My Interview Onboard RV Heraclitus-General Reef Topics-3reef Forums

Matt Rogers · 10-15-2003, 09:10 PM

Well today was a great day. I got onboard the RV Heraclitus - which has been studying the our world's coral reefs since 1995 - and had a great chat with Orla Doherty, Scientific Coordinator and Assistant Expedition Leader.

[sup]Orla Doherty[/sup]

Coming uninvited and with little introduction, Orla was wonderful and willing to spend some time with me. I am very thankful for her and all the crew's generosity. (Thank you very much!! *[smiley=thumbs_up1.gif] )

After a tour of the ship we sat down and spoke for some time about the state of coral reefs today. What I tried to convey was my sense of optimism for some recent trends of our hobby since my early experiences the beginning of the 1990's. Specifically coral fragging, live rock farms, and also what I perceive as lower death rates overall in large part due to the wealth of knowledge we have shared and gained thanks to the Internet.

I then gave her some printouts of goods things I have seen others doing on a commercial level like C.P. Farms and Coral Action in Japan. This whole approach was rather spontaneous and if I had had more time to prepare I am sure I could have presented all sorts of things.

Regardless I think it was a good exercise as I think I was able give her a perspective I don't think she was aware of.

Having spent the last couple years witnessing the impact our hobby and our race as a whole has had on our world's reefs, Orla's assessment was predictably dire. She feels that most of the reefs have been stressed to their limits and we must act now to save them.

What follows is a bullet list of the things she feels are having the biggest negative impact on our reefs and also a list of some areas she has been that have been affected the worst. Everything listed here she has witnessed first hand on her expeditions on the RV Heraclitus:

BIGGEST IMPACTS
- Blast Fishing with dynamite
- Sedimentation runoff from deforestation
- Temperature increases
- Fishing with Cyanide
- Overfishing in general for local markets and the world's fish trade
** She said there are very few Bangaii Cardinal fish in their local waters! **

DYNAMITE USE
- Karang Kapota, Indonesia
- Taytay Bay, Phillipines
- Mindanao, Phillipines
- Papua New Guinea

CYANIDE
- Manus, Papua New Guinea
- Kendari, Indonesia

Orla said she would send me an email with the above in more detail as well as her views of the aquarium fish trade. She warned me that it would not be very positive. I told her I would post it here unedited. Look for it on this thread in the near future.

I have been very moved by all I have learned from Orla and what I have read about the RV Heraclitus and the Planetary Coral Reef Foundation. If you would like to help out them with their mission by making a donation, please let me know by posting on the donation drive thread by clicking here. More pics here too!

Otherwise, I would love to hear your thoughts on what has been said here. Please post below.

And now for a tour of the ship!

_{The Wheel of the ship!}

_{Some of the great crew and by far the biggest room in the ship.}

_{CLOSE Quarters!!}

_{Yep, it's a sail boat!} [smiley=pirate2.gif] *[smiley=smokin.gif]

Isn't it cool?

I look forward to what you have to say!!

[smiley=2thumbsup.gif]

Matt

HighOaks · 10-16-2003, 12:52 PM

Very Cool!!!! It are folks like these the help people understand how some countries don't care about their oceans and will do anything to make a buck. Orla's comments concern me quite a bit. The reefs are the first sign of the Earth's health as a whole.

Gresham · 10-16-2003, 01:39 PM

Bangaii cardinals are in lower numbers in their origninal waters, but due to the aquarium trade, they've now got a much larger "home area" due to a collectors boat overturning away from there original home area.

How much time do they spend in one area, or are they travelling all the time?

Matt Rogers · 10-16-2003, 04:51 PM

Oh God Gresham what a story!

She mentioned that they are a 'slow moving boat' but I don't know exactly how much time they spend at each place. Wait a sec, the map I linked to on the donation drive thread (link at the top of this thread) is clickable and gives you a timetable of their last outing. Check it out.

THanks for the replies you guys (and good point HighOaks), I THOUGHT I WAS SPEAKING TO A WALL HERE, where is everybody? [smiley=singer.gif]

karlas · 10-16-2003, 09:02 PM

as far as the cyanide and dynamite maby with there research and facts maby they can start a push to get theses acts illegal. it wouldnt be an easy one but it could be a start of someting. if someting would eventually be done about the deforestation that would make a big impact especially if trees were replanted and i think it would make a difference on the temperatue of the oceans also. people dont realize just how much we actually need plant life. i read a article from discovery channel quite a while ago where the rain forest actually effects most of the worlds weather and this is one reason we are having major effects in weather and temp changes for water and air. because of them being cut down as fast as they are. the governments need to get a handle on deforestation everywhere. but will any of this happen? lets hope so

Craig Manoukian · 10-16-2003, 10:34 PM

What can ewe do to bring pressure on the repeted problem areas in the Phillipines, Papau New Guinae, and Indonesia to curtail the negative activity and encourage better conservation techniques? I'd love to get Orla's views on this question.

Thanks for the time and effort to report on this Matt. Very enlightening!

Matt Rogers · 10-21-2003, 09:39 AM

Your welcome Craig.
What we can do is support these types of efforts with donations when we can and promote their awareness .

The PCRF is certainly worth supporting. Also the net-training programs like the one Gresham posted a while back will also help educate the fisherman to use less destructive methods.

THere are a lot of bad things going on, but I would like to think if we support these types of efforts as well as use environmentally sound choices with our aquariums like trading frags more, making our own rock and buying farm-raised fish or at least net-caught fish, we can make a difference. [smiley=idea2.gif] [smiley=thumbs_up1.gif]

Craig Manoukian · 10-21-2003, 06:53 PM

[quote author=Matt Rogers link=board=General;num=1066288235;start=0#6 date=10/21/03 at 12:39:46]use environmentally sound choices with our aquariums like trading frags more, making our own rock and buying farm-raised fish or at least net-caught fish, we can make a difference. *[smiley=idea2.gif] [smiley=thumbs_up1.gif][/quote]

I really like the frag exchange idea, especially with mushrooms and polyps. A platic unbreakable thermos makes a fantastic shipping device. Much better than a plastic bag.

karlas · 10-22-2003, 04:42 AM

supporting net caught species is good but also trying to get people to buy farm raised fish. they are working on more species all the time to try and get them tank raised

Jason McKenzie · 10-23-2003, 04:35 AM

I have only been in this hobby for a little over a year. I love every minute, but it makes me question my choices when I read an article like this.
BIGGEST IMPACTS
- Blast Fishing with dynamite
- Sedimentation runoff from deforestation
- Temperature increases
- Fishing with Cyanide
- Overfishing in general for local markets and the world's fish trade
I never realized the impact we (as in aquarium hobbyist) are having on coral reefs. I assumed it was a more global problem with the environment. But to have 3 of the 5 biggest impacts directly related to our hobby scares me. I do how-ever make an effort to purchase fragged corals and tank raised fish. But I know that my prized pets are probably not cultured but rather caught.
I will eagerly read Orla's e-mail follow-up, and would love to know her frank thoughts on our hobby

J