Conservation Thread
- Thread starter sdcfish
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I have seen very few photos that would support this notion.
An image with one large coral (dead white) on a otherwise healthy reef would show a MO cyanide event like you describe.
To seperate our trade and the food fish handly work, researchers and reefcheckers need to provide data that would ilustrate MO trade effects.
Photos of large dead reefs can be from many origins. (But not trade fishing)
Reefs with low hard coral coverage explains little.
There should be thousands of examples where the reefs scape has been dotted with bleachings. Every single hiding point tourched white.
but that never seems to be what researchers find?
Photos like M Kirda presented two years ago from his visit to PI . also translates into little more the a few white spots on six or so corals.
Coral predators do that every day. Sure , those images could have been from cyanide. small portions of a coral head with RTN is what Cyanide fishing is suppose to look like. But where are the corals that the crown of thorn starfish just ate? The coral eating Snails? Corals which have been chewed on by the countless number of coral eating fish? Bump heads?
The few corals mike found during his week long trip hardly supports the Rampant veiwpoint. Its odd that in placed with no cyanide use, like the GBR or Fiji finding large patches of dead coral is quite common.
Natural bleachings and starfish outbreaks are everywhere.
Why is something so "RAMPANT" so hard to find in the Philippines?
An image with one large coral (dead white) on a otherwise healthy reef would show a MO cyanide event like you describe.
To seperate our trade and the food fish handly work, researchers and reefcheckers need to provide data that would ilustrate MO trade effects.
Photos of large dead reefs can be from many origins. (But not trade fishing)
Reefs with low hard coral coverage explains little.
There should be thousands of examples where the reefs scape has been dotted with bleachings. Every single hiding point tourched white.
but that never seems to be what researchers find?
Photos like M Kirda presented two years ago from his visit to PI . also translates into little more the a few white spots on six or so corals.
Coral predators do that every day. Sure , those images could have been from cyanide. small portions of a coral head with RTN is what Cyanide fishing is suppose to look like. But where are the corals that the crown of thorn starfish just ate? The coral eating Snails? Corals which have been chewed on by the countless number of coral eating fish? Bump heads?
The few corals mike found during his week long trip hardly supports the Rampant veiwpoint. Its odd that in placed with no cyanide use, like the GBR or Fiji finding large patches of dead coral is quite common.
Natural bleachings and starfish outbreaks are everywhere.
Why is something so "RAMPANT" so hard to find in the Philippines?
clarionreef
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- San Francisco
"Why is something so "RAMPANT" so hard to find in the Philippines?"
ITS NOT HARD TO FIND...WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN HANGING OUT LATELY?
All you have to do is become embedded into a fishing community and hang with the fisherman for a month or so.
If you achieve this...you can learn things not on Google yet.
Once, after hours of boat rides over clear, coral substrate I asked why we don't just fish here?
Because heres nothing there I was told by Jose, a cyanide fisher of some renown in the area..
Why not? I asked?
"Because we already fished here before."
"so...after a while the fish come back, right?"
"No...they don't come back. They stay away." He said. When you use the magic...they don't come back".
I believe there are hundreds of things known by locals that don't get out play, don't get revealed and certainly don't get researched..
Once, during a fuel change...I went over the side to have a look. The water was clear and beautiful. When I got down to 20 feet....it was like a parking lot,.. All dead coral surface with few living corals...and few fish.
This was everywhere and in much more area then not.
Thats why the boat rides were so long and the gasoline use such an issue.
Ruining the coral habitat by dozens of fishers in a village for years and years take their toll.
Dynamite and other damage? Who says? Each village has its gauntlet of reef asaults and so many have no municipal pollution, siltation and dynamite.
Some are all cyanide. Some all dynamite.Some are ruined for tourist and eco tourist projects. Some are all mixed up.
Some villages have lost their sand to the hotels and see their palm trees fall into the sea.
Some are seashell collecting with huge areas of overtuned corals.
Case by case...village by village you can learn things we don't read about.
If no unwelcome outsiders are there to see something, record it and monitor it...does it still happen? There are hundreds of villages with no attractive [ to outsiders] points of interest.
So many we never get to.
And who wants to see it by the way ? Is there a paycheck in it? Is there a movement to focus on proving something terrible instead of the remedy?
Pardon me for wearing people out on the search for constructive solutions...the need for net training and the handling education that goes with it but does anyone really want to go back to the focus on the crime and the harm?
Funders are satisfied of the extent of the harm now aren't they?
