Cyanide testing begins?

[My Hairy Ass]

I heard on Friday that cyanide testing has begun in Coron, Philippines, with the exporter having to pay for the test. I believe it is BFAR that have started them up again.

MHA

 

[mkirda]

I heard on Friday that cyanide testing has begun in Coron, Philippines, with the exporter having to pay for the test. I believe it is BFAR that have started them up again.

MHA

Cyanide testing, as such, has never really stopped. The issue is that the test being used is designed for wastewater testing, not fish.

The question is, which test be being used? Is it the 'paper' test or something else?

Regards.
Mike Kirda

 

[naesco]

Testing is good news.
Can you reveal your source?

 

[jorcutt]

This is Mary- on my employee's computer.


Like Mike said, the testing has been available through BFAR. Unless the news is "MAC has started requiring testing", then it's not really any news at all.

 

[My Hairy Ass]

ok, yes BFAR were always behind the tests, but no fish have been tested in Coron for some time, but there is now fish being tested regularly again. My source is a major exporter, but I cannot give their name, sorry.

MHA

 

[My Hairy Ass]

I thought you were all against MAC doing the testing?! Why all of a sudden has that changed?

Personally. I think that taking the fish from the exporter is a waste of time, as they aren't going to be able to tell you who they got it from (unless they are MAC associated), and the fisherman carries on using cyanide. Test the fish from the fishermen is what I reckon, they don't have the $ to pay to potentially corrupt the result.

MHA

 

[mkirda]

Personally. I think that taking the fish from the exporter is a waste of time, as they aren't going to be able to tell you who they got it from (unless they are MAC associated), and the fisherman carries on using cyanide. Test the fish from the fishermen is what I reckon, they don't have the $ to pay to potentially corrupt the result.

MHA

And if the fisherman is one of the exporter's, you don't think the exporter would protect them?

Think again- it has happened.

Regards.
Mike Kirda

 

[My Hairy Ass]

well, then if the exporter is also a fisherman, he'll get tested!

My main point is if the exporter is a buyer, then they aren't using the cyanide to fish with, the fisherman is, and that's the best place to stop it.

 

[mkirda]

well, then if the exporter is also a fisherman, he'll get tested!

My main point is if the exporter is a buyer, then they aren't using the cyanide to fish with, the fisherman is, and that's the best place to stop it.

MHA,

You really have no understanding of how the cyanide trade runs with respect to the middleman aspect. A Western analogy- think how the mob would protect one of their own if caught. Bribery- paying local officials to look the other way- is common. Hiring local unskilled people, for whom a job that pays actual money is almost unheard of, is the norm. Exporters who sponsor collectors, putting up the money for the boats and/or cyanide, would protect their people too. This would just be a wise business decision.

Regards.
Mike Kirda

 

[MaryHM]

Another problem with testing the collectors is that they are often in very remote areas. The labs tend to be in the cities. It's much easier to test 20 exporters that are close to the labs than 1000 collectors that are spread out over thousands of square miles.

 

[My Hairy Ass]

Refering to Coron as a city is akin to McDonalds being called gourmet food.

However, having worked for some years now with people who have been (wrongly) accused of supplying the cyanide, I think I have more than a passing clue on how this works. Go back to the way it was before (God, I'm beginning to sound like Peter Rubec). Make everyone that is in the industry liable for testing, not just one section of it.

Corruption of gov't officials is a problem, yes, I grant you that.

 

[PeterIMA]

Reply to Harry Ass,

First you state that the way to stop the use of cyanide is to focus testing (and presumably prosections) on the collectors. Then you imply that testing should be on all parts of the trade (including exporters). Please not my posting on another part of the Industry Behind the Hobby posted last weekend. I stated that I did not think the use of cyanide would be stopped until exporters and middlemen who provide the cyanide and buy and sell cyanide-caught fish are prosecuted. I also noted that the IMA/BFAR sampling previously was at all levels (collectors to export facilities). The prosecutions were only against the collectors. We still have a cyanide fishing problem. Case closed.

PS What makes you an expert on cyanide testing?

Peter Rubec

 

[Anonymous]

I have nothing to add here except that I've been stuck on My Hairy Ass's name for MONTHS. :lol:

 

[My Hairy Ass]

Peter. for once you and I are in agreement. Cyanide fishing is illegal, and until both it's posession and use at all levels are targeted, it will continue to be a problem.

I am no expert in cyanide testing, I just know a lot of people who have been acused of using it.

 

[clarionreef]

And Harry,
Many have not been accused of it and should have been!
Pro- cyanide Indonesia is the huge blind spot the trade and the 'reformers' collectively agrees not to highlight, investigate or focus on. Not fair to the Philippines actually.
Ooops! Sorry. Not supposed to talk about this
Gotta go!!
Steve

 

[PeterIMA]

Steve, I agree that Indonesia is worse than the Philippines with regard to illegal cyanide fishing. I want to see cyanide testing implemented there. There is no "reformist agreement" to look the other way about the Indonesian situation. Without action on part of the governent of Indonesia, perhaps the most we can hope for is that the USA will eventually implement a total ban on imports of aquarium fish and corals from that country. Importers in the USA can help by not buying marine organisms from there.

Peter Rubec

 

[Kalkbreath]

I never see much in the way of fish from Indonesia...........other then Bali what islands export that much fish?
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[mkirda]

I never see much in the way of fish from Indonesia...........other then Bali what islands export that much fish?

See city of Jakarta? Hmmm...

Regards.
Mike Kirda

 

[Kalkbreath]

Yes......... I have heard of the place...I know of eight coral suppliers from .Jakarta ........... but the coral vs fish ratio is about 20,000 coral to a few hundered fish! Most dont even offer fish..... My question is Name me one fish shipper from Jakarta......or Indonesia.......I dont know of any? And if you think the coral collectors I know in Jakarta are going to let the cyanide fishermen juice their reefs , Your wrong .......Dead fish are not the only thing floating in the sea when my collectors find cyanide fishermen at work on their farms...................
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[PeterIMA]

Kalk, You profess to be an expert concerning the aquarium trade by claiming that cyanide fishing has minimal to no impact on coral reefs. But, you also admit to not knowing the names of Indonesian export companies for fish and corals. How can you be an expert and not know who is involved in these trades in Indonesia? I suppose the next thing you will claim is you don't know who supplies the cyanide to the collectors to rape the reefs?

Peter Rubec

Peter Rubec
Peter Rubec