Saturday, January 31, 2009

When The Buying Stops The Killing Stops Too

Hantu Laut

Happening right on our doorsteps.The slaughter of this most unnecessary way of earning a livelihood. This is the way they live and the only way they know how to supplement their meagre income.This is where poverty plays destructive role on nature and the environment.This is were government failed.This is where we have Fisheries Department that is completely dysfunctional and headed by idiots who sat on their arses and do nothing to educate the fishing community on the proper way to fish to protect the marine ecosystem and maintain sustainable balance of the resources.

From fish bombing, cyanide poisoning to slaughter of sharks,whale sharks,turtles and many other endangered marine species, the authorities have done nothing to bring this most shameful act under control.They only jump out from their slumber when something like this came to light and, shamefully, it is always concerned citizens or even more shameful, visiting tourists, who exposed such undesirable act. The Fisheries Department, Marine Police and those given the responsibility to police the sea and look out for such illegal activities are big bloody disgrace.They are always the last to know, when the damage are already done.

The recent discovery of shark finning in Mabul on regular basis is going to cause grievous damage to the marine ecology in the surrounding waters of Sipadan Island. The photos are evidence of the active participation of villagers on Mabul, a fishing community of lazy fishermen, who resort to the laziest way of catching fish, either bomb,poison or do what you see in the photographs.


Click to enlarge




Some may think it is all right to kill sharks just for their fins and discard the rest of the body.Considering the meagre amount of money you get for the fins and the huge damage you caused to the marine ecosystem you have to be a moron to do such a thing and, unfortunately, these people from the southern Philippines are morons and one of the laziest people I have came across and they will always be poor because they killed the very resources that suppose to sustain their livelihood.


It is a sickening trade and the Sabah government should impose a ban on shark finning.It has successfully banned the collection and consumption of turtle eggs, the same can be done to this awfully cruel trade.

There is no nutritional value in shark fins.Stop the buying and the killing will stop too.


3 comments:

Sammy said...

I leave shark's fin out of my wedding menu and the chinese in-laws say I'm too poor to host a (RM1200/table)dinner while Westerners say other wise. So how?

I did the same for my company dinner and only the Chinese laments. (Eventhough I paid RM1500 a table for the dinner) How to educate these poor people about the ecosystem when all they care is about themselves. Their grandchildren will suffer in the future....

MariaFaizal said...

I've already suffered inside looking at those pics. Sick of their plain laziness!

Sigh....

Anonymous said...

This fishy tales reminds me of my own experience.
I once was a Government Servant. At one time I was in charge of the appointment of contractors and distribution of projects. The post was given a high responsibility and freedom in decision making as there was no one above me who could tell me what to do and not to do. I did my level best to ensure government policies were strictly implemented and adhered to. I was popular a while only as the most powerful guy, but unpopular in no time. I was encircled by businessmen who tried to keep me entertained almost all weekend. But my dislike to the weekend wine, women and songs soon became something the businessmen disliked.
My freedom shortlived. In just a couple of months there were flying letters to the top organisation who claimed I was corrupt. I was investigated and 'reorganised'

Reading the fishy tale made me feel sad that despite there are rules and policies, people in positions at times are just unable to stand up to it. The greed factor will influence someone above you and make you do things against your conscience. Sad enough, the top organisation had always been under political controls as what Harris once stated, the goverment of the day is a political government. So the government servant must support the politician who was elected by the people. Which means he is ok to do whatever he likes as he was endorsed by the people he represented.If one government servant don't tow the line he'll get educated.
As can be seen, the fishy tales had business men as the lead players, a few 'rakyat' cari makan doing the routine work. Who actually benefit from this trade.

The fish at KK market are still very expensive.

The popular seafood restaurant in cannot be patronised all the time by any family. They are good only to serve as entertainment to clients and claim the bills from the Inland Revenue.

REAL FISHY INDEED