[liverock]

Originally posted by Walt Smith
Hi All,
Since I was asked to weigh in on this issue and possibly shine some light on the facts I am happy to oblige.
It is true; the rock ban goes into effect on August 4th. Our only hope at this point is a proposal I have sent to Fisheries that outlines a more feasible phase out period.
In a letter sent to all the shippers (informing them of the ban) they were of the view that cultured rock could easily replace the harvest because the “technology already exist”. What they did not take into account was the fact that cultured rock must first be made and then put into the ocean for about 18 months before it is any good. Buying all of the raw materials such as cement, pumice, sand, iron oxide and a cement mixer plus all the labor is very expensive over the course of 18 months with no income to support this activity.
I have suggested a two year phase out period with the operator showing proof of aquaculture involvement and investment by January 09. If any one operator does not show proof then no further export permits will be issued to that operator.
I feel very used in this scenario because at the end of last year I was asked by fisheries to come over and give a presentation to them on how I grow corals and make live rock in Fiji. They asked many questions after my presentation and I felt encouraged that the bill to allow aquaculture would finally be passed because at that point it was not yet legal.
Well, to make a long story short, they used that presentation against the industry stating that “the technology already exist” and went on to impose the ban as soon as aquaculture was made legal. What I mean by legal is that there was no format, rules or protocol in the fisheries guidelines that had been passed by cabinet at that point so it was not allowed.
The result is no more live rock and 50% reduction on the coral quota.
I was also called into the National Economic Development Council last April to give a presentation to cabinet members on the sustainability of our export. Once they were satisfied with my report they ordered fisheries to carry out a resource assessment and environmental impact study BEFORE any bans were put in place. Fisheries ignored this demand (which is highly unusual) and did what they wanted anyway. They said that they already had the proof they needed. …… this is where your stories originate from.
A long, long time ago in a far away land named Tonga there was a fish and coral exporter and life was good. Soon there came other exporters and life got a little more complicated. Some exporters were good and some only interested in cashing in on some mystical good life. Ok back to reality!
There soon were 5 exporters with three fairly stable operations and experienced personnel. One of the other operators had plenty of trouble staying alive and the business changed hands several times with each change more and more desperate and unsustainable acts took place. The fifth company arrived made a big splash with lots of divers, big boats and illegal immigrants (over the amount allowed) and broke all sorts of rules getting some negative attention from fisheries.
Fisheries then gave permission for one of these two operators to set up a coral farm right under their noses at the fisheries facility. This “farm” was established by bringing in some “expert” from a fish store in the states and really making a mess. Just a bunch of broken off pieces of coral scattered around in the tanks so that they could be exempt from the coral quota the rest of us had to adhere to. After about a year they realized that they had a mountain of dead coral right outside their back door and started to take pictures of the damage. To make matters worse, this inexperienced “expert” went on the web (I think here) and started showing off horrifying pictures of himself walking all over the reef and holding up massive pieces of coral. This really concerned me as he was bringing all the wrong sort attention to our industry and a very uninformed, unsustainable practice was carried out right under their nose.
This is when they brought me in to demonstrate what a real coral farm should look like. I remember them asking me questions about the “farm” at their facility as if they doubted the validity of those efforts as only a ploy to evade quota restrictions. Since I did set them straight with my presentation and movie it is a shame they used this as an excuse to shut a totally viable and sustainable industry down.
About the insensitive comments regarding the workers this will present a huge problem to the economy. Since they burned the town down in 19 months ago unemployment is out of control … there simply are no jobs to be had. The Tongan government will not realize about 8 million in export trade, the countries second largest export and Air New Zealand is threatening to pull the direct flight making it very difficult to travel to and from Tonga. Once the direct flight is gone it will also be very difficult to ship whatever coral and fish we are allowed. I suspect most (if not all) exporters will simply close up shop leaving a large hole in the already fragile economy.
To answer more direct questions; our company has never been thrown out of any meeting, we only practice the most sustainable and proven methods for harvest and we continue to set the best practice examples for our industry. It is a shame that the good guys will suffer for the acts of a careless few.
Sorry for the long post but you asked for it. We are praying for a reinstatement of the policy and at least order the study and impose a reasonable phase out before August 4th or it will be too late then to do much about it.
Walt

Walt

The scenario you illustrated here is exactly what happened here in Florida in the early 1990's'

I collected some of the first live rock to be sold in the industry here in Florida when the Mini-Reef technology arrived from Germany. I was a very low tech, collect the loose rubble off of the bottom, bucket it up and take it to jerry of Manila Aquatics at the time, kind of collector.

To make a very long story short, soon every vessel that could get down the Tarpon river and out into the Gulf was coming back so loaded with rock they could hardly make headway.

Then one day a 60 Oil derrick boat showed up, and it was the beginning of the end. He would go out to the ledges, and collect everything in site, and use power tools to excavate rock from the Gulf, and bring in 30,000 pounds a trip. After a few trips, the local boat operators became alarmed at the habitat removal, the State of Florida got involved to ban collection, successfully did so, then the Federal Government got involved and did the same, eventually making ALL live rock harvest, state and Federal water illegal Jan. 1 1997. It only takes on bad apple to ruin the barrel......

If it had stayed a mom and pop industry we would still be collecting rock here today.

The alternative offered was Aquaculture. We were assured by the state that after a six month permit process, we would be able to lease acreage from the state, and farm our own rock. And to make this story a bit shorter, SIX YEARS after the initial permit application, we received the first permit for a 5 acre lease in the Gulf for live rock aquaculture.

It is now 17 years later, we have millions of pounds under production and have proved aquaculture works and was and is the future of this industry.

However.....

The road was a very complicated, sometimes impossible, and very expensive one to take. From governmental nightmares found here:

http://www.tampabaysaltwater.com/about/tbs3.html

to finding the correct substrate material here:

http://www.tampabaysaltwater.com/about/tbs4.html

it was a very long and incredibly hard process. But being in the position you are, you should be able to overcome all the hurdles and prove to the Tongan Government that aquaculture is a sustainable, and of great benefit to the habitat/economical environment/Government.

The only downside is the expense/production of culture material and time it takes to get an operation off the ground, and the rising air freight costs in the airline industry. But these are things that must be dealt with when aquaculturing.

I will say good luck with the fight, but I believe it will be the same end result as here. We got a reprieve here when we were able to collect in Federal water a couple of years after the state ban on live rock collection, but in the end, a total ban was enforced by the State and federally.

And the "dark" side of the industry flourished here also as the end was nearing, there was much back stabbing/name calling/fierce competition here in the state as everybody scrambled to find a new source of rock. We personally imported rock from Trinidad soon after the ban, others went the Haiti route, and other Caribbean islands also produced some wild rock, however to my knowledge, all imports have ceased from the Caribbean.
So in the end, aquaculture is the only economic and environmentally accepted way to be in the live rock business.

Good luck on you Tongan lobby, and feel free to contact me or use any info from our web page in your quest..


Richard TBS