When the opportunity to work for the State Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR), as the “second DAR Legal Fellow” presented itself, ELP Certificate graduate Charlie Taylor ’11 knew it would be a perfect fit! Charlie successfully interviewed and was hired for the position in January 2022.

Joining the first DAR Law Fellow Kealiʻi Sagum ’19, Charlie has already jumped in, drafting testimony on behalf of DAR for bills coming before the Legislature and working on administrative rules to protect herbivorous fish populations for the DLNR-DAR “Holomua: Marine 30×30 Initiative.” His duties also include submitting administrative enforcement actions to the Board of Land and Natural Resources against violators of state environmental laws – specifically those related to marine resources.

Charlie grew up in the North Georgia mountains but always had a love for the marine environment. After graduating from the University of Georgia, Charlie moved to Hawaiʻi to attend the William S. Richardson School of Law in 2008. During his time at Richardson, Charlie was active in the Environmental Law Society (President, 2009) and graduated with certificates in both Environmental Law and Ocean Policy (May 2011).

After law school, Charlie took an unconventional career path that led him to the Philippines (U.S. Peace Corps), Thailand (Benjamarachalai School/Royal District of Bangkok), and, for several years, he served aboard longline fishing boats in the Central Pacific Ocean as a National Marine Fisheries Service Observer, monitoring bycatch and legal limits on species affected by fishing. Charlie is happy to be back in Hawaiʻi and focusing his career on helping DLNR enforce state fisheries law and assisting with marine conservation.

Congratulations to Charlie!

EM 2/22/22