We all enjoy swimming and freediving on the South Coast of Hawaii. NOAA is trying to pass a law that will restrict swimming/diving from 6am-3pm in many of these main areas. These closures drastically impact usage of Honaunau, Kealekekua, Hookena and north of OTEC. This proposal runs counter to the Hawaiian state law that states you can not restrict access to the ocean. In addition, north island resort bays are not being closed including Kailua Bay and the green buoy just outside Honokohau harbor. The spinner dolphins rest there as well. So these resort areas may remain open to tourists, but they will destroy our shore access to all of our South Kona bays. Our Freediving areas will be decimated and unaccessible in these proposed restricted areas. This must be stopped. We only have until Dec 27th, 2021 to submit comments and signatures. If we don't fight, swimming/freediving in our beloved bays will be destroyed forever! There are better ways to go about sharing the bays with the spinner dolphins. Educating visitors is one of them. Please sign, comment and circulate this to everyone that comes to mind. Again, they are NOT trying to close or discontinue shore or boat access areas where dolphins are present and most tourists frequent. We are trying to get all comments/signatures in by the first week of December. Mahalo for your support!

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/09/...