Both Governor David Ige and Hawaii County Mayor Harry Kim have issued proclamations today that affect the use of state and county beaches.

Governor Ige’s Fifth Supplementary Proclamation not only closes all state beaches to sitting, standing, lounging, lying down, sunbathing and loitering, but also includes restrictions on boating fishing and hiking.

DLNR Chair Suzanne Case said, “We encouraged these more severe restrictions after officers from the DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement (DOCARE) and others observed large groups of people continuing to ignore social distancing guidelines when outside.”

People can still transit across beaches to get to the ocean for outdoor exercise like surfing, solo paddling, and swimming as long as social distances are maintained. Generally, families or people sharing the same residential addresses are exempt from the new rules, that for all others disallows more than two people being on a boat together or fishing together. Group hiking is banned on all State trails. People who want to hike alone and want to have someone else along for safety reasons are required to maintain a distance of not less than 20-feet from each other. Read the complete DLNR news release here.

Hawai‘i County Mayor Harry Kim issued a Rule on Friday which allows ocean access from certain County parks for outdoor exercise, fishing for food, and the use of restroom and shower facilities.

The Mayor’s COVID-19 Emergency Rule No. 2 stipulates that the following beach parks will be made available daily from 7 a.m. through 5 p.m., for the purposes of direct access to and from the ocean and shoreline in order to engage in outdoor exercise, fishing for and gathering food, and use of restroom and shower facilities:

• Kahalu‘u Beach Park
• Magic Sands Beach Park
• Wai‘aha Bay Beach Park (Honl’s)
• Kawaihae Canoe Area
• Honoli‘i Beach Park
• Kaipalaoa Landing Beach Park
• Bayfront Beach Park
• Reed’s Bay Beach Park
• Lili‘uokalani Gardens

The following park restroom facilities will be opened daily from 7 a.m. through 5 p.m.:

• Mo‘oheau Bus Terminal – 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Lincoln Park – 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Bayfront Soccer Fields – 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Bayfront Beach Park – 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Liliuokalani Gardens – 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Reeds Bay Beach Park – 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Veterans Cemetery No. 2 – 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Honoli‘i Beach Park – 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• ‘Alae Cemetery – 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Shipman Park – 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Kurtistown Park – 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Kahalu‘u Beach Park – 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Magic Sands Beach Park (La‘aloa) – 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Wai’aha Bay Beach Park (Honl’s) – 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Kailua Park (Old A/Maka‘eo) beach only – 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Waikoloa Pu‘u Nui Park – 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Waimea Park tennis courts only – 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Gilbert Kahele Recreation Area (formerly Mauna Kea State Park)– 24 hours

Park facilities that are not listed in the Rule remain closed, and reservations for these parks and recreational facilities are canceled through April 30, 2020.

The Rule notes that County cemeteries, including veterans’ cemeteries administered by the County, remain open for visitation during standard hours.  Pana‘ewa Equestrian Center remains open only for persons with valid horse stall rental agreements, who are actively boarding a horse at the facility.

The Mayor’s Third Supplementary Proclamation require that people stay at home, with exemptions for essential businesses and operations, and persons engaged in permitted activities.  Social distancing requiring maintaining six feet of physical separation from other persons is stipulated in the Proclamation, along with limiting any gathering of more than 10 people.