Comments on: The water in Fiji http://blog.fragd.it/2009/08/19/the-water-in-fiji/ Reefs, coral, fish and aquariums. Wed, 16 Nov 2011 20:07:21 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2 By: jeff http://blog.fragd.it/2009/08/19/the-water-in-fiji/comment-page-1/#comment-3086 jeff Thu, 20 Aug 2009 13:15:54 +0000 http://blog.fragd.it/?p=1704#comment-3086 @Hubert - I don't subscribe to white man's guilt. @Gobiodon - I don't think it's as extreme, but it's certainly robbing the natives of their natural resources. @Hubert – I don’t subscribe to white man’s guilt.

@Gobiodon – I don’t think it’s as extreme, but it’s certainly robbing the natives of their natural resources.

]]> By: Gobiodon http://blog.fragd.it/2009/08/19/the-water-in-fiji/comment-page-1/#comment-3083 Gobiodon Thu, 20 Aug 2009 01:21:23 +0000 http://blog.fragd.it/?p=1704#comment-3083 Could this not be equated with the blood diamonds of South Africa? Could this not be equated with the blood diamonds of South Africa?

]]> By: Hubert http://blog.fragd.it/2009/08/19/the-water-in-fiji/comment-page-1/#comment-3076 Hubert Wed, 19 Aug 2009 16:04:48 +0000 http://blog.fragd.it/?p=1704#comment-3076 It is funny and yet disturbing. For most north americans that lived all their lives in developed western countries with a democratic government structure and legal structure, it is often assumed the same should be observed in other countries especially all these 3rd world coral exporting countries. Yes you read it correctly, most of the places that we are getting 90% of our corals from are 3rd world countries that have a very low living standards and their people have to sell their natural resources for dirt cheap to find food for their family and food. Indonesia, Tonga, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Fiji, Polynesia etc.etc. With very minor exception like Australia (then all the reefers complain about paying $300 colonies (in Canada) - $800 colonies in US). Sometimes I question whether if this industry (LFS, wholesaler, exporters, importers, hobbyists, squarist) as a whole even have a right to talk about animal rights and morals. The whole industry is built upon the cheap exploitation of 3rd world countries and their natural resources. 99% of the livestock that we get are coming from the wild and the majority of the people (consumers & industry people alike). If the writers is not white and not with US passport, she would already disappeared quietly - that's how these coral export countries work; so would you prefer $300 corals or $60 corals on a moral ground? .. but on the other hand, nobody brings in fiji corals anymore these days ... so I guess that's not a problem ;D Lastly as to these questions - <i>"Are there coral exporters who are that corrupt? How do we know who they are?"</i>, I think anybody that do a search knows, only one or two exporters in that area of the world, it's almost monopoly. It is funny and yet disturbing. For most north americans that lived all their lives in developed western countries with a democratic government structure and legal structure, it is often assumed the same should be observed in other countries especially all these 3rd world coral exporting countries.

Yes you read it correctly, most of the places that we are getting 90% of our corals from are 3rd world countries that have a very low living standards and their people have to sell their natural resources for dirt cheap to find food for their family and food. Indonesia, Tonga, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Fiji, Polynesia etc.etc. With very minor exception like Australia (then all the reefers complain about paying $300 colonies (in Canada) – $800 colonies in US).

Sometimes I question whether if this industry (LFS, wholesaler, exporters, importers, hobbyists, squarist) as a whole even have a right to talk about animal rights and morals. The whole industry is built upon the cheap exploitation of 3rd world countries and their natural resources. 99% of the livestock that we get are coming from the wild and the majority of the people (consumers & industry people alike).

If the writers is not white and not with US passport, she would already disappeared quietly – that’s how these coral export countries work; so would you prefer $300 corals or $60 corals on a moral ground?

.. but on the other hand, nobody brings in fiji corals anymore these days … so I guess that’s not a problem ;D

Lastly as to these questions – “Are there coral exporters who are that corrupt? How do we know who they are?”, I think anybody that do a search knows, only one or two exporters in that area of the world, it’s almost monopoly.

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