Lawmakers move to create Office of Marine Affairs; industry urges coordinated blue-economy strategy

Senate Bill 2907, aimed at establishing an Office of Marine Affairs, a marine task force and a coordinated ocean-cluster approach for Hawaii’s blue economy, drew extensive testimony from industry, community groups and state agencies during a joint Senate committee hearing on Feb. 13.

Trung Lam of the Hawaii Technology Development Corporation said Hawaii’s blue economy currently contributes about $10 billion to state GDP and supports roughly 97,000 jobs; he argued the bill would create a formal ocean cluster and a marine coordinator to align agencies, industry and research institutions and position the state to attract substantial federal and private funding.

Multiple startups and nonprofit witnesses including Valerie Harmon (Namaka Algae), Noah Penelovich (Hohonu), David Holt (Blue Startups) and others described local benefits: workforce development, supply-chain growth and opportunities for aquaculture and ocean technology. “An organized Office of Marine Affairs and task force based within HTDC will provide a mechanism for us all to work together to create jobs and attract federal, philanthropic, and private funding,” Harmon said.

Dane Wicker, deputy director of DBEDT, urged caution about staffing and administration: DBEDT already participates in many working groups and said the state would need resources (he cited roughly $100,000 as a typical contract cost for administering such groups) or alternative approaches like a department-conducted research memo before creating a formal working group.

Committee members discussed committee report amendments including setting the marine affairs coordinator’s salary, placing the office in the Governor’s Office, inserting an annual report date and allowing joint funding with the University of Hawaii. The chair proposed SD1 language to set the coordinator’s salary by the Governor, place the Office of Marine Affairs in the Governor’s Office, adjust appropriation language and specify the date for required annual reports.

After discussion the committee voted to pass SB2907 with amendments and the committee’s recommendation was adopted. The record shows the motion passed and the committee report authorizes amendments noted in committee discussion.