Snorkel Bob up to no good once again......

[secretreefer]

Hey guys,
Just found out TODAY that SB is trying to introduce a bill that will pretty much ban all catching of fish in Hawaii for aquarium use and hit you with a $1000 fine if you are caught. It's the same one he tried to introduce in 2009. So there would be NO fish exported out of hawaii for the saltwater world to enjoy. No flame angels, flame wrasses, bandit angels etc..etc.. will be gracing anyone's aquarium..... I believe that it needs to be regulated but not completely banned. here's a link to the Bill.

http://www4.honolulu.gov/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-105287/5fx654-n.pdf

 

[secretreefer]

And the county council meeting is tomorrow! SB and co tried to keep it hush hush so that's why we all found out late!

To send written testimony, fax it to 808-768-3826. Also, send a copy to
the council chair's office at 808-768-5011. We can also e-mail testimony
using the following web page:

E-mail Testimony for Council Meeting, Official Web Site for The City and County of Honolulu

When preparing testimony, make sure to specify the bill number so it
gets directed properly. It is:

Item CR-359: Resolution 10-290, pages 9-15: Relating to Aquarium Aquatic Life

When preparing testimony, some points to emphasize:

- It would instantly shut down many small businesses on Oahu.
- It's coming from a county with no aquarium industry, but would kill
businesses on Oahu and Big Island. How does one county have the right
to hurt people in other counties?
- Fishing is a state issue, not a county issue.
- It's designed to look like an innocent management bill, but is
crafted so that no fish in Hawaii can be caught.
- This same bill was introduced in 2009, but was opposed by DLNR and
did not pass.

 

[Speg]

Do we have enough information here? Are fish being overcaught? I know that stoney coral is already protected in Hawaii.

 

[1Der9_3hy]

Its been my experience (since the late 80's) that the gov usually over reacts first, then will slowly repeal anything that is unnecessary. And yes, im talking about the regulation of fish and wildlife lol

With that said, MORE INFO! Im sure we all know what happens when you assume...

 

[Aloha Corals]

Do we have enough information here? Are fish being overcaught? I know that stoney coral is already protected in Hawaii.

That is the problem here in Hawaii. Though i don't think i only speak for myself, this is my opinion... I have no problem with regulation and limits. Just show me the data. No one, including the state or Bob has furnished any. Instead we are getting statements from Bob like "All fish die within the first year in an aquarium." Now when he spews that information over public radio or his letters posted on the sea shepard website, most are going to take his words for fact.

Bob is only looking out for his own best interests. His tourism snorkel business. [start sarcasm] But we all know leaky boat engines, anchors, tourist standing on or sitting on the reef, breaking pieces off, oil slicks from sun tan lotion, etc... have no impact on the reef. No need to mention overpopulation of these islands, run-off, commercial fishing, or the 40 million gallons of raw sewage dumped in the ocean a few years back. Nope, none of that matters, its the aquarium collectors that are killing the reefs. [end sarcasm]

If you got some time to kill, here is Bob's interview on public radio:

Town Square - November 11, 2010 | HawaiiPublicRadio.org

 

[Speg]

Is there no way for you guys to get together and voice your opinions on this? I mean, your post here would be a great commerical or flyer that you could hand out.

 

[Aloha Corals]

There was close to 20 of us at the city council hearing today and many testified their opposition. Unanimous decision by all 8 council members to defer the proposed package that includes this change. It is not over yet, but is a step forward for our industry and many of our families livelihoods.

We have two more meetings, one in Maui and another back here on Oahu. I urge any hobbyist in the state to come to the council meetings.

Kevin

 

[kingfisherfleshy]

Although I can see how there is good in both of them...over collection is an issue.

To be honest, (and no offense is meant to anyone in the industry in the state of hawaii) but our nation has a treasure in that island. It is best left alone.

It is amazing with the way people fish out there that there is anything left.

Is some collection reasonable? Yes.

Should it be highly regulated? Most likely.

Conservation is never a bad thing, and snorkel bob has dedicated his life to that. Hard to hate on the guy. He just wants his hawaiian reefs to be there for the next generation to enjoy.

 

[droblack]

Many fish die in the ocean every year. Not necessarily the safest place either. More captive raised livestock could be part of a solution.

 

[Aloha Corals]

Although I can see how there is good in both of them...over collection is an issue.

To be honest, (and no offense is meant to anyone in the industry in the state of hawaii) but our nation has a treasure in that island. It is best left alone.

It is amazing with the way people fish out there that there is anything left.

