Hawaii considers strict law to halt killing of endangered monk seals

14/02/2010 00:16:30 3 Hawaiian monk seals shot dead in 2009

February 2010. Hawaiian lawmakers are considering new legislation that will increase penalties for harming or killing Hawaiian monk seals and other endangered species. Senator Gary Hooser introduced the bill which will increase the penalty from a misdemeanour to a felony.

"The law shows that monk seals are an important part of Hawaii's natural heritage that must be respected," said Miyoko Sakashita, oceans director at the Center for Biological Diversity. "This is one among many conservation measures needed to prevent the extinction of Hawaiian monk seals."

Only 1000 left alive
The Hawaiian monk seal is one of the most endangered marine mammals in the world; its population will probably drop below 1,000 animals within a few years. The proposed legislation comes in response to recent killings of monk seals; within the past year two male seals and one pregnant female fell victim to deadly shootings.

Hawaiian monk seals are increasingly populating the main islands, where they are giving birth to healthy pups and which may provide the last opportunity for their recovery. Recognizing this, in 2009 the National Marine Fisheries Service announced it would designate critical habitat for Hawaiian monk seals on the main islands in response to a petition from the Center for Biological Diversity, Kahea, and Ocean Conservancy. Critical habitat designation would further protect monk seals by requiring that any project with a federal permit consider the impacts on monk seal habitat.

"We need to adopt a suite of strategies to save the Hawaiian monk seal, and protecting individual monk seals and their habitat are important steps forward," said Sakashita.