Guest guest Posted November 10, 2004 Report Share Posted November 10, 2004 Vanuatu - Saving Nemo http://www.abc.net.au/foreign/content/2004/s1239666.htm Broadcast: 09/11/2004 Reporter: Mark Corcoran Synopsis Mark Corcoran travels to the Pacific Islands nation of Vanuatu to investigate the developing world's latest growth industry - a trade accused of exploitation, overfishing and corruption. The United Nations Environmental Program estimates that globally, 20 million tropical fish worth nearly $500 million are now caught each year. Industry insiders say the real figure is double that estimate. Nearly all Vanuatu's tropical fish are caught by a company called Sustainable Reef Supplies (SRS) - which was established in Vanuatu by American businessmen. Yet in three short years, SRS has managed to alienate tourism operators who depend on tropical fish as an attraction, scientists who fear an ecological disaster in the making - and traditional owners of the reefs where the tropical fish live. Corcoran meets one custom reef owner Chief Mor Mor, who gets paid just $120 a month by SRS for the right to unlimited access to his reefs. He figures it's better than nothing. Yet a former SRS manager, James Armitage says that SRS collects $5,000 worth of fish in a single morning on Chief Mor Mor's reef. And he says that last year, SRS decided it wanted an immediate tenfold increase in production, and brought in ten Filipino divers to catch the fish. " They are like machines " he says " and they just take anything and everything. It's out of control. basically it's a free for all'. Vanuatu's Fisheries Department is supposed to monitor the trade, but accused of corruption and indifference, does virtually nothing. Tropical fish are almost worth their weight in gold - yet Vanuatu's Government officially receives a pittance from SRS. For each exotic flame angel fish that sells for $80 in Australia or the US - Vanuatu will receive just 24 cents. James Armitage claims thousands of dollars a week in bribes were paid when SRS set up operations - the price he says of doing business in Vanuatu. " The actual fellow who came to set up SRS was blatant about it - and was willing to offer it - in his words that's how we did it in Fiji, that's how we did it in Indonesia - we'll do it here " says James Armitage. Take away the tropical fish from this delicate eco system and there are fears the eating fish - on which Pacific Island communities depend for survival - will also disappear. A just completed scientific study by environmental group Reef Check in conjunction with scientists from Townsville's James Cook University suggests that SRS operations have already had a significant impact on fish numbers, with a 50% reduction in tropical fish numbers on reefs that have been harvested. Vanuatu's Fisheries officials deny the corruption allegations and say the industry is under control. But with few resources and even less willpower it's hard to see how they can justify those claims. Further information: Reef Check Australia http://www.reefcheckaustralia.org Marine Aquariam Council http://www.aquariumcouncil.org Transcript http://www.abc.net.au/foreign/content/2004/s1239666.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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