I had a very long, frustrating phone conversation with Wayne on Sunday about his "Notice to Industry". The obvious lack of knowledge of the industry is truly astonishing. I pointed out the severe flaws with his notice, and asked him to correct them. He hasn't. This just proves to me without a doubt that there is a higher agenda here. He's not interested in doing this right, he's just interested in doing something- even if the way he is going about it is completely wrong. I am truly saddened by this. Since Wayne has failed to correct his blatant errors as I asked him to, I will address the flaws publicly in the same manner I addressed them with Wayne privately.
My numbered points here will correspond to Wayne's numbered points in the above quote.
1. Wayne is completely ignorant of the way the industry works in the Philippines and Indonesia. Of course, this doesn't stop him from telling everyone how to run it. :roll: PI and Indo exporters for the most part do not employ their own divers. Collectors collect fish that are then sold to a middleman who distributes the fish to various exporters. Many exporters can buy from the same set of collectors. So for me to call my PI supplier and say "Wayne Ryan says you must fund net training at your own expense" is insane. Why is my supplier going to pay to train collectors that will then benefit his competition? He's not. Now, if a PI industry organization were to band together and pool funds for net training, that would make sense. But to demand a single supplier pay for net training for hundreds of collectors is insane.
2. The following 2 scenarios are extremely likely to happen if Wayne is successful in his attempt to stop exports from PI and Indo.
Scenario #1: There goes a lot of our bread and butter fish for the hobby, because they are only found in those areas. Now there is much more pressure put on other countries such as Fiji, Solomons, Tonga, Vanuatu, Sri Lanka, etc... to keep up with the demand. It is a known fact that certain exporters "import" Philippine collectors to stations in other countries. Many times they import the squirt bottles with them. Wayne is just begging people to do this. He can claim that he alone has eradicated cyanide use in the Philippines and Indonesia by stopping exports from there. But in the meantime, cyanide use will start exploding in other countries just to keep up with the demand. Way to go, Wayne!
Scenario #2: The former aquarium trade collectors find themselves out of work. They can't just move to the big city and become a high paid, cushy attorney. No. They have to feed their families. And the only opportunity they have to do this is to utilize their resource- the reefs. Now that they can't collect for the aquarium trade, they will move on and become collectors for the food fish trade. Wayne has now increased the use of cyanide dramatically (Since 25% of aquarium fish tested positive and 44% of food fish tested postive- and there are a LOT more food fish collected than aquarium fish). Not only has cyanide use increased, but now we get the added benefit of more blast fishing. Again, way to go Wayne!
3. I didn't understand this "keep records" aspect of Wayne's plan, so I asked him to explain. He said that if he has a suppliers fish tested for cyanide and it comes back positive, that the supplier must prove to him that they are using "due diligence" to not import cyanide caught fish. So they would need to show Wayne an invoice of who they are purchasing from- and that it should be known net caught exporters. How many of you are going to turn your business records over to Wayne????
4. While the other points are ridiculous, this one is INSANE. INSANE. INSANE. I explained to Wayne that I currently sell net caught fish to another wholesaler here in LA and that I am hoping that a major wholesaler will start buying fish soon as well. I also explained that under his plan this would not be allowed. How dumb is that? I can't sell net caught fish to other suppliers because Wayne doesn't want us mixing our inventories? Wayne explained that the reason for this point was that it was his understanding that many etailers buy fish from suppliers without ever knowing where the fish come from or how they are handled. At the time, I didn't think much about it (because I had been up until 4am acclimating a shipment of PI net caught fish). Now that I've recovered
that statement hit me as the most stupid thing I've ever heard. 90+% OF RETAILERS, BE IT ONLINE OR BRICK AND MORTAR, GET THEIR FISH FROM WHOLESALERS. DUH!!! Wayne doesn't want us mixing inventories with any other companies because he doesn't want us saying "Yeah, that fish tested positive, but it's not my fault, I got it from Wholesaler XYZ." So now I guess Wayne wants each individual retailer to transship their fish directly from overseas. Anyone know the implications of this?? First of all, THOUSANDS OF FISH WILL DIE. That is the nature of transshipping- especially fish- and especially from countries as far away as PI and Indo. But hey, who cares? At least we aren't mixing inventories. :roll: Deaths withstanding, it is not even feasible for 90% of retailers to transship in their own fish. It is extremlely cost prohibitive.
5. Shock of all shocks, one I actually agree with. Well heck, a person can't be wrong 100% of the time- only 80% in Wayne's case.
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As many people have stated before, Wayne's passion is admirable. But passion without knowledge is destructive. And that is exactly what Wayne is doing- being destructive. And he knows it, which makes it even worse.
