Coral Mariculture in Tonga

[Kalkbreath]

Some it seems are wanting to more closely regulate and monitor the coral culturing activities in Tonga. My question is, what have the MAc vistors and others {like our new forum monitor} witnessed while surveying the reefs in Tonga that would make them feel there is a need for any changes in the current program?
A good starting point might be to estimate the current effects on the local reefs coral stands with respect to collection of fragments to be used in farming and how the collection could effect the volume of those species collected.
If we were to take the total amount of coral material removed by the farmers and juxtapose that amount to the total number of coral heads growing in the collection area ........what kind of number might we end up?[percentage]
If the farmers remove lets say one-millionth of one percent of the total acropora growing in the area......would that justify a need for closer monitoring? :wink:
Should we require reeformers to justify their positions prior to interloping on the industry?

 

[Anonymous]

I think closer monitoring and regulation of the culturing activities in Tonga might be putting the cart before the horse in the sense that closer scrutiny of collection itself would be a better first step. Actually a better first step would be a good survey.

I also think more regulations on the 'farm' might just be a feel good measure because the 'farm' is more visible than regular collection. I would really hate to see a project in its infancy get trampled on simply because it is in the spotlight.

It is pretty clear to me that the current phase of the 'farm', fragging of collected heads, will get more coral to more people than traditional collecting. At the 'farm' they are also working on re-growing the leftovers from the fragging - both at the facility and in the ocean.

The collecting I witnessed on the trip was very 'clean' - they didn't over collect in one area, and they never took a whole colony unless there were many. I also didn't notice any denuded areas. I went to several areas that have been collected from regularly, and I couldn't see evidence of prior collection.

The areas that are currently used to collect are all within a day trip from the harbor. I would like to see that area extended, by overnight trips on better boats, to reduce whatever pressure there may or may not be on the areas used for collection now.

Compared to the amount of coral that is destroyed to make roads and walls and piers and breakwaters makes the amount of coral collected for the trade seem pretty insignificant.

 

[Anonymous]

Should we require reeformers to justify their positions prior to interloping on the industry?

Do we/should we require current players to justify their positions as well? :wink:

 

[bookfish]

I need to get ready for the BAR fragging workshop and don't want to rush through a response.
Please be patient and i'll reply tonight.
Thx-Jim

 

[naesco]

Should we require reeformers to justify their positions prior to interloping on the industry?

Do we/should we require current players to justify their positions as well? :wink:

Nice reply Righty.
You are right on but the below captioned comment takes away from the points you have made.
"Compared to the amount of coral that is destroyed to make roads and walls and piers and breakwaters makes the amount of coral collected for the trade seem pretty insignificant."

It is a red herring to try to point out that some other than industry are responsible for damage. I have seen with my own eyes the irrepairable damage industry has done to reefs in the Philippines by the use of cyanide.

 

[Anonymous]

Should we require reeformers to justify their positions prior to interloping on the industry?

Do we/should we require current players to justify their positions as well? :wink:

Nice reply Righty.
You are right on but the below captioned comment takes away from the points you have made.
"Compared to the amount of coral that is destroyed to make roads and walls and piers and breakwaters makes the amount of coral collected for the trade seem pretty insignificant."

It is a red herring to try to point out that some other than industry are responsible for damage. I have seen with my own eyes the irrepairable damage industry has done to reefs in the Philippines by the use of cyanide.

Thanks!

Pointing out that another industry is responsible for damage does not mean that our industry is not responsible for the damage it does - both are responsible for the damage they do. Its only a red herring is you think what the other industry does absolves us of the damage our industry does.

I do feel that our industry gets blamed, at least state side, for the bulk of the damage simply because our industry is visible, while industries that that do far more damage to the reefs are completely ignored. Walking along a 300+foot jetty that was built up by broken but still identifiable coral skeletons really brought that home for me.

Also, I was talking specifically about Tonga and what I saw there. I saw no evidence of cyanide collecting and the companies that collect fish seemed very proud of the fact that they all had their own Filipino divers that use nothing but net.

 

[scottfarcuz]

Walking along a 300+foot jetty that was built up by broken but still identifiable coral skeletons really brought that home for me.

Holy mackerel Andy!
I had no idea this kinds of thing was going on. Does anyone have pictures of this or similar sites?

