only 5% of sold fish are cyanide collected.

[clarionreef]

Peter,
It was in fact the Puerto Princessa trainings of 90-91!
There were no M.O. divers. Zero!
All were to work for Mitras boys in their new live grouper trade.
Why do you think I got so upset w/ Haribon? They wanted to please Mitra and had no hesitation in selling out to do it. I protested. What was I supposed to do? Sell out as well?
Steve

 

[Kalkbreath]

I want to make it clear that I am not blaming either one of you for not being more effective then at ending food fishing cyanide use . Had you spoken out any Louder at the time you might have been cyanided yourselves. I also understand that the Philippine people were just trying to feed themselves and get ahead in life.{not unlike the timber and buffalo clearings here in the USA during our countries self indulgence of our natural plunders. How ever, Today twenty-five plus years later in 2003. To continue to play the Marine Ornamentals blame game when you know full and well what the truth was and is ........Can only be attributed to something other then wanting to save the reefs.And these should be put aside for the greater calling. In this day and age of worldwide communications Now is the correct Time for you all to make your move on the food fishers ..... It is my contention that only an assault on the foodfishing industry can "save" whats left of the reefs. continuing to press for cleaner MO industry fish is great. But If the quest to collect food fish is not made less destructive, there will be no more MO fish to collect with nets . So whats the point?

 

[clarionreef]

KALK,
OUR RIGHT TO BECOME INVOLVED IN THE FISHERY POLICIES OF ANOTHER NATION COMES FROM OUR SUBSIDY OF THAT FISHERY.
WE CONSUME ORNAMENTAL FISHES...NOT FOOD FISHES FROM THERE.

This is too obvious to point out still again.
We buy tropical fishes...not live grouper. This may explain the reason for aquarium people to be concerned...and rightly so.
Steve
PS. As the whistle blower of the live food cyanide fish trade and manipulator of the muro ami ban...I am content. My only regret is in trusting the wrong eco-NGOs in farming out the aquarium issue to them.
Sure , this should've been sorted out by Philippine fisheries...but serving their countries interest [and consequently our trades] has never been their strong suit.

 

[Kalkbreath]

If your only interested in the" product" portion of cyanide fishing and how it effects the interests of your chosen industry ...... Then rest assured that only 5% of your interests are tarnished by cyanide. I on the other hand I myself care about the reefs themselves, even if its not within my rights as you describe them {as a separate nation.} I want there to be Marine Ornamentalfish left to net collect in the future .....the hell with whats within our USA rights and whats not . Whether Far away on a separate Continent or not , Human rights violations or mother nature rights violations It is with in my rights to try and stop it.........

 

[clarionreef]

But to talk and post only?
That is not doing anything at all for either trade.
Steve

 

[PeterIMA]

Kalk,
I have some difficulty in understanding your position (like which side of the fence you are on)? Lets say that you are sincere and not just doing the its not us its them routine. What more do you think can be done?

Recapping the situation. The MAC came in formed an umbrella group, undercut IMA's efforts and those of OVI, used the advice from those in the trade-then cut them out of the picture (eg. Tullock, Middlebrook, Baquero, Oellers) and got involved in also "certifying" the live food fish trade. A small group of reformers without funding have been trying to expose the truth about the MAC. There is very little time left or funding available to counteract either the MAC or the live food fish trade interests.

The MO trade is threatened by the MAC's secret agenda. That agenda is tied in with a group called CCIF/RDA that seeks to monopolize the MO trade using funding from the World Bank Global Environmental Facility (GEF) and venture capital. A vertically integrated enterprise is planned selling MAC certified MO fish, which will put most smaller competitors out of business. So, while we continue to argue among ourselves, the trade is being undermined by the group (MAC) that was supposedly dedicated to saving it by making collection, transport, and husbandry of MO fish more sustainable. We need your help and the help of everyone reading this forum to counteract this threat.

 

[clarionreef]

Succinct and accurate Peter,
When I was in the good graces of the CCIF...they revealed to me the plan of Packard investers to create an 8 million dollar vertically integrated reef to retail scheme and the need for MAC certification to go thru in order to 'validate' it as clean.
More and more, it became clear to me that MAC was just an errand boy for greater interests. The clincher was when the CCIF boss asked my opinion in how we could get the industry to pay for MAC. Taxes on each box shipped was put forth by them.
But alas, the eventual relization that organizing hundreds of fishing villages and delivering them to a single doctrine and business chain according to the MAC book report of 'standards' would not be so simple...put a damper on things.
CCIF may return to the picture...but if they do, it can be seen as no less then an attempt by private Packard money to dominate the trade.
The genius is to use Packard foundation money to pave the way for Packard investment...thru the front group named MAC..
Geez...If they didn't tell it to me straight themselves it would've sounded like some crazy conspiracy theory.
Steve

 

[Kalkbreath]

If they didn't tell it to me straight themselves it would've sounded like some crazy conspiracy theory.Steve

............I have been branded such for stating fact as well. Just because your right on .....does not mean people will believe you. :wink: During the last year , My biggest competitor now owns a baseball stadium.........they also own one of the largets importers .......The idea that big business is moving into the hobby in a full assault mode is some thing most industry people have no idea of ! And they wont care to until its too late. 8O

 

[clarionreef]

Hold that thought!
Since we are now in 100% agreement w/ each other. Lets see how long we can keep it together!
Steve
PS.
PETCO and F$S MASS INVASION OF THE TRADE SHOULD'VE ALERTED PEOPLE ALREADY.
Perhaps the little independants are just to preoccupied with sheer survival to stand back and look at the general picture.

 

[Anonymous]

Last week MAC was being blasted for having little or inventory, now they are being blasted for potentially having all of the inventory?

Take a week off from the forum and look what happens...

 

[clarionreef]

Lee,
Its simply the distance between concept and implementation that has yet to be traversed.
They're trying but are not good enough yet.
If they were smarter, they would've hired the expertise, but... they were told by their country coordinator that it would be a piece of cake and that he could handle it...and save money.
Now, a few years, a few million and much damage later, they are still trying.
Steve

 

[dizzy]

Kalk,
The MO trade is threatened by the MAC's secret agenda. That agenda is tied in with a group called CCIF/RDA that seeks to monopolize the MO trade using funding from the World Bank Global Environmental Facility (GEF) and venture capital. A vertically integrated enterprise is planned selling MAC certified MO fish, which will put most smaller competitors out of business. So, while we continue to argue among ourselves, the trade is being undermined by the group (MAC) that was supposedly dedicated to saving it by making collection, transport, and husbandry of MO fish more sustainable. We need your help and the help of everyone reading this forum to counteract this threat.

The above quote from Peter went by practically unnoticed. I'm removing my speculation. Who knows what goes on behind closed doors. The spawner don't even know.
Mitch

 

[clarionreef]

Bingo!
Steve
PS. Some of us who were on the inside for awhile, know this to be true.
MAC was sent to prepare the way...not for us, but for serious outside private corporate investment who in the guise of 'sustainability' will hoover up all the good fish and dominate the trade like the Home Depot dominates the hardware industry and Walmart the 'everything else' industry.