Indeed funding things now based on our trades problems is becoming quite a revenue stream.
It must be true....otherwise would they bankroll it? 8)
Steve
It would be kinda funny if it were all a hoax....wouldn't it :?
ITS NOT HARD TO FIND...WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN HANGING OUT LATELY?
All you have to do is become embedded into a fishing community and hang with the fisherman for a month or so.
If you achieve this...you can learn things not on Google yet.
Once, after hours of boat rides over clear, coral substrate I asked why we don't just fish here?
Because heres nothing there I was told by Jose, a cyanide fisher of some renown in the area..
Why not? I asked?
"Because we already fished here before."
"so...after a while the fish come back, right?"
"No...they don't come back. They stay away." He said. When you use the magic...they don't come back".
I believe there are hundreds of things known by locals that don't get out play, don't get revealed and certainly don't get researched..
Once, during a fuel change...I went over the side to have a look. The water was clear and beautiful. When I got down to 20 feet....it was like a parking lot,.. All dead coral surface with few living corals...and few fish.
This was everywhere and in much more area then not.
Thats why the boat rides were so long and the gasoline use such an issue.
Ruining the coral habitat by dozens of fishers in a village for years and years take their toll.
Dynamite and other damage? Who says? Each village has its gauntlet of reef asaults and so many have no municipal pollution, siltation and dynamite.
Some are all cyanide. Some all dynamite.Some are ruined for tourist and eco tourist projects. Some are all mixed up.
Some villages have lost their sand to the hotels and see their palm trees fall into the sea.
Some are seashell collecting with huge areas of overtuned corals.
Case by case...village by village you can learn things we don't read about.
If no unwelcome outsiders are there to see something, record it and monitor it...does it still happen? There are hundreds of villages with no attractive [ to outsiders] points of interest.
So many we never get to.
And who wants to see it by the way ? Is there a paycheck in it? Is there a movement to focus on proving something terrible instead of the remedy?
Pardon me for wearing people out on the search for constructive solutions...the need for net training and the handling education that goes with it but does anyone really want to go back to the focus on the crime and the harm?
Funders are satisfied of the extent of the harm now aren't they?
Indeed funding things now based on our trades problems is becoming quite a revenue stream.
It must be true....otherwise would they bankroll it? 8)
Steve
It would be kinda funny if it were all a hoax....wouldn't it :?
So every boat operator knows were each of the 800 collectors has been?
Carefull not to revisit each others foot steps until months later.
Thats some conserted effort.
One big "secrete". Only the locals are in on.
Kinda like the mountain men in Canada playing cards and drinking beer with the hundreds of Bigfoots when the scientists and tourists are not around.
:wink:
Carefull not to revisit each others foot steps until months later.
Thats some conserted effort.
One big "secrete". Only the locals are in on.
Kinda like the mountain men in Canada playing cards and drinking beer with the hundreds of Bigfoots when the scientists and tourists are not around.
:wink:
clarionreef
Advanced Reefer
- Location
- San Francisco
So every boat operator knows were each of the 800 collectors has been?
:roll: Sorry, ya lost me.
Carefull not to revisit each others foot steps until months later.
Thats some conserted effort.
con-serted?
One big "secrete". Only the locals are in on.
Secretion of what?
Kinda like the mountain men in Canada playing cards and drinking beer with the hundreds of Bigfoots when the scientists and tourists are not around.
Agreed!
Steve
:roll: Sorry, ya lost me.
Carefull not to revisit each others foot steps until months later.
Thats some conserted effort.
con-serted?
One big "secrete". Only the locals are in on.
Secretion of what?
Kinda like the mountain men in Canada playing cards and drinking beer with the hundreds of Bigfoots when the scientists and tourists are not around.
Agreed!
Steve
clarionreef
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- Location
- San Francisco
I agree...
and it seems odd that the gravy train that milks the issue doesn't spend enough time where it counts...ie in the field.
Its also ironic that so many of them count on the work of their nemesis [ ie. me ] to anchor the validity of their programs!
Steve
PS. I am tempted to say I made it all up in a bar in Manila.
and it seems odd that the gravy train that milks the issue doesn't spend enough time where it counts...ie in the field.
Its also ironic that so many of them count on the work of their nemesis [ ie. me ] to anchor the validity of their programs!
Steve
PS. I am tempted to say I made it all up in a bar in Manila.
