Indonesia Situation

joseserrano · Sep 26, 2018

PacificEastAquaculture said:
Indeed, the mariculture pieces continue to grow and some of the places have less workers in an attempt cut costs to survive. I'm sure they will recall workers and start to cut and regroup once official word is given that exports are allowed.

Any new pics. I recall you showing pics you were getting from them initially.

Dr. Dendrostein · Sep 26, 2018

PacificEastAquaculture said:
Just passing on what I'm hearing.

Thank you for sharing

BradB · Sep 26, 2018

Is there some sort of shortage of Calcium Carbonate? I just can't understand why Acropora, which grows 6 inches a year in my tank, much faster in the ocean, and is aquacultured, is so much more restricted than a H. magnifica, which while not endangered, is wild caught, could be years old and still appears on export lists without anyone complaining.

shred5 · Sep 26, 2018

BradB said:
Is there some sort of shortage of Calcium Carbonate? I just can't understand why Acropora, which grows 6 inches a year in my tank, much faster in the ocean, and is aquacultured, is so much more restricted than a H. magnifica, which while not endangered, is wild caught, could be years old and still appears on export lists without anyone complaining.

Anemones are not coming in from Indonesia either that is why there are no gigantea anemones anywhere. If there are mags they are coming from somewhere else.

Sea MunnKey · Sep 27, 2018

Just heard that there may be "good news" (lifting of coral ban) over the horizon ...?

mannyhernz · Sep 27, 2018

Sea MunnKey said:
Just heard that there may be "good news" (lifting of coral ban) over the horizon ...?

Yea everyones talking about it. Not to rock solid tho

PacificEastAquaculture · Sep 27, 2018

PacificEastAquaculture said:
As per my previous update, the exporters association had the meeting yesterday with the parliament.

More details emerged from my contacts that attended the meeting. This is what they had to say: the shut down started in May when a letter was issued by the local Fisheries Ministry in Bali and Mataram that they would no longer be issuing health certificates (HC) (the reason for this was not given to me, but I think we understand the situation). As we know, shipments can not get on a plane without the HC. No official letter was ever issued from the main Fisheries Ministry top officials. At the parliment meeting it was questioned as to why no top level official statement had ever been issued and the question was not resolved. Parliament stated that the original letter was to be withdrawn and exports were to be allowed immediately. Folks there that have had no income since May must have felt relieved, but wait a minute. However, no Ministers were present at the meeting and it is still unknown if HC will be issued. It's all just too fresh to know for sure.

Some of my contacts are moving forward with obtaining CITES permits and feel they could begin shipping with 2 weeks. Others are waiting until there is an official statement from the Fisheries Ministry. Others say that collection of corals and transport to Jakarta is still prohibited. Collection is done quite some distance from Jakarta which is simply the hub where corals are gathered to be exported, permits are required to collect and ship within the country as well as to export out of the country.

So, it's still as clear as mud. Rumors still abound and even many exporters are putting out conflicting info, just as they have been throughout the shut down.

Social media has been abuzz that the shut down is over. Maybe so, maybe not, we don't know for sure. When I asked exporters directly if they could ship now, the answer was no they can't. Certainly there is some progress and there is now a light showing from the end of the tunnel, we hope.

If we can keep on topic I'll keep this thread open to give further updates.

JaimeAdams · Sep 27, 2018

Thanks for re-opening the thread and keeping us up-to-date!

shred5 · Sep 29, 2018

They were just hit with a Tsunami.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...or-help-from-rubble-amid-fears-thousands-dead

https://www.npr.org/2018/09/29/6529...esi-island-hospitals-overflowing-with-injured

So sad.

Dan Snyder · Sep 30, 2018

Yes, looks highly devastating.

PacificEastAquaculture · Sep 30, 2018

Not sure the actual source of these photos, sent to me from one of my contacts. They tell me that estimates are 2000-3000 dead. Sulawesi is an area where many of the ultra grade corals were collected in the past.

oddomatic · Sep 30, 2018

PacificEastAquaculture said:
Not sure the actual source of these photos, sent to me from one of my contacts. They tell me that estimates are 2000-3000 dead. Sulawesi is an area where many of the ultra grade corals were collected in the past.

Jesus... that’s horrible.

BradB · Sep 30, 2018

Media is reporting over 300 dead, still horrific, but hopefully closer than 2000.

PacificEastAquaculture · Sep 30, 2018

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2018/09/29/central-sulawesi-quake-what-we-know-so-far.html

"A number of areas in Central Sulawesi have been hit by large amounts of mudflow following the earthquake and tsunami. It is feared that about 2,000 people in the subdistrict are dead, with homes having been dragged away by the mud. According to Sutopo, the mud was caused by soil liquefaction had occurred, a natural phenomenon that takes place when solid soil loses its strength and behaves like liquid due to stress such as shaking during an earthquake."