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Helping fisherfolks in Sri Lanka and Indonesia
- Thread starter Jaime Baquero
- Start date
Aquatics,
Thanks for the link.
In North America there are many respected individuals as for example Charles, Julian, Martin, Walt, Bruce and many others who could lead a campaign to do something on behalf of the North American marine ornamentals industry.
Thanks for the link.
In North America there are many respected individuals as for example Charles, Julian, Martin, Walt, Bruce and many others who could lead a campaign to do something on behalf of the North American marine ornamentals industry.
JennM":18topv76 said:Without getting into the whys and wherefores, if you don't agree, so be it, but I will continue to keep all those affected in my thoughts and prayers, and while I'm at it, I'll keep you there too.
God does bad things because He told us He would throughout the bible. He does such things for a variety of reasons but that's off topic here.
I'll be praying with you Jenn.
- JT
Jaime:
I think the industry part of this disaster will recover better than many may think. Heck, I received a really nice Sumatra shipment this past Monday.
A big part of this problem is educating the public with basic geography. I get countless calls a day from people asking "Is the industry shut down? I may as well go out of business if I can't get my Fiji acros anymore". Very few species in the industry come from the particular areas hardest hit.
There are way too many "relief efforts" underway presently. I think we'd all do best by helping out the strongest of these, both with financial and as volunteer (if able to take the time) support, and/or those we can be asured are actually contributing relief and not scams.
- JT
I think the industry part of this disaster will recover better than many may think. Heck, I received a really nice Sumatra shipment this past Monday.
A big part of this problem is educating the public with basic geography. I get countless calls a day from people asking "Is the industry shut down? I may as well go out of business if I can't get my Fiji acros anymore". Very few species in the industry come from the particular areas hardest hit.
There are way too many "relief efforts" underway presently. I think we'd all do best by helping out the strongest of these, both with financial and as volunteer (if able to take the time) support, and/or those we can be asured are actually contributing relief and not scams.
- JT
JT,
Thanks for taking the time to reply to this thread.
While driving back home today, I was listening to the news and heard about a small project from the waitresses/waiters of a chain of restaurants here in Ottawa. They decided that all the tips they'll collect during the weekend will go to help the victms of the disaster. I found that encouraging.
As I said before, many of us have contributed with money to at least one of the many groups collecting funds. That is very good and I encourage everyone to do that. However, I would like underlinethat it would be a positive response from the marine aquarium industry to make an effort to organize a project tending to help some of the families of the collectors who have disappeared.
It is possible that exporters were not affected, in the short term, the same way collectors were affected. It doesn't matter if the fish coming to N.A from that region are just a few species, it wouldn't be a good excuse to do nothing. This is a good opportunity for this industry as a whole to put something back.
Thanks for taking the time to reply to this thread.
While driving back home today, I was listening to the news and heard about a small project from the waitresses/waiters of a chain of restaurants here in Ottawa. They decided that all the tips they'll collect during the weekend will go to help the victms of the disaster. I found that encouraging.
As I said before, many of us have contributed with money to at least one of the many groups collecting funds. That is very good and I encourage everyone to do that. However, I would like underlinethat it would be a positive response from the marine aquarium industry to make an effort to organize a project tending to help some of the families of the collectors who have disappeared.
It is possible that exporters were not affected, in the short term, the same way collectors were affected. It doesn't matter if the fish coming to N.A from that region are just a few species, it wouldn't be a good excuse to do nothing. This is a good opportunity for this industry as a whole to put something back.
I understand what you are trying to accomplish but I think it'd be a difficult thing to do without first knowing how the collectors and exporters have been effected by the tsunami. Having been to places like PI and visited some of the exporters and villages, it's not always easy to collect some of this data.Jaime Baquero":2w6xgzii said:However, I would like underlinethat it would be a positive response from the marine aquarium industry to make an effort to organize a project tending to help some of the families of the collectors who have disappeared.
One exporter from the impacted area told me that everything was fine and he only lost two divers from a remote village and it wouldn't impact his supply at all because he already had replacements in place.
Organizing a "project" like you are suggesting is fine if it is really needed. The question is, is it needed?
- JT
Hi all,
I got the following e-mail from Svein Fossa, President of OFI (Ornamental Fish Int.), about the industry's situation after the Tsunami.
It is clear that the effects in Sri Lanka have been disastrous, not for the industry as a whole, but primarily for the poor collectors living at the coast line. Many have lost everything they own, also boats, diving equipment and collection gear, in addition to the lifes of family members and friends. The infra estructure, roads, schools, etc. is also severely damaged, and it is likely that it still will take weeks before we have a full overview of the situation.
In India it is also bad, but apparently somewhat less critical for the aquarium industry in general. That may be because the marine side is proportionally much less important in India than in Sri Lanka, and we are constantly seeking information from our members and others in the area to stay updated on the situation there.
In Indonesia we know even less, unfortanately. The major industry operators in Jakarta have so far reported that they see no problems for the industry. I fear that there could be reasons to fear that there actually are collector community's in Sumatra that could have been affected. On the other hand, the worst hit are, the Aceh province in the north, has been literally at a state of war with the central Indonesia government for many years, with large difficulties in travelling or transporting goods to and from Jakarta and the area. Therefore, it is somewhat unlike that there has been much collecting for the aquarium trade in Aceh, at least.
We are still seeking information from Indonesia.
Thailand does, as you probably know, not have any legal marine aquarium export, and the Malaysian trade reports to have been unaffected.
As for the Maldives, we don't have any information yet.
OFI's opinion is that there indeed are many people in the marine aquarium industry that desperately will need help, on short AND long term. Therefore we launched our OFI-Tsunami-Help-Fund three days ago. We expect that it will be mainly OFI members who will contribute to that, but everyone (also in the USA) are of course welcome with donations. Actually, OFI also have quite a few US based members.