I have come to offer you the final solution. I will, as advised, make my own organization which will go to the world bank, bill gates, and anyone else with money to burn. I will use what they give me to form a militia, and I will bribe the govts in question to allow my organization to take over all enforcement of already in place laws governing not just ornamental fishing, but food fishing as well. I will then patrol and sink every boat caught fishing for ornamental or food fish in an illegal manner. First offense solo divers will get a hand chopped off like thieves used to get.. and 2nd offense will result in a public hanging. Once someone like reefcheck sets realistic catch limits for FOOD fish as well as ornamental fish, anyone caught with more than the allowable will have all equipment permanently siezed, whether it's a 10 foot john boat or a 200' fishing vessel, and they will be banned from commercial fishing for some arbitrary amount of time with severe penalties for being caught fishing within that time.
Anything short of this, and 20 years from now you'll all be having the same endless circular arguement. You guys can pump as much money in there as you want, and argue over who does what.. but in the end, if the 3rd world countries don't rabidly enforce their laws, you won't ever win the game. You can't beat corruption with good intentions.
(disclaimer: I won't really do any of that... please don't put me in jail for having inapropriate thoughts.. I'm just trying to make a point)
Anything short of this, and 20 years from now you'll all be having the same endless circular arguement. You guys can pump as much money in there as you want, and argue over who does what.. but in the end, if the 3rd world countries don't rabidly enforce their laws, you won't ever win the game. You can't beat corruption with good intentions.
(disclaimer: I won't really do any of that... please don't put me in jail for having inapropriate thoughts.. I'm just trying to make a point)
Peter and Steve,
Since you two seem to be the "experts", please help us all figure out how we can better guide the three groups in efforts to help them achieve all our common goals.
Here we are all together with open minds, so let's try to put something positive into this opportunity. Between Steve's comments about the "gravy train", and Peter's comments about incompetence, I have not seen the positive commnunication and ideas that I had hoped this opportunity would have acheived.
Best regards
Eric
Since you two seem to be the "experts", please help us all figure out how we can better guide the three groups in efforts to help them achieve all our common goals.
Here we are all together with open minds, so let's try to put something positive into this opportunity. Between Steve's comments about the "gravy train", and Peter's comments about incompetence, I have not seen the positive commnunication and ideas that I had hoped this opportunity would have acheived.
Best regards
Eric
clarionreef
Advanced Reefer
- Location
- San Francisco
help us all figure out how we can better guide the three groups...
Eric,
Contained herein this forum is a valueable achive of years of hands on experience for free. Village approaches, cultural tips, net sizes, fish handling, decompression etc. etc.
The sticking point in the dissent is precisely that they don't follow hard won wisdom from the past and are simply repeating the same mistakes we made in the 80's.
Foreigners in his work must weave in the locals who count and not just run run their own stateside generated notions.
The best and most experienced Filipino trainers are not involved in this movement and will never be for the $85 dollars a week offered to them.
Money saving, bargain basement trainers however have signd on.
It has little to do with the issues at hand but politics and turf.
Its their ball I admit....and its a closed game.
But thats natural in business...and this is business. That was made clear from the beginning as the friendly yet unsolicited advice was declined.
Then it was systematically declined when offered from inside MACs own system...via now fired employees.
Now, you ask for advice?
Did you become the new director lately because that might actually work.
The previous director always turns down good advice as a matter of policy.
S
Eric,
Contained herein this forum is a valueable achive of years of hands on experience for free. Village approaches, cultural tips, net sizes, fish handling, decompression etc. etc.
The sticking point in the dissent is precisely that they don't follow hard won wisdom from the past and are simply repeating the same mistakes we made in the 80's.
Foreigners in his work must weave in the locals who count and not just run run their own stateside generated notions.
The best and most experienced Filipino trainers are not involved in this movement and will never be for the $85 dollars a week offered to them.
Money saving, bargain basement trainers however have signd on.
It has little to do with the issues at hand but politics and turf.
Its their ball I admit....and its a closed game.
But thats natural in business...and this is business. That was made clear from the beginning as the friendly yet unsolicited advice was declined.
Then it was systematically declined when offered from inside MACs own system...via now fired employees.
Now, you ask for advice?
Did you become the new director lately because that might actually work.
The previous director always turns down good advice as a matter of policy.
S
Steve,
If you can go over the "Collection and Handling" (CHT) standards and come up with some positive points that may have been overlooked, then I agree this would be invaluable input.
I know that the standards were written by experts, naming one Tony Nahaki, who helped cover decompression and handling techniques. Others, as well as myself proof read and helped create the standards...but due to the timeline of the process, and ongoing learned knowledge, these standards I believe will and should be evolving.