 

[Kalkbreath]

Picture this ............ In the Maldives Islands they made a jumbo jet airport in what was open water. Not only did they bury the existing live reefs........but they also dredged the surrounding reefs to form a new island several square miles in size in which they now could land tourist planes like 727 jumbo jets.
To form the island air strip they used more live coral then our hobby will ever in a thousand years. How much coral and live rock does it take to form a pile twenty feet tall, one mile wide and two miles long?
For comparison , you can fit all the coral imported each year into the USA inside two Walmart tractor trailers. {With out the water and boxes }
Yet coral export fro Maldives is not permitted :wink:

 

[bookfish]

I pretty much agree with Righty. Other than the occasional anchor damage, I didn't see too much wrong with the places we went. Of course I was only seeing the area for the first time.
I do feel there should be some basic regulations and regulatory agency concerned with the culture of anything in open systems or nearshore.
-Jim

 

[Kalkbreath]

The Australian fisheries {same people that look over the Great Barrier Reef} have been over seeing the collection of corals in Tonga for twenty years. A year or so ago CITES also became involved.
Now it seems other reef watch groups want to be involved as well. Yet no one has ever been able to list a reason why increased involvement is needed? Even The US Fish and Wildlife inspection of weekly clam shipments seems a little over the top when one realizes that all the clams from Tonga are farm raised.The islanders ate every last wild clam back in the 1980s! The inspectors aren't concerned if the clams are wild collected any how they just check to see if the numbers on the CITES permit match whats in the boxes. But they are farm raised clams! Whats the big deal? So what if 301 clams are packed in a box permitted for 300?
Is the Government really more concerned that the Clam farm might be over collected? Then the reefs?

 

[Kalkbreath]

I pretty much agree with Righty. Other than the occasional anchor damage, I didn't see too much wrong with the places we went. Of course I was only seeing the area for the first time.
I do feel there should be some basic regulations and regulatory agency concerned with the culture of anything in open systems or nearshore.
-Jim

Well shoot! I guess I picked a fight with the wrong Jim ! The least you could do as our new mod, is play devils advocate with me.
Tell me how even if one wild clam is save the piles and piles of paper work are worth it! COME ON anybody? :wink:

 

[Anonymous]

The wild clams in Tonga are on the comeback!

 

[Kalkbreath]

That is until their large enough for a dinner plate :wink:

 

[Anonymous]

If the Tongan government didn't want any help, they'd let all that are helping know From what I can gather, the Tongan Government is quite happy with the assistance being provided to them by various NGO's and governemntal agencies of other countries. Being such a small country economicly, I think it makes perfect sense for the Tongan governement to not only allow these groups to be in place, but to work with them hand in hand. There may not be a problem now, but that doesn't mean it can't swing that way shortly. FWIG, Tonga has been trying to revamp their MO regs far before MAC contacted them, and far before the farm was started.

I really see/have no problem with a coral farm being done in Tonga. It's not like many others had their eye on that ball for some time now

 

[Kalkbreath]

Tonga has been shipping cultured coral for a year now. A system without MAC already has a proven tract record. There is no need for additional parasites clinging onto the successes of established collectors. If you can demonstrate a need for increased bureaucracy, then bring it to light here and now.
Failure in Fiji and PI is not a valid reason to foist themselves into a new country.

 

[Anonymous]

:?: What does MAC have to do with cultured coral/coral farming in Tonga? I'm confused

 

[Kalkbreath]

If you think MAC would set up shop in Tonga and be content to only dwell in Piscine endeavors without yearning to bask in the glow of successful low impact coral farming.................
you might as well finish your cup of Cool Aid, send in your PETA donation and head out to the local fish store to purchase some of those Certified fish , so many like to pretend actually exist.
The Industry's self appointed guardians are a lot like a rock star entourage.
Its so much easier to cling on to the success of others then to go out and earn your own respect.

 

[Anonymous]

I don't understand, when did MAC set up any shop in Tonga?

 

[Anonymous]

I don't understand, when did MAC set up any shop in Tonga?

Thats what I'd like to know I know they've had contact in Tonga, but they don't have an office, let alone some one on the ground permanetly.

Kalk, huh? You been following my posts for the last five years? I'm not exactly a fan of certified fish you know, and PETA and I aren't the best of friends either However, Coolaid isn't so bad ROCK ON!

 

[mkirda]

:?: What does MAC have to do with cultured coral/coral farming in Tonga? I'm confused

C'mon. Kalk is trying to goad anyone he can into some sort of pointless discussion where he will argue for and against both sides.
Surely you can see that, Gresh!
Arguing with Kalk zaps precious energy that could be spent doing more productive things... Like watching grass grow, or paint dry.

MAC is irrelevant. Time to do what the policeman sez and Move along. :lol:

Regards.
Mike Kirda