Hawaii Fines Helicopter Operator $10K for Unauthorized North Shore Activities

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The Hawaii Board of Land & Natural Resources has fined Trident Adventures LLC $10,000 for unauthorized commercial activities within the waters of Shark's Cove, Three Tables, and Waimea Bay on Oahu's North Shore. The company was found to have flown customers by helicopter and dropped them into the nearshore waters of the Pupukea Marine Life Conservation District, a protected marine area, on two separate occasions without the proper permits.

Why it matters

The Pupukea Marine Life Conservation District is one of Hawaii's most heavily visited nearshore marine areas, and the state has designated it and the surrounding North Shore Oahu Ocean Recreation Management Area to help manage commercial and recreational ocean use, reduce user conflicts, and enhance public safety. Unauthorized commercial activities like those conducted by Trident Adventures can disrupt the delicate ecosystem and pose risks to other ocean users.

The details

On two separate days in the summer, Trident Adventures flew customers by helicopter and dropped them into the nearshore waters of Shark's Cove to snorkel and scuba dive. Witnesses reported that the helicopter's low-altitude hovering created significant turbulence, affecting nearby ocean users. While Trident Adventures holds a state commercial use permit for operations on the south and west shores of Oahu, it was not authorized for commercial activity on the North Shore.

• On June 9, a conservation officer saw four people jump into the water from the helicopter as it hovered about 10 feet above the water at Pupukea.
• On June 19, a similar incident was reported and documented with photographs.