I disagree with you that efforts are "repeating the same mistakes as in the 80's", simply because of the monumental infastructure that has been created to ensure long lasting results. Any business is going to go through a learning curve and employee turnover, so I feel strongly that there have been lessons learned and it's all for the best.
I also feel that funding has not been spent frivously, as you commented on the wages that are being paid out. That is somewhat of a positive message that the organizations in charge of handling the money can not be accused of overspending and dishing out large salaries. Whether $85 dollars US is not a fair wage, insulting or otherwise, I don't know, but I would choose not to pick it apart. Instead, would you recommend another amount as you seem to feel passionate about salary levels. Do you think it's better to pay ex-pat's at 5 times the rate, instead of using locals? I have a general idea of average wages in the Philipines, and only when results and achievements have been made should raises and bonusus be awarded.
I am not the new director, but only an embassador for positive and responsible change. I encourage all of us who work in this industry to take a role and become involved in a constructive and positive way to help the process along.
It seems we can make some real impact here on this forum.
Best regards
Eric
If you can go over the "Collection and Handling" (CHT) standards and come up with some positive points that may have been overlooked, then I agree this would be invaluable input.
I know that the standards were written by experts, naming one Tony Nahaki, who helped cover decompression and handling techniques. Others, as well as myself proof read and helped create the standards...but due to the timeline of the process, and ongoing learned knowledge, these standards I believe will and should be evolving.
I disagree with you that efforts are "repeating the same mistakes as in the 80's", simply because of the monumental infastructure that has been created to ensure long lasting results. Any business is going to go through a learning curve and employee turnover, so I feel strongly that there have been lessons learned and it's all for the best.
I also feel that funding has not been spent frivously, as you commented on the wages that are being paid out. That is somewhat of a positive message that the organizations in charge of handling the money can not be accused of overspending and dishing out large salaries. Whether $85 dollars US is not a fair wage, insulting or otherwise, I don't know, but I would choose not to pick it apart. Instead, would you recommend another amount as you seem to feel passionate about salary levels. Do you think it's better to pay ex-pat's at 5 times the rate, instead of using locals? I have a general idea of average wages in the Philipines, and only when results and achievements have been made should raises and bonusus be awarded.
I am not the new director, but only an embassador for positive and responsible change. I encourage all of us who work in this industry to take a role and become involved in a constructive and positive way to help the process along.
It seems we can make some real impact here on this forum.
Best regards
Eric
clarionreef
Advanced Reefer
- Location
- San Francisco
Eric,
As a good cookbook doesn't make you a good cook a book of standards doesn't mean you can teach them and get them implemented.This is too obvious to comment on but ....
the standards that sell this concept simply get lost in the translation to the field...year after year hence the suggestion of squandered $ and opportunity.
Some city based Filipinos working in MAC Manila did get 5 X the local wage but the actual trainors who have to do the actual work that so much plays off of get offered the basic local wage despite their own higher expectations of holding the key to success and working w/ foreigners. This has disillusioned and kept them away and left MAC with second stringers trying to figure it out....hence the glacially slow progress.
Steve
PS again; It has little to do with the issues at hand but politics and turf.
As a good cookbook doesn't make you a good cook a book of standards doesn't mean you can teach them and get them implemented.This is too obvious to comment on but ....
the standards that sell this concept simply get lost in the translation to the field...year after year hence the suggestion of squandered $ and opportunity.
Some city based Filipinos working in MAC Manila did get 5 X the local wage but the actual trainors who have to do the actual work that so much plays off of get offered the basic local wage despite their own higher expectations of holding the key to success and working w/ foreigners. This has disillusioned and kept them away and left MAC with second stringers trying to figure it out....hence the glacially slow progress.
Steve
PS again; It has little to do with the issues at hand but politics and turf.
Steve,
I haven't given up on you yet!
Cooking? I think every good cook uses a recipe no? I appreciate your ability to make an argument no matter what the circumstances. It's challenging and very stimulating.
You continue to accuse Mac's acheivements, but you are terribly wrong. More fish in the pipe now....more and more each week. More effort is being made, more progress is being done, more fish are becoming available. I think that argument of yours should be buried for dead by now.
The clock is ticking for the fisherman that are still using cyanide (can we agree on that?). It's only a matter of short time now....tick-tock tick-tock.
Best regards,
Eric
P.S Need some Mac certified fish?
I haven't given up on you yet!
Cooking? I think every good cook uses a recipe no? I appreciate your ability to make an argument no matter what the circumstances. It's challenging and very stimulating.
