Manta rays might be gentle, elegant creatures but state officials say the large number of boats and tour groups they attract has become a safety problem as too many people crowd around prime viewing areas off the Kona coast.
The state Department of Land and Natural Resources announced Monday it is drafting rules for manta ray viewing areas at Makako and Keauhou bays that would create the first site-specific regulations for the popular tourist activity.
Ed Underwood, Boating and Ocean Recreation Division chief, said draft rules are expected to be released for public comment early next year. He said they likely will require tour companies to receive a manta ray viewing permit and boats to operate in shifts.
Attempts to reach tour companies Monday afternoon were unsuccessful, and it wasn’t clear how much support there is for additional regulations. A set of voluntary regulations was endorsed by 20 operators, according to a safety assessment by Marine Science Consulting, which identified at least 42 companies that offer manta ray tours.
Underwood said a manta ray advisory group was formed and DLNR has been seeking the companies’ input.
“They’ve been very receptive and are working closely with us,” he said.
But Underwood also acknowledged the rules likely will result in fewer tours, which could have a financial impact on operators.
“That will be a concern,” he said. “It has grown in such popularity that we have so many boats out there and we just can’t accommodate them all. We’re trying to come up with ideas of how we can at least try to accommodate the majority of them without causing undue harm to the environment.”
While there haven’t been reports of people being injured during manta ray tours, Marine Science Consulting, hired by DLNR to conduct its assessment, concluded it is inevitable with the current level of activity.
The report, found at http://dlnr.hawaii.gov/dobor, said on average there are 12 to 13 boats at the viewing areas, though that can double during the busiest nights. The number of people in the water concurrently can exceed 300.
Most people hold onto floating devices, though some free dive, the report said. Tours occur at night when the manta rays feed on plankton.
There also are multiple boats using the same moorings, according to the document, which notes the unregulated vessel traffic puts people in the water at risk.
“These existing data and observations suggest that a severe accident is mathematically inevitable and will occur in the future without significant mitigation of the existing factors,” the report says.
Underwood said DLNR is considering relocating some moorings to increase the distance between boats.
Email Tom Callis at tcallis@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