Last point: Wayne, it has been brought to my attention this morning that you are telling people you are working with me. This is a flat out lie and you know it. I was taken aback that certain people were insinuating that I was associated with you, but thought it was because many industry people who aren't regulars here perceive this forum to be the Mary Middlebrook forum and think that anything coming out of here is with my consent and support. Now I know that's not true. Cease and desist immediately from telling people you are working with me. You are working against me. In fact, don't ever mention me or my businesses again unless you are directly addressing me.
My numbered points here will correspond to Wayne's numbered points in the above quote.
1. Wayne is completely ignorant of the way the industry works in the Philippines and Indonesia. Of course, this doesn't stop him from telling everyone how to run it. :roll: PI and Indo exporters for the most part do not employ their own divers. Collectors collect fish that are then sold to a middleman who distributes the fish to various exporters. Many exporters can buy from the same set of collectors. So for me to call my PI supplier and say "Wayne Ryan says you must fund net training at your own expense" is insane. Why is my supplier going to pay to train collectors that will then benefit his competition? He's not. Now, if a PI industry organization were to band together and pool funds for net training, that would make sense. But to demand a single supplier pay for net training for hundreds of collectors is insane.
2. The following 2 scenarios are extremely likely to happen if Wayne is successful in his attempt to stop exports from PI and Indo.
Scenario #1: There goes a lot of our bread and butter fish for the hobby, because they are only found in those areas. Now there is much more pressure put on other countries such as Fiji, Solomons, Tonga, Vanuatu, Sri Lanka, etc... to keep up with the demand. It is a known fact that certain exporters "import" Philippine collectors to stations in other countries. Many times they import the squirt bottles with them. Wayne is just begging people to do this. He can claim that he alone has eradicated cyanide use in the Philippines and Indonesia by stopping exports from there. But in the meantime, cyanide use will start exploding in other countries just to keep up with the demand. Way to go, Wayne!
Scenario #2: The former aquarium trade collectors find themselves out of work. They can't just move to the big city and become a high paid, cushy attorney. No. They have to feed their families. And the only opportunity they have to do this is to utilize their resource- the reefs. Now that they can't collect for the aquarium trade, they will move on and become collectors for the food fish trade. Wayne has now increased the use of cyanide dramatically (Since 25% of aquarium fish tested positive and 44% of food fish tested postive- and there are a LOT more food fish collected than aquarium fish). Not only has cyanide use increased, but now we get the added benefit of more blast fishing. Again, way to go Wayne!
3. I didn't understand this "keep records" aspect of Wayne's plan, so I asked him to explain. He said that if he has a suppliers fish tested for cyanide and it comes back positive, that the supplier must prove to him that they are using "due diligence" to not import cyanide caught fish. So they would need to show Wayne an invoice of who they are purchasing from- and that it should be known net caught exporters. How many of you are going to turn your business records over to Wayne????
4. While the other points are ridiculous, this one is INSANE. INSANE. INSANE. I explained to Wayne that I currently sell net caught fish to another wholesaler here in LA and that I am hoping that a major wholesaler will start buying fish soon as well. I also explained that under his plan this would not be allowed. How dumb is that? I can't sell net caught fish to other suppliers because Wayne doesn't want us mixing our inventories? Wayne explained that the reason for this point was that it was his understanding that many etailers buy fish from suppliers without ever knowing where the fish come from or how they are handled. At the time, I didn't think much about it (because I had been up until 4am acclimating a shipment of PI net caught fish). Now that I've recovered
that statement hit me as the most stupid thing I've ever heard. 90+% OF RETAILERS, BE IT ONLINE OR BRICK AND MORTAR, GET THEIR FISH FROM WHOLESALERS. DUH!!! Wayne doesn't want us mixing inventories with any other companies because he doesn't want us saying "Yeah, that fish tested positive, but it's not my fault, I got it from Wholesaler XYZ." So now I guess Wayne wants each individual retailer to transship their fish directly from overseas. Anyone know the implications of this?? First of all, THOUSANDS OF FISH WILL DIE. That is the nature of transshipping- especially fish- and especially from countries as far away as PI and Indo. But hey, who cares? At least we aren't mixing inventories. :roll: Deaths withstanding, it is not even feasible for 90% of retailers to transship in their own fish. It is extremlely cost prohibitive.5. Shock of all shocks, one I actually agree with. Well heck, a person can't be wrong 100% of the time- only 80% in Wayne's case.
******************
As many people have stated before, Wayne's passion is admirable. But passion without knowledge is destructive. And that is exactly what Wayne is doing- being destructive. And he knows it, which makes it even worse.
Last point: Wayne, it has been brought to my attention this morning that you are telling people you are working with me. This is a flat out lie and you know it. I was taken aback that certain people were insinuating that I was associated with you, but thought it was because many industry people who aren't regulars here perceive this forum to be the Mary Middlebrook forum and think that anything coming out of here is with my consent and support. Now I know that's not true. Cease and desist immediately from telling people you are working with me. You are working against me. In fact, don't ever mention me or my businesses again unless you are directly addressing me.