You continue to accuse Mac's acheivements, but you are terribly wrong. More fish in the pipe now....more and more each week. More effort is being made, more progress is being done, more fish are becoming available. I think that argument of yours should be buried for dead by now.
The clock is ticking for the fisherman that are still using cyanide (can we agree on that?). It's only a matter of short time now....tick-tock tick-tock.
Best regards,
Eric
P.S Need some Mac certified fish?
clarionreef
Advanced Reefer
- Location
- San Francisco
Eric,
I have always known what was in the pipeline and as it approaches 1% of the supply after all these years I see little cause for much celebration.
As it reaches 3 % of the Philippine/Indonesian supply ...sometime in 2008-09....the regular dealers will figure it to be enough to cloak the rest and cover them in glory.
Putting a bunch of cyanide fish in a blender and adding a % or two of certified product netcaught renders them all clean, right?
MAC made it clear in the beginning that no one had to cease and desist buying cyanide fish...yet their growth of certified product was so slow as to be inconsequential.
At this pace, global warming will win the race to ruin the reef...and bury us in news of greater impact.....
If time is of no essence then the local communities will create more good news then the foreigners in the years to come.
Teaching the trade to settle for mediocre results so slow as to be unnoticed has been a notable achievement I must admit.
Sincerely,
Steve
I have always known what was in the pipeline and as it approaches 1% of the supply after all these years I see little cause for much celebration.
As it reaches 3 % of the Philippine/Indonesian supply ...sometime in 2008-09....the regular dealers will figure it to be enough to cloak the rest and cover them in glory.
Putting a bunch of cyanide fish in a blender and adding a % or two of certified product netcaught renders them all clean, right?
MAC made it clear in the beginning that no one had to cease and desist buying cyanide fish...yet their growth of certified product was so slow as to be inconsequential.
At this pace, global warming will win the race to ruin the reef...and bury us in news of greater impact.....
If time is of no essence then the local communities will create more good news then the foreigners in the years to come.
Teaching the trade to settle for mediocre results so slow as to be unnoticed has been a notable achievement I must admit.
Sincerely,
Steve
Eric,
You referred to the Collection Holding Transport (CHT) Standards like they meant something. As far as I know, the MAC Core Standards were not completed to the point that someone could use them. My understanding is that the MAC Standards were replaced by International Standards Organization (ISO) standards. Further postings on RDO made it clear that ISO means that each company (say an importer) sets its own standards (say for water quality). Hence, company A sets their ammonia standard at 10 ppm and company B sets its ISO standard at 5 ppm. This makes a joke out of the whole MAC Certification process (because there are no common standards).
Likewise, the MAC did not see the need for net training, since they told the trade: You don't need to comply with MAC Standards, it is ISO. So now we can expect to receive MAC-Certified cyanide-caught fish, because the MAF collectors are not being properly trained to use nets.
Now that the MAC has fired its expert on ISO Certification (Peter Scott), how have things changed?
You referred to the Collection Holding Transport (CHT) Standards like they meant something. As far as I know, the MAC Core Standards were not completed to the point that someone could use them. My understanding is that the MAC Standards were replaced by International Standards Organization (ISO) standards. Further postings on RDO made it clear that ISO means that each company (say an importer) sets its own standards (say for water quality). Hence, company A sets their ammonia standard at 10 ppm and company B sets its ISO standard at 5 ppm. This makes a joke out of the whole MAC Certification process (because there are no common standards).
Likewise, the MAC did not see the need for net training, since they told the trade: You don't need to comply with MAC Standards, it is ISO. So now we can expect to receive MAC-Certified cyanide-caught fish, because the MAF collectors are not being properly trained to use nets.
Now that the MAC has fired its expert on ISO Certification (Peter Scott), how have things changed?
clarionreef
Advanced Reefer
- Location
- San Francisco
Writey rights:
So, how to deal with the politics and turf?
With a different skill set then that which is needed to solve the problem...as the field reform stuff is irrelevant in such a situation.
The skills required to get the funding are so different then those required to solve the problem.
They have the teachers manual...they have policies and procedures down on paper.
If they could actually reach and teach village fishers then they'd have had something going for years now with a thousand or so certified divers and a good quality flow of fish.
In different hands...this would have happened already.
Steve
So, how to deal with the politics and turf?
With a different skill set then that which is needed to solve the problem...as the field reform stuff is irrelevant in such a situation.
The skills required to get the funding are so different then those required to solve the problem.
