Greenpeace are at it again!

[Steve O'Shea]

Want to tell Owen Symmans what you think? Go on, have your say!

[email protected]

 

[Infusoria]

I think it's worth pointing out that this method of fishing (for orange roughy and oreos) has been going in nz waters for over 20 years. Much of the damage to the slope and seamount environment occured years ago. You could probably drag a net over these regions now and not pull anything up as the damage has already been done. So it is disingenuous of the fishing industry to say that their nets do no damage as the damage was done years ago. When no one was really looking very hard and information was that much easier to control (no internet).

I'm currently working one group of fishes that are taken as by-kill (let's not beat around the bush here, they are ALL dead fish by the time they are brought to the surface) in orange roughy fisheries. Called rattails, they are not commercially valuable fish in this fishery. These fish have been coming up in orange roughy bottom trawls for years but virtually nothing is known about them or how they interact with their environment. This is also true for much of the other marine-life at this depth. I'm working on what these fish are eating and I'm sending off examples of these prey items to experts for identification. I'm not expecting to get these animals back identified, chances are no one will know what they are much past family level.

There is a pretty good chance that some species will have been exterminated before we even had a chance to find out what they were.

 

[monty]

Forest and Bird senior marine researcher Barry Weeber agreed with Dr O'Shea, and said the industry's claims were "bollocks".

You can say bollocks in the NZ Herald? I know most Americans never even hear the word, but I had the impression Brits, at least, considered it pretty offensive.

Not that it seems like an unreasonable description of what the fishing industry pundits are spewing out...

 

[rvangeld]

This morning as I was watching "Sunrise" (I think you get that in New Zealand) they talked about what Greenpeace were doing and showed the footage of the coral and crab being taken up and thrown back. The presenters on the show said they were going to follow it up with the Australian Government and talked to a Prof from the University of Queensland. I was really surprised but delighted to see that it was broadcast on commercial television. I am going to chase this one up with them, I don't want this issue just to fizzle out. I was going to suggest they talk to you steve, would that be okay?

 

[Steve O'Shea]

I'm happy to talk to anyone.

"Bollocks" isn't half as rude as the term I used! Mine wasn't printed!

 

[chrono_war01]

exactly what did you say?

 

[Steve O'Shea]

"tsk tsk"

 

[chrono_war01]

back at ya.


But bottom trawling does deserve to be called something worse than bollocks.

 

[Steve O'Shea]

Oh yes. It most certainly does. I don't think that the likes of Owen Symmans, as a young lad, full of dreams, would have wanted to be responsible for, or would have condoned such environmentally destructive practices.

Chrono, more than anyone I think YOU have the power to influence him, by telling him just how old YOU are, and how saddened you are that what he is saying, and what this industry is doing, is killing off all of this magnificent sea life. I would write to him, tell him how old YOU are, tell him what YOU want to be when you grow up (if you want to be an old crusty fellow like me), and just how sad (and maybe sickened) YOU feel when you see such magnificent, very old corals trawled up and killed for the sake of a few fish and dollars. I would also tell him that you do not understand why he denies what the industry is doing!! Why does he lie?

YOU actually have the power to influence this man, because YOU are the next generation. Right now all I am is the 'opposition', someone to fight, someone to argue with. Sometimes it feels like a game - good cop vs bad cop - but it is no game at all. What we are fighting for, basically, is a ban on this trawling practice. What we are fighting for is RIGHT. There is no WRONG in fighting for this cause. We are RIGHT, and because we are RIGHT it is something worth fighting for. It's all very simple!

Please write to Owen and tell him that you are heartbroken. I am. I tend to wear my heart on my sleeve in such matters. There are only so many battles that I can fight before someone else, the next generation, YOU, has to step in and take control. I am not alone in my fight, not in the least, but we're not fighting for 'us', not for the present generation; we are fighting for you, and your kids, and their kids .... and when we're all dead and buried, their great, great, great, great grandkids ... and it will go on. We are supposed to be the 'custodians' of this small planet. And look at how we are treating it! A few people are looking for a quick dollar. How selfish can you get?

Time flys so fast. My folks used to tell me this. When you're young it all seems so far away. You'll wake up tomorrow and laugh, at 40 ... or more.

Write to him Chrono. Everyone, write to him.

 

[chrono_war01]

I will write to him, but he might just send it off to the Trash Bin.

 

[Infusoria]

I'm with Steve on this. Nuff said.

 

[Steve O'Shea]

Cheers Matt; we'll gettem!

 

[chrono_war01]

We'll get them alright.

 

[Gaetan P.]

Thank you for the email of the enemy..As a teacher, I'll have a few things to get off my chest, with regard to children. Plus, i have all summer to do it..again, and again, and again.....

 

[chrono_war01]

I'm starting forcing my friends to sign a e-mail that will be sent to Owen Symmans afterwards.