Hawaii upholds moratorium on commercial aquarium fishing - Thegardenisland.com

Posted: 18 Aug 2020 11:05 AM PDT

HONOLULU — The Hawaii Environmental Council has effectively extended a ban on commercial aquarium collection along the west coast of Hawaii Island.

The state council on Thursday upheld a decision by the Board of Land and Natural Resources to reject an environmental impact statement for a proposal to reopen the Big Island waters to the million-dollar aquarium fish trade.

The land and natural resources board voted in May to reject the impact statement submitted by 10 West Hawaii aquarium fish collectors and the National Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council.

The proposal would have allowed commercial aquarium collectors to take fish using fine-mesh nets, with restrictions including size and bag limits on various fish species and a reduction in the daily bag limit of Achilles tang fish from 10 to five fish.

The Hawaii Supreme Court halted aquarium fishing in September 2017 by ruling fish collection without environmental review violates the Hawaii Environmental Policy Act.

The activity is opposed by some Native Hawaiians and marine conservation groups. Many reef advocates have urged more state scrutiny for decades.

This was the first time in the 40 years since the Hawaii Environmental Policy Act was enacted that the state environmental council has presided over a policy appeal.

"The council's historic decision to affirm the land board reinforces that Hawaii's bedrock environmental review law is not merely a paper exercise," said Kylie Wager Cruz, an attorney for environmental law organization Earthjustice.

Fisherman Wilfred Kaupiko has fought for more than 30 years to protect West Hawaii reefs from what he said are damaging effects of the aquarium trade.

"This is a huge win for me and my family and for our way of life," Kaupiko said.

The Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council, a Virginia-based trade group, expressed disappointment with the council's decision "to ignore the evidence and support the Land Board's flawed decision."

"We are amazed that during these trying times state governing bodies continue to ignore the substantial science supporting the sustainability of the fishery and eliminate a livelihood that has supported Hawaiian families for generations," council Vice President of Government Affairs Bob Likins said in a statement.

Capital City Lake Murray Country unveils museum remodel and new display during annual board meeting - swlexledger.com

Posted: 07 Aug 2020 12:00 AM PDT

All Digital Community News

thelexingtonledger.com

Cayce / West Columbia, Springdale, South Congaree, Pine Ridge, Three Fountains,

Boiling Springs, Gaston, Swansea, Pelion, Sharpe's Hill, Mack Edisto, Edmund, Fairview, Samaria, Batesburg-Leesville, The Ridge, Hollow Creek, Summit, Gilbert,

Lexington, Oak Grove, Red Bank/White Knoll, Chapin, Irmo and Lake Murray!

1728 N Lake Dr, Lexington, SC

Come visit our new 5,000 sf.

showroom for the greatest people & selection in the Midlands!

August 7, 2020

Lake Murray, SC (Paul Kirby) – Capital City Lake Murray Country unveiled a major remodel of the museum at their office and the Lake Murray Visitor's Center Thursday afternoon. This was done during their annual board of director's meeting that was held on the beautiful grounds of the historic Lorick Plantation House on North Lake Drive right at the Lake Murray Dam.

The museum was a part of the Visitor's Center that hadn't undergone a major revamp in decades. Although still very informative and inclusive of a number of one of a kind items from the era when the Lake Murray Dam was built and the lake was formed, much of it was in black and white and in desperate need of a splash of color.

Capital City Lake Murray Country Regional Tourism District's President & CEO Miriam Atria and her staff came up with the new design concept to save on cost. The did a magnificent job as Atria has always been a visionary and her staff is known for being able to take vision and bring it to reality.

Not only is the visitor center much brighter and more modern but it has now been done in eye-catching colors that immediately brighten the rooms and your day. The museum includes a panel for each of the four counties that are encompassed in the CCLMC tourism district. These panels include highlights of all the wonderful things to see and do in Lexington, Richland, Newberry, and Saluda counties.

There are new large screen televisions playing scenes from the modern-day lake and one that takes you back in time to show a steam shovel actually digging the earthworks that became the Lake Murray dam.

The large fish aquarium still sits just inside the entranceway but now there is a new chart that displays, describes, and explains the characteristics of each species of fish that can be caught in Lake Murray. The gift shop has been restocked with bright items and there are new boat flags that's a must have for every resident and visitor who sails the waves of the big water or enjoys the glass smooth surfaces on other parts of Lake Murray as the captain of their own ship.

During the unveiling, Board Chair Jimmy Chao thanked the entire staff for their hard work and the amazing accomplishments they've had over the past 12 months despite the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on travel and tourism. Despite limitations, Atria and her staff have accomplished much.

Atria took a few minutes to list the unbelievable work of her staff as they landed more articles in national and international publications over the last year than ever before. Forty articles have been published since March alone and one that featured the Congaree National Park had 2 billion media impressions. The staff has also landed several major events like the Collegiate Bass Championship scheduled for May of 2021 and the USA World Bass Championship that will be held the following November. These will generate over 2,800 plus lodging room nights as a result of events such as this coming to town.

South Carolina's 2nd Congressional District Congressman Joe Wilson took the mic at one point to make a few remarks. Then, the crowd gathered on the lawn returned to the cool of the visitor center's interior where a beautiful blue ribbon was snipped making the new exhibit officially opened.

It was a wonderful event and one can't help but be impressed with the full list of accomplishments the small CCLMC staff has achieved. You can see more about all these things at the website LakeMurrayCountry.com which will also be revamped by January of 2021.

The Capital City Lake Murray Country Regional Tourism District's offices and visitors' center is located at 2184 NORTH LAKE DRIVE, COLUMBIA, SC, 29212. It can be reached by telephone at 1-866-SC-JEWEL.

See their entire list of accomplishments over the past 12 months by following this link.

Ribbon Cutting at CCLMC