They have the teachers manual...they have policies and procedures down on paper.
If they could actually reach and teach village fishers then they'd have had something going for years now with a thousand or so certified divers and a good quality flow of fish.
In different hands...this would have happened already.
Steve
Steve,
Again....I am not giving up on you! Progress is progress......and it just doesn't happen overnight in the real world. Business's are run with controlled growth for a reason, and it's main reason is for a long lasting effect.
It is very bold of you to mention percentages when it's impossible to prove such a statement. Nevertheless, I can tell you we have more certified fish available to us than we are buying. What does that tell you? It should tell you that if there is a demand, there will be the supply. Our suppliers are telling us it's no problem to get the fish, do we want them is the question right now.
So, we say yes....we want to begin our studies and integrate the certified fish into our business at a controlled rate. How many certified fish are you currently buying?
Peter,
Yes, the CHT standards mean something. I think I did say there were evolving...which means never completed, so you are right in that sense. They are complete enough to use them so you have been misinformed about that. Maybe you should give them a once over reading and check them out for yourself...I think you will be quite impressed with the level of details in them. Let me know if you need a copy.
I really don't know what you are talking about when you say that we as certified importers were told that the standards were obsolete or adjustable or whatever you meant. There is no where in the standards that say you can accept levels of ammonia of 10ppm....so where are you coming up with this information Dr. Rubec? I don't see the joke.
There are some rumors going around as to the reason for Peter Scott's termination. Have you heard them? I think there was a post by one of Mr. Scott's co-workers who basically outlined the reasons. Either way, The standards for acceptable certification by exporters, importers, and retailers were in his hands and I believe that now that he's out of the way, the possibility to become certified will be conformed so more can possibly acheive certification. I am not sure what will become of it, but I hope that there will be more flexibility in the standard so more retailers and importers will not be overwhelmed by what Mr. Scott had held onto so tightly.
Nobody told us me that we should ignore the standards and that we don't have to comply.....not sure where you heard that.....wow!
We really need another approach to invite more dealers into certification. I think Mac realizes that and will consider other options for certification. Mr. Scott was very strict about the flexibility of them.....so...I hope this will bring progress.
Best regards,
Eric
Again....I am not giving up on you! Progress is progress......and it just doesn't happen overnight in the real world. Business's are run with controlled growth for a reason, and it's main reason is for a long lasting effect.
It is very bold of you to mention percentages when it's impossible to prove such a statement. Nevertheless, I can tell you we have more certified fish available to us than we are buying. What does that tell you? It should tell you that if there is a demand, there will be the supply. Our suppliers are telling us it's no problem to get the fish, do we want them is the question right now.
So, we say yes....we want to begin our studies and integrate the certified fish into our business at a controlled rate. How many certified fish are you currently buying?
Peter,
Yes, the CHT standards mean something. I think I did say there were evolving...which means never completed, so you are right in that sense. They are complete enough to use them so you have been misinformed about that. Maybe you should give them a once over reading and check them out for yourself...I think you will be quite impressed with the level of details in them. Let me know if you need a copy.
I really don't know what you are talking about when you say that we as certified importers were told that the standards were obsolete or adjustable or whatever you meant. There is no where in the standards that say you can accept levels of ammonia of 10ppm....so where are you coming up with this information Dr. Rubec? I don't see the joke.
There are some rumors going around as to the reason for Peter Scott's termination. Have you heard them? I think there was a post by one of Mr. Scott's co-workers who basically outlined the reasons. Either way, The standards for acceptable certification by exporters, importers, and retailers were in his hands and I believe that now that he's out of the way, the possibility to become certified will be conformed so more can possibly acheive certification. I am not sure what will become of it, but I hope that there will be more flexibility in the standard so more retailers and importers will not be overwhelmed by what Mr. Scott had held onto so tightly.
Nobody told us me that we should ignore the standards and that we don't have to comply.....not sure where you heard that.....wow!
We really need another approach to invite more dealers into certification. I think Mac realizes that and will consider other options for certification. Mr. Scott was very strict about the flexibility of them.....so...I hope this will bring progress.
Best regards,
Eric
Funny you should ask Steve how much MAC fish he buys. At one point, he was supporting a MAC certified exporter more so then any MAC certified wholesaler. WHen you couldn't find a certified maroon clown on SDC's list, Cortez Marine had em. He stuck it out thru thick and thin with them. Man those some rough shipments, I could see why no certified wholesaler would have any certified fish back then, as they all tended to exceeded the DOA batch limits
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