much we only take for the table. As fisherman we have learned from our Kupuna the right way of life. The aquarium trade is a foreign practice and there is no good to come from this. I am here today to start a very important conversation. I am asking the Department of Land and Natural Resources to close down the South Kona area to the collection of aquatic life for aquarium trade. Last year my efforts have aligned me with many key people who have failed to do what is right. Efforts to ban this trade statewide will take more then I can ever imagine. I am here today because I need to take care of the reefs in front of our area's immediately. There is no fish on the reefs like there has been in the past. Please join with me and lets ask the DLNR and the State of Hawaii to close down the entire South Kona area, from South Point to Kealakekua to the collectors, make them work for another industry. This petition is a vital step to do what is right and pono. Your support in the efforts of our friends on the reef will go along way. Stand today with me. Mahalo Kaimi Kaupiko [email protected] http://www.kitv.com/news/30211298/detail.html