PRELIMINARY ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW FOR THE OCEAN ERA OFFSHORE AQUACULTURE FARM OFF ‘EWA BEACH, O‘AHU, HAWAIʻI PREPARED BY: Ocean Era, Inc. P.O. Box 4239, Kailua-Kona, HI, 96745 MARCH 2021 First revision : 4/1/2021 Environmental Review for the Ocean Era Offshore Aquaculture Farm Off ‘Ewa Beach, O‘ahu, Hawai’i TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ..................................................................................................................................... VII 1. 1 PERMITS AND CONSULTATIONS ........................................................................................................ 12 1.2.2 Environmental Assessment and Ongoing Consultation via Ocean Era’ Web-site .................................... 16 2. DETERMINATION .............................................................................................................................................. 17 3. THE RATIONALE FOR OFFSHORE MARICULTURE OF NATIVE HAWAIIAN NENUE, MOI, AND LIMU ........................................................................................................................................................................... 20 3.1 THE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY ................................................................................................................ 20 3.2 THE ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS ........................................................................................................ 2625 3.3 SPECIES SELECTION ..................................................................................................................................... 26 3.3 SITE SELECTION ............................................................................................................................................ 26 3.3.1 Criteria ...................................................................................................................................................... 26 3.3.2 Minimal Potential Conflict with Existing User Groups ............................................................................ 27 4. PROJECT DESCRIPTION .................................................................................................................................. 28 4.1 TECHNICAL AND OPERATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS ......................................................................... 28 4.1.1 Location and Extent of the Farm Alternative Sites ................................................................................... 28 4.1.2. Culture Operations................................................................................................................................... 30 4.2 ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS ................................................................................................................ 32 4.2.1 Economic Impacts of Farm Operations .................................................................................................... 32 4.2.2. Impacts on the Market .............................................................................................................................. 32 4.3 SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS ....................................................................................................................... 32 4.3.1 Public Use of Offshore Ocean Space ........................................................................................................ 33 4.3.2 Commercial Offshore Aquaculture in O‘ahu ............................................................................................ 33 4.3.3 Research, Training and Extension Opportunities ..................................................................................... 33 4.4 ENVIRONMNENTAL CHARACTERISTICS ................................................................................................ 34 5. ALTERNATIVES .................................................................................................................................................. 36 5.1 ALTERNATIVES EVALUATED .................................................................................................................... 3 6 5.1.1 Alternative 1- Two miles off of ‘Ewa Beach (0.5 miles south of Preferred Site) ....................................... 36 5.1.2 Alternative 2- 2.25 miles WSW of Preferred Site ...................................................................................... 36 5.2 NO ACTION ALTERNATIVE ......................................................................................................................... 36 6. ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING .......................................................................................................................... 37 CLIMATE (WEATHER & WIND) ................................................................................................................................. 37 WAVES AND CURRENTS ............................................................................................................................................ 37 WATER QUALITY ................................................................................................................................................. 3738 Water quality data from previous fish farming activity ...................................................................................... 38 THE SEAFLOOR ........................................................................................................................................................ 38 BIOTA .................................................................................................................................................................... 38 Terrestrial Biota ............................................................................................................................................. 3839 Marine Biota ...................................................................................................................................................... 39 Rare, Threatened or Endangered Species .......................................................................................................... 43 RECREATION ....................................................................................................................................................... 48 NOISE AND AIR QUALITY ................................................................................................................................. 48 AESTHETICS AND VIEWSCAPE ......................................................................................................................... 4849 CULTURAL RESOURCES AND PRACTICES .................................................................................................... 49 LAND USE AND ENVIRONMENTAL COMPATIBILITY ................................................................................. 49 Current Usage .................................................................................................................................................... 49 Submerged Lands Issues and the Public Trust ................................................................................................... 49 Public Perceptions of Ocean Use ....................................................................................................................... 49 7. POTENTIAL IMPACTS AND MITIGATION .................................................................................................. 51 ii Environmental Review for the Ocean Era Offshore Aquaculture Farm Off ‘Ewa Beach, O‘ahu, Hawai’i IMPACTS DURING CONSTRUCTION ............................................................................................................... 51 LONG TERM IMPACTS ........................................................................................................................................ 51 Water quality ...................................................................................................................................................... 52 Sediment Quality ................................................................................................................................................ 52 Biota ................................................................................................................................................................... 52 Terrestrial Flora - ............................................................................................................................................................ 52 Terrestrial Fauna - ........................................................................................................................................................... 52 Marine biota - .................................................................................................................................................................. 52 Marine Benthic Organisms ........................................................................................................................................ 52 Fishes ......................................................................................................................................................................... 53 Sharks ........................................................................................................................................................................ 53 Protected, Threatened or Endangered Species - .............................................................................................................