Is some collection reasonable? Yes.

Should it be highly regulated? Most likely.

Conservation is never a bad thing, and snorkel bob has dedicated his life to that. Hard to hate on the guy. He just wants his hawaiian reefs to be there for the next generation to enjoy.

No offense taken, so please don't take any in mine.

Let me reiterate what i said in an earlier post:

Though i don't think i only speak for myself, this is my opinion... I have no problem with regulation and limits. Just show me the data. No one, including the state or Bob has furnished any.

Mostall of the opposition today has no problem with regulation, if needed. There have been seven "drops" of yellow tangs this year. Its comments like you made that have no weight to back them up.

"It is amazing with the way people fish out there that there is anything left."

What facts do you have to come to this conclusion? Compared to what? Other areas? Compared to the numbers in the wild? Show me some data.

Personally, I'm not going to take your word for it. When is the last time you were here on these boats or collecting? I'm more apt to listen to the collectors that are in these waters every day. Those that make a living doing this, that feed their families doing this, and the businesses that have been handed down 3 generations that are collecting.

Snorkel Bob has dedicated his live to shutting down the aquarium industry in Hawaii. The words came out of his mouth in the interview i posted earlier. Snorkel Bob's only motive is to cash in on his tourism business and nothing more. One greedy man with an obvious agenda trying to cripple the livelihoods of many families and families to come.

This bill, if passed will turn my 4 year old daughter into a criminal. The same little girl who's eyes light up when i tell her we are going to the tide pools. The little girl with a small net, a bucket, and the biggest smile you could ever see... a criminal.

This bill is not regulation.

Kevin

 

[wetpetshawaii]

It sadens me to read this banter on this subject. Fishing is a way of life in Hawaii it is our culture! For generations fathers teach their sons to fish and dive and our love for the ocean is part of our everyday lifestyle and for activist groups to be on a personal vendetta to deceive lawmakers into passing a proposal to shut down our aquarium industry and fishing industry and put many families livelihoods in jeapordy. Moreover stripping away our culture our way of life!!! IT IS OUR "PONO" (A STATE OF HARMONY OR BALANCE) They continue to put out false information without any scientific data to support the facts to deceive the public and our lawmakers and it hurts deeply to think about having to one day tell my son I can no longer take him fishing or diving. We have a self regulated group of divers here on Oahu that deeply care for our oceans and reefs and we abide by a strict code of ethics and police ourselves in accordance with the law. Yet year after year these activist groups contimue to blame and attack aquarium/fisherman by introducing cleverly crafted bills under false pretense to demise our aquarium industry....There are so many factors that play a role in our "reef picture" what about acidification,shoreline development,run off, injection wells pumping fatal doses of nitogen into our oceans,invasive species such as the Roi grouper that consumes our endemic reef fish..there is also global warming, and coral bleaching, and commercial food fishing.....what about the tourist who visit our "AIna" (land) and when they are stepping on the reef unintentionally break coral...we have a "ocean user conflict" between groups....food fisherman,tourism businesses,aquarium fisherman,shell collectors all trying to blame one another for and conflict for industry rights...I had to cancel 8 shipments today to go to city hall to fight and give testimony to opose such a preposterous bill that was cleverly put into a "bill package" as an exibit.....meaning that in order for lawmakers to say NO and oppose the aquarium bill they would have to say no to other city highway,infrastructure,sewer,development,and tax issues and if they say Yes to the bill to save the other issues...well it would spell the end of our culture....our way of live from generation to generation, our aquarium industry and everyone will no longer be able to dive,fish,or purchase a single Hawaiian fish because of the Rogue acts of these activists.....think about it....It sadens me and makes me sick to my stomach to think that my love for the ocean and fish and the customers and friends Ive made over the years will come to an end and do you know what my son asked for for christmas??? yes he wants to get his Jr. open water scuba certification because he wants to one day take over the business and learn everything from me and that will be stripped away from my ohana (family) very sickening!!!

 

[hwntunda]

^ very well put there!!!

 

[laskopyre]

Most of Hawaii is currently a "protection" area for collecting now. There is only a small area where marine life can be collected. Passing something like this, not only hurts Hawaii, it hurts the rest of the US as well. The jobs that would be lost, and the people out of work would be devastating in an already bad economy. Think about how many LFS will have to shut their doors? A lot of the fish that we buy come from Hawaii, and surrounding areas.

