Hate mail for like-minded conservationists

[Octomatt]

I couldn't figure out how to do the umlauts!

I still like the name though.

 

[Fujisawas Sake]

Octomatt...

Are there a lot of Cephs in Minnesota? :P Any Squibbons out there?

Sushi and Sake,

John

 

[Fujisawas Sake]

Oh, and WHO is the FIRST Minnesotan Ceph-nerd?

 

[Steve O'Shea]

Back to the original thread

I read with sadness the story regarding the capture of the magnificient sea creature. Why is this neccesary I ask? Why can't this rare creature and others like it live in peace, unharmed by man's intervention? You may have something interesting to study but the sea, and the world, lost something very precious. I am angry that this has happened.

...........

I read the article on the "killer squid seen attacking fish in the Ross Sea last week may mark the first sighting of the world's largest and most aggressive squid species." and I am absoultely appaled and disgusted that with such a rare species you found it necessary to catch it, keep it and kill it for your own research. Who is the real Killer/Aggressor. It may be the last species and now there are none. Its disgusting how everyone feels it neccessary to destroy the beauty in on our planet.
...........

 

[Steve O'Shea]

I've enjoyed your responses, but I'm afraid that I cannot ignore letters like those above. One disgruntled person on the radio or television can spell disaster for a research programme, so I have spent quite a bit of time in the past trying to pacify people (the letters I received this time around were quite tame compared to some in the past). There are times when I just have to walk away from an argument, as it is obvious that common ground will never be reached.

Many people truly believe that fish comes in filleted form in a supermarket. Try spending time on a fishing boat. Many people believe that the fish that they are buying in a supermarket is fresh. First it is caught, often battered and bruised in a net (alongside all manner of other invertebrates and fish [they call it bycatch and it can be a significant part of any net catch]), then either filleted and frozen aboard the vessel, frozen whole, or thrown on ice and placed in a hold for quite a few days before the vessel returns to shore (sometimes the fish holds stink of rotten fish). Fish that was frozen whole is then defrosted in order to process it (fillet); that placed on ice is sent (hopefully directly) to a processing plant and then filleted. Both are then refrozen and dispatched to a supermarket/or other distributor. Then it is defrosted and placed on trays for you to pick the best fillet for dinner (but maybe not sold on the first day - it probably goes into a chiller at some point). Fresh? NOT ALL FISH IS TREATED IN THIS WAY, BUT A LOT IS!!!!

If you have the Blue Planet series (Deep Trouble) check out the images of deep-sea fish (orange roughy) being taken to the rubbish dump by the truckload, as these fish were surplus to requirement or could not be processed in time. Check out the images of bycatch from the prawn fishery, or those of unwanted (no commercial value) fish discards going over the side (bycatch), or those turtles caught in abandoned nets. There is a price that the environment pays in order for the masses to purchase fish in a supermarket.

This Mesonychoteuthis was a single individual. Undoubtedly more have been caught and discarded. I cannot stop a fishery (the fishery techniques can be modified to minimise bycatch), but by promoting this magnificent animal, sensationalising it in fact, I can heighten peoples awareness that they exist (and there are many more considerably smaller species that are caught, equally worthy of conservationists attention, that sadly don't get press coverage).

At least people know about the animal now; something might be done (and by conserving/preserving one large species in the marine environment, hopefully many others will be preserved by default, being included within the larger species range).

I hope that by responding to people about their concerns that they will see my point of view, but as I said earlier, this isn't always the case (especially when dealing with people that for ethical reasons do not eat meat; NO DISRESPECT INTENDED).

Steve

 

[WhiteKiboko]

you cant reach everyone... 40%-60% of the population reserves the right to remain ignorant....

 

[Octomatt]

Steve -

"Deep Trouble" was an incredible addition to the Blue Planet series. I recently watched it and really learned a lot. I recommend it to all!

Matt

PS: to John: Tintenfisch is Minnesota's FIRST ceph nerd!

 

[Fujisawas Sake]

Octomatt:

No kidding?! I could have sworn she was German or from some other European nation... I should read the bios! :P

Steve:

I know that one grumbler can make a difference, but its true that you will never be able to please everyone. In another post I mentioned the frustration of playing politics with conservation, and I still stand by that. Cephs are not the most well-represented species when looking at oceanic conservation issues. Like sharks, they suffer from bad P.R., and its not going to be easy to shed that image in the eyes of people. Face it; cephs aren't exactly the societal view of "cute".

Before anyone fires off something nasty my way, I want to say that I know this by experience. ANYTHING made to LOOK good is what people want to conserve. Spin is everything in our mass-media society. People for the most part would do little to conserve resources, life forms, etc. if there wasn't something in it for them. Even our interest in cephs here in TONMO is in part due to our aesthetic interest in these creatures. We LIKE them. Those of us who aren't researchers get something out of the deal; a pleasure from dealing with them and people who share in our interest. Not a bad thing at all, but not entirely altruistic.

Case in point: I hate cockroaches. I think they're vile, horrific vermin whose very existence is engineered to bug ME. I've studied them, and I realize their importance to our ecosystems. One's species does not survive half a billion years without being of SOME importance to the world. However, there is still part of me that wouldn't be too sad to see them wiped out. I realize how wrong it is to think that way, but for some reason I know I can't help it. Fear often clouds judgement.

Think about it like this (average person's POV): "Conservation of dolphins? YES! They smile, they're cute. Conservation of Sharks? MAYBE... Discovery makes a big deal out of "Shark Week", and people are beginning to see that sharks are important, and wonderful in their own way. Conservation of cephs? ... ?" Mysterious and alien, they conjure images of both fear and fascination. I believe that if we can, we need to use spin to bring cephs to the public, and those of us who know a thing or two about conservation and related issues must be prepared to find and use "sheild species" if need be to protect cephs and the ocean itself.

I don't envy you Steve... The battle for conservation is nasty and fraught with political and social pitfalls. I think there is light at the end of the tunnel, but it will be a long, strange trip. I hope to join the fight some day.

Well, that's my ... Peace, Love, and Ceph Conservation

Sushi and Sake (but hold the Tako-Yaki)

John

 

[Tintenfisch]

No kidding?! I could have sworn she was German or from some other European nation... I should read the bios! :P

You know, I get that a lot. Steve thought I was German even after I met him in person, right up until I told him I was from the States. Must be ze akzent.

 

[Octomatt]

Oh Ya, Tintenfisch. Dat Minn-a-SO-tah accent gets me in da wurst trouble sometimes, too, ya know. Folks think I'm from Scanda-HOO-via. You becha.

 

[Tintenfisch]

Oh, fer dumb!

 

[tototwin]

Doc,

Saw your doco on Discovery the other day and loved it mate (Architeuthis?).

You know you are going to have slings and arrows directed at you but you do have your (silent, till now) supporters.

There are those of us out there who share the thrill of your successes and shed a tear at your dissapointments. You will never know.

Fight the good fight mate.

From a bloke who used to catch blue ringed octopii with a net made from fly wire mesh and a coathanger in bare feet at 8 years old The rings were the lure! (ok, I'm an Aussie)

Neil.

 

[Steve O'Shea]

Thanks Neil
Cheers
O

 

[squidhavefeelings2]

Steve et al,

Have you all seen this http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A57139-2003May14.html 90% of the BIG fish has disappeared! Sad. Why can't we just farm fish only ?
Last night on TV, they were interviewing some US fishermen and they said that the US is already not going into the deep waters and that problem was with fishing practices of other countries. I guess its easy to blame others but I wonder if folks down under can comment on this.

cheers.

 

[tonmo]

Here's another article on that:

Study reveals plunge in big fish numbers