I hope this helps somewhat. You're welcome to come back to me if you should need further information.
Regards
Svein
I got the following e-mail from Svein Fossa, President of OFI (Ornamental Fish Int.), about the industry's situation after the Tsunami.
It is clear that the effects in Sri Lanka have been disastrous, not for the industry as a whole, but primarily for the poor collectors living at the coast line. Many have lost everything they own, also boats, diving equipment and collection gear, in addition to the lifes of family members and friends. The infra estructure, roads, schools, etc. is also severely damaged, and it is likely that it still will take weeks before we have a full overview of the situation.
In India it is also bad, but apparently somewhat less critical for the aquarium industry in general. That may be because the marine side is proportionally much less important in India than in Sri Lanka, and we are constantly seeking information from our members and others in the area to stay updated on the situation there.
In Indonesia we know even less, unfortanately. The major industry operators in Jakarta have so far reported that they see no problems for the industry. I fear that there could be reasons to fear that there actually are collector community's in Sumatra that could have been affected. On the other hand, the worst hit are, the Aceh province in the north, has been literally at a state of war with the central Indonesia government for many years, with large difficulties in travelling or transporting goods to and from Jakarta and the area. Therefore, it is somewhat unlike that there has been much collecting for the aquarium trade in Aceh, at least.
We are still seeking information from Indonesia.
Thailand does, as you probably know, not have any legal marine aquarium export, and the Malaysian trade reports to have been unaffected.
As for the Maldives, we don't have any information yet.
OFI's opinion is that there indeed are many people in the marine aquarium industry that desperately will need help, on short AND long term. Therefore we launched our OFI-Tsunami-Help-Fund three days ago. We expect that it will be mainly OFI members who will contribute to that, but everyone (also in the USA) are of course welcome with donations. Actually, OFI also have quite a few US based members.
I hope this helps somewhat. You're welcome to come back to me if you should need further information.
Regards
Svein
Jenn, your apology is accepted.
Jaime Thank you for your efforts in attempting to organize industry into doing something.
For those of you who have yet to contribute, the best bang for your buck would be to find your nearest mosque and offer a donation through them.
In addition helping the asia cause you will also help mend the damage done in the US.
Jaime Thank you for your efforts in attempting to organize industry into doing something.
For those of you who have yet to contribute, the best bang for your buck would be to find your nearest mosque and offer a donation through them.
In addition helping the asia cause you will also help mend the damage done in the US.
It is not easy to get the marine aquarium industry behind efforts such as this. What is necessary is to get someone or a group of people with connections to get the message out. Two good options I see are MAC and MASNA to start with.
I agree with Peter's statement about the fact that concerned NGOs and Industry groups should meet and develop a common strategy. To plan and develop that strategy is going to take time, the sooner the better.
Please visit www.lireef.org/tsunami_fund.htm
I agree with Peter's statement about the fact that concerned NGOs and Industry groups should meet and develop a common strategy. To plan and develop that strategy is going to take time, the sooner the better.
Please visit www.lireef.org/tsunami_fund.htm
Most people in masna are hobbyists in the US. I don't see how they would be properly setup to manage such an undertaking. Is it possible for a bunch of hobbyists in this country to setup and manage such a thing better than professional organizations like the red cross who have been doing this for so long? Just a serious devil's advocate type of question.
Kids living in the city of Ottawa organized a campaign called "Spare change 4 Kids" they are spread in major malls in the city collecting "spare change". The collected money will go to the red cross/spare change4kids account.
Personally, I think that hobbyist and the marine aquarium industry in general can do something like that or better. It is just a matter of commitment and willingness. Do you agree?
Stores can have jars to collect the money "helping fish collectors'. By the end of the month the collected money could be sent (a cheque from each store) to MASNA. Later MASNA can send a cheque to the red cross/MASNA fish collectors account. I do think that something like that is very possible to do.
Personally, I think that hobbyist and the marine aquarium industry in general can do something like that or better. It is just a matter of commitment and willingness. Do you agree?
Stores can have jars to collect the money "helping fish collectors'. By the end of the month the collected money could be sent (a cheque from each store) to MASNA. Later MASNA can send a cheque to the red cross/MASNA fish collectors account. I do think that something like that is very possible to do.
Following a message from Dr. Sue Wells.
I quote " I haven't been involved with Sri Lanka for a while, or with the marine aquarium trade, but I'm cc'ing your message below to Jerker Tamelander who is with IUCN out there and he may be able to put tou onto relevant people"
Good luck with your efforts
Sue
This is the response from Sri Lanka.
I quote " Yes indeed it is a welcome change to address the problems of the ornamental fish collectors. I will be happy to put you in contact with different people. I think the best way to go is through an association of the fish collectors (for one or two areas). The other option is through the association of ornamental fish exporters, many of whom I know very well.
Many fish collectors have been affected. Another angle to this is that the habitats themselves may be critically damaged (particularly shallow areas).
I'll get back with more information".
Regards
Arjan
NARA
Sri Lanka
I quote " I haven't been involved with Sri Lanka for a while, or with the marine aquarium trade, but I'm cc'ing your message below to Jerker Tamelander who is with IUCN out there and he may be able to put tou onto relevant people"
Good luck with your efforts
Sue
This is the response from Sri Lanka.
I quote " Yes indeed it is a welcome change to address the problems of the ornamental fish collectors. I will be happy to put you in contact with different people. I think the best way to go is through an association of the fish collectors (for one or two areas). The other option is through the association of ornamental fish exporters, many of whom I know very well.
Many fish collectors have been affected. Another angle to this is that the habitats themselves may be critically damaged (particularly shallow areas).
I'll get back with more information".
Regards
Arjan
NARA
Sri Lanka
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