This guys sanity should be in question. I guess when you have to much money, and friends with to much money, anything is possible. Here is the CORAL article from this guy. They need to stop giving this idiot a platform, and TV show. I get the save the whales thing, but this guy and his radical idea's have to go away. The Dark Hobby? A New Call to Ban "Aquarium Hunters" | Coral Magazine

 

[secretreefer]

Les,Kev, thank you for your update with more information. i agree SHOW ME DATA!! My kids will also become criminals!! They love going to the ocean with me! the ocean has always been a way of life for me and my family (4th gen fisheman/freediver/surfer). To not able to take any fish or creature to put to my 180G would be devestating to the kids. NOT JUST MINE, ALL HOBBYISTS AROUND THE WORLD. snorkel bob always says the reefs are being damaged by divers/fishemen/aquarists but has he ever mentioned divers like me and my friends that go out everytime we freedive and cut/collect all the fishing lines, ropes, debris that get caught on our reefs??? we put it in our dive bags and throw it in the trash EVERYTIME we dive. as far as "aquarium fish usually last 1 year or less" -SB YEAH RIGHT! i've got 5 fish that i've had for over 2 years and still going strong!

 

[kingfisherfleshy]

Sorry for my long absence.

I have visited Hawaii, I got a football tour to play for you guys the year after Colt took you to the sugar bowl. Met and am facebook friends with some of the old players. Remember Grice-Mullins?

That being said I got to spend sometime on your beautiful island. I am a dedicated diver, and used to be a sponsored spearfisher. I know many hawaiian spearos, and I also know that there is no such thing as a fishing license in the state of hawaii. Just that shows sort of a blatant disregard for the resource. Over fishing is a problem in hawaii, almost any spearo or biologist you ask down there will tell you the same thing. Its so bad that people are willing to fight you over fishing in certain spots.

Everyone cant shoot a ahi. Everyone cant shoot a mahi. But everyone wants to. Everyone wants the 100# uluas...not everyone can have that fish. Those fish are best left in the ocean so that the future generations can at least take some fish to eat. I have met and spoken with the two highest ranking marine biologists at UH manoa. When I told them that I was a spearo...they werent happy, and after spending time on the island, I can see why.

The same goes with ornamental fish...not everyone can have a chevron tang.

This being said, I know that research needs to be done, and everything should be backed with numbers, and that there is such a thing as sustainable harvest. I have just seen a lot of destructive practices in the state that are commonplace.

Maybe we should focus on exporting roi? Or encouraging more people to eat them...I know they are supposed to have the cig...but little ones should be fine. Snorkel bob shouldnt be villainized (not a word I know) by people who love the ocean just as much as him, we just love it in a different way. That being said, I am against the collection of adult marine fish from the wild.

 

[Speg]

What are the names of the biologists?

Why wouldn't you villianize someone (Snorkle Bob) when they are telling 100% made up information. The man is lying to people. Plain and simple.

 

[kingfisherfleshy]

Guys, I am a fisher, and a spearo, and a collector myself. I think that it is within your right to fish and collect, and that it should be done.

I also think that Hawaii has regulation issues. I know hawaiian divers have a "code of ethics" and on the other hand I have seen some people who have killed more than their fair share, and to be honest, hawaii isnt big enough to give everyone who wants to spear there "Their fair share". Thats my point.

Sorry for the double post.

 

[Speg]

I think that these guys all agree with regulations. They just don't agree with an all-out ban.

 

[kingfisherfleshy]

What are the names of the biologists?

Why wouldn't you villianize someone (Snorkle Bob) when they are telling 100% made up information. The man is lying to people. Plain and simple.

Like I said, Im more in favor of more strict regulation in hawaii. Its a dirty mess. You cant not even charge people for a fishing license and expect there not to be over kill. That is the tip of the iceberg. Im not saying bob is doing it in the right way, maybe he has made alliances that force his hand when it comes to his actions. But, on a world wide scale, we need to do something about wild fish collection. It isnt sustainable. We need to breed more species, and the ones we cant breed should be highly regulated, and should only have juvenile fish be taken, allowing the adult fish to continue to breed.

As to the scientists names, this was three years ago. I sat down, had a meeting with the woman (head of marine bio) and then there was a man who also came into talk to me. I could send you their cards, or look up their names online, but that wouldnt make me anymore credible. Your going to have to believe me for what its worth.

There is a taxi cab driver on oahu that has signatures of a lot of UH football players. If you can run him down, somewhere in his car you will find my signature. Maybe that will convince you I was on the island.

 

[Speg]

Didn't say you were lying about the biologists. I just wanted to know who they were.