Draft Environmental Assessment A Commercial Sea Cage Facility for Moi Aquaculture in the Reef ...

161 Pages·2014·17.75 MB·English

Draft
Environmental Assessment

A Commercial Sea Cage Facility for Moi
Aquaculture in the Reef Runway Borrow Pit in
Keehi Lagoon, Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii

Prepared for: Office of Conservation and Coastal Lands
Department of Land and Natural Resources

Prepared by: Aquaculture Planning & Advocacy, LLC
Honolulu, Hawaii

Date: May 15, 2014
Project Summary

Project Name: A Commercial Sea Cage Facility for Moi Aquaculture in the Reef
Runway Borrow Pit in Keehi Lagoon, Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii

Proposed Action: Locate a commercial aquaculture facility for the native species
moi, Polydactylus sexfilis, in State marine waters encompassing
the Reef Runway Borrow Pit adjacent to Honolulu International
Airport, Moanalua, Honolulu, Oahu

Applicant: Mamala Bay Seafood, LLC
24 Sand Island Access Road, Box 27
Honolulu, Hawaii 96819

Contact: Randy Cates
Phone: [phone]
Email: [email protected]

Approving Agency: Department of Land and Natural Resources
Office of Conservation and Coastal Lands
Honolulu, Hawaii 96809

EA Preparer: Aquaculture Planning & Advocacy, LLC
c/o Mamala Bay Seafood, LLC.
24 Sand Island Access Road, Box 27
Kailua, Hawaii 96734

Contact: John Corbin
Phone: [phone]
Email: [email protected]

Project Location: In Keehi Lagoon, adjacent to the Reef Runway of the Honolulu
International Airport, Moanalua, Oahu, and within the Borrow Pit
created during runway construction.

Tax Map Key: Seaward of TMK: 1:1:03:por.05

State Land District: Conservation District and Resource Subzone

Land Owner: State of Hawaii

Permits Required: CDUP, DLNR; Dept. of Army Section 10 Permit; NPDES/ZOM
Permit

Anticipated Determination: Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI)
MBS Draft EA May 11, 2014 2
Table of Contents

