Back ||NOAA Home VADM Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Jr., USN (Ret.) Undersecretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere Remarks at the Commissioning of NOAA Ship HI'IALAKAI Honolulu, Hawaii September 3, 2004 Aloha! Senator Inouye, Congressman Abercrombie, Rear Admiral De Bow, Mr. Basta, Dr. Abbott, Commander Kuester, distinguished visitors, ladies and gentlemen, I'm very happy to be back in beautiful Hawaii for the commissioning ceremony of this impressive research ship, NOAA Ship HI'IALAKAI. And I would like to thank everybody involved in arranging this ceremony today including the officers, crew, and port office for their efforts and the outstanding appearance of the ship. I especially want to take a moment and convey my sincere appreciation to Senator Inouye and his staff for their continued support and resources in getting HI'IALAKAI here today, as well as Mrs. Inouye, co-sponsor of the ship, who could not be here for this event. Many thanks also to Congressman Abercrombie for coming today and for his continued interest and support in NOAA programs. A year and a half ago I had the pleasure of being here for the commissioning of the OSCAR ELTON SETTE, which has been very busy with coral reef research, marine mammal projects and fisheries assessments around Hawaii and other Pacific missions. It's always wonderful to come back to these islands so beautifully touched by your Pacific waters. Now, HI'IALAKAI will sail these waters with a homeport here in Honolulu, along with sister ships OSCAR ELTON SETTE and KA'IMIMOANA. I'm very excited about this new addition to NOAA's fleet because it will help us achieve many mission goals. The people of Hawaii also have much to be excited about. A big part of NOAA's mission is to protect, restore, and manage the use of coastal and ocean resources. The U.S. EEZ is the largest in the world and NOAA touches assets that directly and indirectly account for about one-third of our Nation's GDP. This includes the 3.5 million acres of coral reefs in the Northwestern Hawaiian Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve that span an area that covers over 99,000 square nautical miles. Coral reefs are of vital importance to Hawaii's economy. Hawaii's coral reefs generate $170 million annually in recreation and tourism, and another $2.5 million in aquarium trade and commercial fishing. More ships like HI'IALAKI are needed to collect data to understand and predict changes in the earth's environment and to conserve and manage coastal and marine resources. Investing in newer ships and technology, like HI'IALAKAI, is important to Hawaii's, and the Nation's economic security, just as the Navy's ships at Pearl Harbor are critical to our military security. As many of you know, several ships in the NOAA fleet are nearing the end of their useful lives. Over the last year, we've reduced the average age of the fleet from 34 to 28 years. Thanks to Senator Inouye and other congressional staff, we're renewing the NOAA fleet to meet the Nation's economic, social and environmental needs. In the next couple of years, we'll reduce the average fleet age to 22 years with new ships coming on line and acceptance of additional ships from our friends in the Navy. In fact, two more sister ships to HI'IALAKAI are expected by years' end that will help meet NOAA's mission. HI'IALAKAI's mission will help scientists study, monitor, and protect our Nation's coral reefs. Our Coral Reef Conservation Program cuts across many of NOAA's goals and objectives. But, HI'IALAKAI will be successful in her mission because of the collaborative approach made possible through this matrix-managed framework at the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program and the National Marine Sanctuary Program. We will continue to nourish important partnerships with those who dedicate their lives to protecting the environment here in Hawaii and around the globe. NOAA will partner with the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force, State of Hawaii, University of Hawaii, Coast Guard, and the Kahoolawe [ka hoo la vay] Island Reserve Commission. This work, your work, aboard HI'IALAKAI, will contribute to the interagency effort for global earth observing that will benefit not only Hawaii, but our entire Nation. Just as we have many outstanding scientists aboard our ships and in our labs to meet this effort, today we have with us a remarkable scientist who gave us a most appropriate name for this NOAA ship—"HI'IALAKAI". Born in Hana, Maui, Dr. Abbott, or Izzy as she is known to those close to her, is widely recognized in her field of Botany where she is a professor Emerita at the University of Hawaii. Mention of Dr. Abbott's distinguished past is a must. Dr. Abbott finished her undergraduate studies in Botany at the University of Hawaii in 1941, earned her master's degree a year later at the University of Michigan, and in 1950 received a PHD from the University of California, Berkley becoming the first Hawaiian to receive a PhD in any science. Dr. Abbott taught at Stanford University until 1982, when she and her husband, Professor Don Abbott, moved to Hawaii. She has served as a professor of Botany at the University of Hawaii for the last 20 years, the last 10 of which she has served on the board of directors. Dr. Abbott has received well over a dozen honors including the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Phycological Society of America. She is the author of numerous papers and books on Hawaiian plants and algae of the Hawaiian islands. And she is the author of well over 100 studies and articles, some of which individually would be considered sufficient for a career. Most recently, Dr. Abbott served on the NWHI Reserve Advisory Council in the Native Hawaiian Alternate seat. I am elated and honored to have Dr. Abbott here today and thank her for giving such a stellar name to this ship. It is hard to fathom the number of lives she has touched and careers she has inspired in what can only be described as one of the most influential marine botany careers of our time. If HI'IALAKAI is half as successful as Dr. Abbott has been, we will have far exceeded our mission! Though she is officially retired, Dr. Abbott continues to work six days a week touching the islands through her passion for discovery and enlightenment and influencing those who follow in her footsteps. It is my hope today that her legacy sails with this ship for many years to come. I am honored to introduce a native Hawaiian, science pioneer, and co-sponsor of HI'IALAKAI, our distinguished guest—Dr. Isabella Abbott.