[prattreef]

Quote: Originally Posted by clarionreef 1) 2) Why not leave a pristine reef alone? or Does it make sense to start a collection venture in a "pristine" area with no history of collection? The local people already fish the reefs, already hear about live food cyanide fishing and already hear one scheme after another to use their reefs. If they don't benefit from it, others try to ...so this project works with them directly and develops their capacity to manage the thing themselves. Trainers will also be generated from PNG and no Filipino collectors or foreigners will ever be allowed to work in the place of a local as is the case in Tonga and Vanuatu where most of the fish collectors are Filipinos that I trained before. Steve

So are you saying that there is impending intrusion on these "Pristine Reefs" from other reef related industries and their very damaging practices? If so, what has kept them at bay all these years and what has changed to allow them to become a threat?

It makes perfect sense to provide local populations with sound economic alternatives that are truly locally controlled, but something must have changed if this hasn't been an issue until now.

RD