List of Figures .................................................................................................................................. 6
List of Tables ................................................................................................................................... 6
List of Appendices ........................................................................................................................... 6
Conversion Table............................................................................................................................. 7
List of Acronyms and Abbreviations ............................................................................................... 7
1.0 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................... 9
1.1 PROPOSED PROJECT IN BRIEF .......................................................................................... 9
1.2 POTENTIAL NATIONAL AND LOCAL BENEFITS ................................................................ 10
1.3 PERMITS AND APPROVALS ............................................................................................. 11
1.3.1. Federal .................................................................................................................... 11
1.3.2 State ........................................................................................................................ 11
2.0 COMPANY HISTORY ........................................................................................................... 12
3.0 DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED ACTION ......................................................................... 13
3.1 TECHNICAL AND OPERATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS ....................................................... 13
3.1.1 Location and Technical Characteristics ................................................................... 13
3.1.2 Major Operational Characteristics .......................................................................... 17
3.2 ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS AND IMPACTS ............................................................... 22
3.3 SOCIO-CULTURAL CHARACTERISTICS ............................................................................. 23
3.3.1 Multiple Use Conflicts ............................................................................................. 23
3.3.2 Cultural Resource Issues ......................................................................................... 25
3.4 ENVIRONMENTAL CHARACTERISTICS ............................................................................ 26
3.4.1 Operations .............................................................................................................. 26
3.4.2 Proximity to a Coral Reef ........................................................................................ 27
4.0 ALTERNATIVE TO THE PROPOSED ACTION ........................................................................ 30
4.1 PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE .............................................................................................. 30
4.2 OTHER ALTERNATIVES EVALUATED ............................................................................... 31
4.3 NO ACTION ALTERNATIVE .............................................................................................. 31
5.0 DESCRIPTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT ............................................................................... 31
5.1 REGIONAL SETTING ........................................................................................................ 31
5.2 CLIMATE ......................................................................................................................... 34
5.3 OCEAN SETTING.............................................................................................................. 34
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5.3.1 Waves and Currents ................................................................................................ 34
5.3.2 Water and Sea Floor Quality ................................................................................... 35
5.4 FAUNA AND FLORA ........................................................................................................ 39
5.4.1 Terrestrial ................................................................................................................ 39
5.4.2 Marine ..................................................................................................................... 40
5.4.3 Coral Reef Habitat ................................................................................................... 42
5.5 RARE, THREATENED AND ENDANGERED SPECIES .......................................................... 45
5.6 OCEAN ACTIVITIES .......................................................................................................... 46
5.7 SCENIC AND VISUAL RESOURCES ................................................................................... 47
5.8 HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCES ...................................................................... 48
6.0 Potential Impacts and Mitigation Measures ..................................................................... 49
6.1 SHORT-TERM IMPACTS .................................................................................................. 49
6.2 LONG-TERM IMPACTS .................................................................................................... 51
6.2.1 Water and Substrate Quality .................................................................................. 51
6.2.2 Fauna and Flora ....................................................................................................... 53
6.2.3 Protected, Threatened and Endangered Species ................................................... 57
6.2.4 Ocean Activities ...................................................................................................... 57
6.2.5 Noise and Air Quality .............................................................................................. 58
6.2.6 Aesthetics ................................................................................................................ 58
6.2.7 Historical and Cultural Resources ........................................................................... 59
6.2.8 Cumulative Impacts ................................................................................................ 59
6.2.9 Irreversible and Irretrievable Commitment of Resources ...................................... 60
7.0 RELATION TO THE STATE CONSTITUTION AND STATE LAWS, PLANS AND POLICIES ........ 61
7.1 STATE CONSTITUTION .................................................................................................... 61
7.2 STATE PLAN LAW, CHAPTER 226, HRS ........................................................................... 61
7.3 STATE ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY, CHAPTER 344, HRS. .................................................. 63
7.4 COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT, CHAPTER 205 A, HRS. ................................................ 63
7.5 OCEAN AND SUBMERGED LANDS LEASING LAW, CHAPTER 190 D, HRS. ...................... 64
7.6 HAWAII OCEAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT PLAN, JULY, 2013. ................................... 64
7.7 HAWAII 2050 SUSTAINABILITY PLAN. ............................................................................ 64
7.8 HAWAII STATEWIDE COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 2010 .. 65
7.9 A NEW DAY IN HAWAII ................................................................................................... 65
7.10 INCREASED FOOD SECURITY AND FOOD SELF-SUFFICIENCY STRATEGY .................... 66
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8.0 AGENCIES, ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS CONSULTED ....................................... 66
8.1 FEDERAL AGENCIES ........................................................................................................ 66
8.2 STATE AGENCIES ............................................................................................................. 67
8.3 COUNTY AGENCIES ......................................................................................................... 67
8.4 OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS .................................................................. 67
9.0 PRELIMINARY DETERMINATION AND SIGNIFICANCE CRITERIA ......................................... 68
10.0 REFERENCES ....................................................................................................................... 72
APPENDIX A ................................................................................................................................... 76
APPENDIX B ................................................................................................................................... 83
APPENDIX B ................................................................................................................................. 111
APPENDIX C ................................................................................................................................. 113
APPENDIX D ................................................................................................................................. 135
APPENDIX E ................................................................................................................................. 141
APPENDIX F ................................................................................................................................. 148

MBS Draft EA May 11, 2014 5
List of Figures

Figure 1 a) Project location and vicinity, HIA, RRBP, Oahu; and, b) Keehi Lagoon area and
important locations.
Figure 2 Reef Runway Borrow Pit, Keehi Lagoon, with water depth.
Figure 3 Graphic of the proposed moi farm within the Reef Runway Borrow Pit.
Figure 4 Approximate boundary line for State Department of Transportation, Airports
Division controlled property.
Figure 5 Representative Aqualine FroyaRing Cage and components.
Figure 6 Moi and prepared moi dishes.
Figure 7 a) Moi being stocked in a cage; and, b) moi being harvested for sale.
Figure 8 Prototype feed and security barge.
Figure 9 State designated Reef Runway Recreational Thrill Craft Zone F.
Figure 10 Current patterns in Keehi Lagoon and vicinity.
Figure 11 Map of area surrounding the RRBP showing benthic zone classifications.
Figure 12 Photo of a representative portion of the Borrow Pit substrate.
Figure 13 a) Map of area surrounding the RRBP showing benthic zone classifications and
geomorphologic structure types; and, b) map showing biological cover types.
List of Tables

Table 1 Partial List of Environmental and Planning Studies for Projects at or Near
Honolulu International Airport, Oahu.
Table 2 State of Hawaii Open Coastal Water Quality Criteria

List of Appendices

Appendix A Current Patterns and Speeds for the Reef Runway Borrow Pit
Appendix B (Part A): Assessment of the Marine Environment in the Vicinity of the Proposed
Commercial Aquaculture Facility off the Reef Runway
(Part B): Proposed Coral Monitoring Plan
Appendix C Benthic Monitoring Report
Appendix D User Observations 2006 to 2013 at the Reef Runway Borrow Pit
Appendix E Cultural Assessment
Appendix F Pre -consultation Correspondence

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Conversion Table

This DEA utilized both English and Metric Units. The values below can be used to convert
English Units to Metric Units and Metric Units to English Units. N = value to be converted.

