THE BLUE REVOLUTION MANIFESTO FOR HAWAII

[The following is a manifesto for the launch of the Blue Revolution team in Hawaii, presently consisting of Patrick Takahashi, Leighton Chong, Guy Toyama, and Sheridan Tatsuno (SFO)]

WHEREAS, the State of Hawaii is located in the middle of a vast resource of the Pacific Ocean from which virtually limitless renewable energy, aquacultured seafood, desalinated water, electrolyzed hydrogen, and a cornucopia of biomaterials and other ocean-grown products can be sustainably harvested;
WHEREAS, the State of Hawaii under the International Law of the Sea Treaty has ocean boundaries constituting the largest exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of any other state of the United States and larger than that of many nations of the world;
WHEREAS, the State of Hawaii can build upon its unique assets in ocean research, strategic defense interests, commercial fisheries, traditional Hawaiian knowledge in aquaculture, and state and federal government agency support in order to develop technological advances, ocean engineering expertise, model regulatory policies, and industry best practices for knowledge transfer to and investment from other research institutions, organizations and companies in the United States and other countries of the world;
WHEREAS, the State of Hawaii has a golden opportunity to take a commanding leadership role in a new era of global ocean resources development, referred to herein as “the Blue Revolution”, which can create extraordinary growth in ocean resources industries, high-skill employment, and educational opportunities for upcoming generations of its citizens;
NOW, THEREFORE, WE SUPPORTERS OF THE BLUE REVOLUTION advocate the following initiatives and goals for respective participants, policy makers and enablers of ocean resources development in the State of Hawaii:
1. Have the Governor declare the State of Hawaii as a global coordinator for the Blue Revolution, making the proclamation on World Ocean Day in June of 2011.
2. Enact legislation to authorize and fund the State’s Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism (DBEDT) to support ocean resources development as a Strategic Industry and draft a strategic plan for ocean resources development in the State of Hawaii.
3. Enact legislation to retitle the State’s Department of Land & Natural Resources as the “Department of Land, Ocean & Natural Resources” (DLONR), and authorize and fund an Ocean division of such agency with staffing and technical expertise for the regulation of ocean resources development in state jurisdictional waters.
4. Enact legislation to authorize and fund the Ocean division of DLONR to conduct and draft programmatic environmental impact assessments for the permitting of commercial operations in ocean resources development activities in Hawaii’s jurisdictional waters of the EEZ.
5. Invite, facilitate and provide incentives for investment, research, and pilot programs by research organizations, companies and other development partners in ocean resources development activities in Hawaii’s jurisdictional waters.
6. Provide state input and assistance to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in drafting a national marine aquaculture policy, and coordinate state actions with relevant federal government agencies for ocean resources development activities in Federal jurisdictional waters of the EEZ.
7. Enact legislation to authorize and fund the School of Ocean & Earth Science and Technology (SOEST) of the University of Hawaii to establish research partnerships with other universities, companies, and research sponsors in the United States and other nations of the world, and to publish reports on advances in ocean resources development in the State of Hawaii.
8. Set a goal for ocean resources development in the State of Hawaii to achieve installation of 1000 megawatts of ocean energy generation capacity by the Year 2030, with concomitant marine co-products, to include, but not be limited to, farmed seafood, freshwater, green materials, biofuels and hydrogen, ocean resorts and living communities at sea.
9. Set a goal of tripling (3X) Hawaii’s exports of ocean products and services within 5 years (2015) and generating a 100% increase in private sector jobs in these industries for Hawaii residents.
10. Set a goal of attracting of the order of $500 million of new local, mainland and foreign investment into Hawaii by 2015 to fund ocean resources business expansion.

THE BLUE REVOLUTION TEAM IN HAWAII