Feet (ft) to meters (m) = N x .3048 Meters to feet = N x 3.281
Inches (in) to centimeters (cm) = N x 2.54 Centimeters to inches = N x .3937
Miles (mi) to kilometers (km) = N x 1.609 Kilometers to miles = N x .6214
Meters3 to feet3 = N x 35.312 Feet3 to meters3 = N x 0.283
Acres to meters2 = N x 4046.86 Meters2 to acres = N x .000247
Knots (kt) to cm/second (sec) = N x 51.44 cm/sec to Knots = N x .019
Pounds (lbs) to kilograms (kg) = N x .45 Kilograms to pounds = N x 2.2

List of Acronyms and Abbreviations

AD Airports Division, DOT
ACOE Army Corps of Engineers
ADP Aquaculture Development Program, DOA
APA Aquaculture Planning & Advocacy, LLC
BLNR Board of Land and Natural Resources
BMP Best Management Practice
BP Borrow Pit
CI Cates International, Inc.
CDUP Conservation District Use Permit
CEFAS Center for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science
CWB Clean Water Branch
DA Department of the Army
DAR Division of Aquatic Resources, DLNR
DBOR Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation, DLNR
DLNR State Department of Land and Natural Resources
DOA State Department of Agriculture
DOH State Department of Health
DEA Draft Environmental Assessment
DOT State Department of Transportation
EA Environmental Assessment
EPA Environmental Protection Agency
FAA Federal Aviation Administration
FAD Fish Aggregating Device
FCR Feed Conversion Ratio
FONSI Finding of No Significant Impact
GFFP Grove Farm Fish and Poi LLC
HAR Hawaii Administrative Rules
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HD Harbors Division, DOT
HF Hukilau Foods
HIA Honolulu International Airport
HIHWNMS Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary
HOARP Hawaii Offshore Aquaculture Research Project
HRS Hawaii Revised Statutes
KBWF Kona Blue Water Farms, LLC
LD Land Division, DLNR
LLC Limited Liability Company
MBS Mamala Bay Seafood, LLC
NASA National Aeronautics and Space Administration
NPDES National Pollution Discharge Elimination System
NMFS National Marine Fisheries Service
NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
OCCL Office of Conservation and Coastal Affairs
OHA Office of Hawaiian Affairs
OOA Open Ocean Aquaculture
RRBP Reef Runway Borrow Pit
SCUBA Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus
UH University of Hawaii
UHSG UH Sea Grant
US United States
WCC Water Circulation Channel
ZOM Zone of Mixing

cm centimeter(s)
ft foot/feet
hr hour(s)
in inch(es)
kg kilogram(s)
km kilometer(s)
kt knot(s)
lb pound(s)
m meter(s)
mi mile(s)
sec second(s)

MBS Draft EA May 11, 2014 8
1.0 INTRODUCTION

Mamala Bay Seafood, LLC (MBS) is proposing to locate a commercial sea cage facility for
aquaculture of the native species moi (Polydactylus sexfilis) in the Reef Runway Borrow Pit
(RRBP) adjacent to the Honolulu International Airport (HIA), Moanalua, Honolulu, Oahu. The
purpose of this Draft Environmental Assessment (DEA) is to describe the project, pursuant to
Chapter 343, Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS), as amended, and Title II, Chapter 200, Hawaii
Administrative Rules (HAR), as amended. The Environmental Assessment (EA) will be used in
the process to obtain the necessary permits and a long-term lease for the proposed activity at
the proposed site.

Mamala Bay Seafood, LLC is a new company formed to carry out the project proposed in this
DEA. The initial planning was done by Cates International, Inc., a Hawaii aquaculture company
that successfully operated another offshore farm. To avoid confusion, MBS will be used
throughout this DEA except in Section 2.0 Company History and in the Appendices which were
prepared prior to the formation of MBS.

1.1 PROPOSED PROJECT IN BRIEF

MBS proposes to locate a commercial aquaculture facility for the culture of the native species,
moi, Polydactylus sexfilis, in the Reef Runway Borrow Pit (RRBP) adjacent to the Honolulu
International Airport (HIA), Moanalua, Honolulu, Oahu. A 45 year lease is being sought for 75
acres of State marine waters that encompass the Borrow Pit (BP) – a steep-sided, dredged area
that was created in the 1970s to provide fill for the Reef Runway. A large portion of the area
(approximately 80% or 60 acres) is controlled by the Department of Transportation (DOT) and
the balance (20% or 15 acres) is under the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR).
The BP site offers several important advantages for aquaculture; namely high water exchange
with the open ocean, protection from high winds and waves, relatively deep water (45 ft to 50
ft deep), uniformly flat and depauperate silt bottom to anchor cages, minimal public use, and
close proximity to the MBS shore side base yard in Keehi Lagoon.

The proposed fish farm will consist at full build out of an anchored grid of ten (10) Aqualine
surface cages, manufactured by Aqualine AS, Trondheim, Norway. Each circular cage will be 114
ft in diameter and enclose a volume of approximately 264,860 ft3 (7500 m3). A small work
platform surrounds the outside diameter of each cage to allow technicians to access the fish.
Projected annual farm production is estimated to be 1.5 M lbs, valued at $6.3 M.

It is anticipated that the netting for the cages will be a specially designed, semi-rigid woven
copper alloy mesh that has been in use by the global industry for several years. The material is
very strong and has proven very resistant to biofouling, thereby reducing the need for farm
maintenance. Alternative fish farm netting (Dyneema netting) is also being considered for some
or all of the cages. Cages will also be covered with nets for security and to deter any sea or
shore birds from visiting the cages. MBS is requesting a feed/security barge be permanently
MBS Draft EA May 11, 2014 9
moored (24/7) at the site. Stocking, harvesting and daily feeding and maintenance will occur
from surface work boats and barges frequently visiting the site, with occasional SCUBA diver
assistance.

MBS desires access by the public to the farm site be controlled and public use of the entire
lease area be restricted due to safety, security and company liability concerns. It is being
requested that no transit or anchoring of any boat or water craft, and no fishing, snorkeling or
SCUBA diving be allowed in the lease area, except as provided. MBS will designate and mark a
100 ft. wide transit lane along the inner and outer boundaries of the site to allow Airport
Division (AD) access to the Reef Runway and allow the public access to the outer reef seaward
of the BP during day time hours only for safety and security reasons; no public access at night to
the entire site is being requested. A rule change through the Division of Boating and Ocean
Recreation (DBOR), DLNR to remove the 75 acre farm site from a larger State designated Thrill
Craft Recreational Area will be needed to secure a long-term lease (Section 13-256-94, HAR).

1.2 POTENTIAL NATIONAL AND LOCAL BENEFITS

On a broad national level, this project will demonstrate that commercial marine fish farming
can be carried out in an environmentally sound, economically viable, and socially acceptable
manner in nearshore ocean waters. Hawaii has been a leader in the development of
commercial open ocean aquaculture (e.g., Kona Blue Water Farms and Hukilau Foods) and
currently has one operating commercial offshore farm, Blue Ocean Mariculture in Kailua-Kona,
Hawaii Island. In recent years the U.S. Department of Commerce and the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have promulgated policies and plans to rapidly expand
American marine aquaculture in a sustainable manner and Congress has considered important
legislation to allow farming of the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (the largest in the world)
(NOAA, 2007; NOAA, 2008; USDOC, 2011; NOAA, 2011).

Going forward, marine aquaculture is expected to continue to expand in U.S. state and federal
waters and significantly contribute to increasing seafood supplies (NOAA, 2010). Domestic
culture and capture fisheries sources currently contribute only 9% of total US consumption
(NOAA, 2011). America continues to be an important global seafood market and about half of
all imports are from aquaculture, mostly in developing countries where future supplies may be
subject to significant disruption from complex geopolitical and environmental risks. Therefore,
enhancement of U.S. seafood security through expanding domestic fisheries and aquaculture
production is becoming viewed as a necessity by public and private interests (Corbin, 2010).

Hawaii too, in recent years, has been placing greater emphasis on producing more locally grown
food, since as an island state it imports around 90 % of what it consumes. With respect to
seafood, the state imports roughly 50 % of supplies and has a per capita seafood consumption
of nearly three times the mainland U.S. (Loke, et. al., 2013). It is well recognized in State plans
and policies that growing a sustainable aquaculture industry, not only increases the availability
MBS Draft EA May 11, 2014 10