Papua New Guinea discussions at MACNA

[jcom]

For anyone who attended MACNA, did you listen to either or both discussions on Papua New Guinea? I believe one discussion was being conducted by Reefsmart, the organization that has a collection/export operation in Port Morseby and is collecting from the PNG reef systems. The other was to be a follow up by, I believe, a biologist who was going to comment on the operation after having visited it and several of the collection sites.

Having worked on live aboard dive boats in PNG for many years, I'm interested and concerned about this amazingly diverse yet fragile reef system, which I believe to be the final frontier and last true stronghold. Since the islands are primarily tribal and not easily accessed, this area has remained pristene and relatively untouched. I hope that the Seasmart operation is not the tip of the iceberg in what can or may become a free for all (think Japanese).

I also worked on dive boats in Indonesia between 1992 - 2002, and the downfall I saw there over a single decade still brings a tear to my eye. I hope this is not to be duplicated in PNG.

 

[gparr]

I was at the banquet and heard that presentation and watched the movie. I did not attend the followup presentation. If they spoke the truth, it's a very impressive operation that is protecting the reefs while allowing native people a chance to make a decent living and manage their own slice of the ocean. Training, proper collection techniques, honest concern for protecting the reefs, good facilities, and proper care for animals during capture and shipping, all seem to be part of the Seasmart program. I was very impressed and convinced that they are doing things the way they should be done. They seem to appreciate that they have a treasure and long-term source of income if they manage it properly and are making every effort to do so. I'll be very disappointed if we learn, at some point in the future, that they're destroying the reefs. At this point I'm very encouraged/excited to learn that someone who cares is doing things properly.

 

[revhtree]

I have been invited to check out this operation and I am thinking of actually going. I would like to really see the nuts and bolts of this operation.

 

[jcom]

That is very good to hear. I saw the worst of the worst in Indonesia....dynamite, cyanide, shark finning, etc. I don't mean to be critical of a single culture, but it truly was the Japanese driving all of these destructive practices.

While diving in PNG, I would occasionally encounter dead, finned, sharks, sometimes piles of 10s, even 100s. These sharks showed only signs, of finning and nothing else. What could be deducted is that the sharks were netted, finned, and thrown overboard alive. Without their fins, they would sink and drown. Literally made me want to vomit...and that's not a good thing when you have a regulator in your mouth. Sharks are being killed at the rate of 100 Million per year worldwide, and their population has beed reduced by 90%!!! All for shark fin soup. The repercussions of the removal of top predators from the worlds oceans can only result in a butterfly effect leading to eventual demise and doom of the food chain. Very sad.

Hopefully the locals running the operation are becoming well educated and they will see that these types of practices do eternally threaten their precious reef systems that provide sustinence and livelihood. Through their understanding and knowledge, they can then pass this on to their families, friends, and neighbors to help preserve one of the most biologically diverse areas on the planet.

 

[jcom]

p.s. - Rev, I'm already jealous of the prospects of you going. I assume you're a diver? I'm actually trying to put together a PNG live aboard trip for October 2011. Perhaps a tour of Seasmart should be on the itinerary...

 

[revhtree]

I am not a diver but would get my cert asap! I would like to maybe put together a group from R2R to go maybe?

 

[schminksbro]

Sweet! Rev is sponsoring a trip to PNG! Count me in!

I am not a diver but would get my cert asap! I would like to maybe put together a group from R2R to go maybe?

 

[schminksbro]

I would agree. They presented their program as one that has learned from past mistakes. I was encouraged by what I heard and saw.

I was at the banquet and heard that presentation and watched the movie. I did not attend the followup presentation. If they spoke the truth, it's a very impressive operation that is protecting the reefs while allowing native people a chance to make a decent living and manage their own slice of the ocean. Training, proper collection techniques, honest concern for protecting the reefs, good facilities, and proper care for animals during capture and shipping, all seem to be part of the Seasmart program. I was very impressed and convinced that they are doing things the way they should be done. They seem to appreciate that they have a treasure and long-term source of income if they manage it properly and are making every effort to do so. I'll be very disappointed if we learn, at some point in the future, that they're destroying the reefs. At this point I'm very encouraged/excited to learn that someone who cares is doing things properly.

 

[Mr E Wrasse]

I frequent the Philippines often so I've seen the effects of dynamite fishing and cyanide. It's amazing how quickly man can destroy what takes millions of years to build. Fishermen don't seem to understand (or at least don't care) that if they destroy the reef, there won't be any fish.
I know that west PNG and Irian Jaya have the most diversity of marine life. Definitely on the top of my list for diving... But from what I understand most of the locals are tribal or unfriendly, leaving the only option for diving on liveaboards (which are a bit out of my budget). I'd love to know if there are safe and affordable ways to travel to western papua.

and Rev.... GET CERTIFIED!!!!

 

[Phisher]

I have been invited to check out this operation and I am thinking of actually going. I would like to really see the nuts and bolts of this operation.

Wife and I really want to try and make this trip one day too. We got back from MACNA and immediately looked into it....the +$8000 per person airfare we say a major downer. Keep us posted if something gets worked out for a trip...it would have to be deeply discounted though!

 

[Mr E Wrasse]

Wife and I really want to try and make this trip one day too. We got back from MACNA and immediately looked into it....the +$8000 per person airfare we say a major downer. Keep us posted if something gets worked out for a trip...it would have to be deeply discounted though!

you can fly there a lot cheaper than that i'm thinking max $3000pp... probably fly into Jakarta and take another plane from there.... not sure though

 

[jcom]

The early estimates for the live aboard trip I'm looking into are in the $5500 - $6000 per person range, including liveaboard, airfare from the US, hotels, taxes, transfers, tips, etc. (10 - 11 day entire ship charter for $50,000 / 16 passengers = $3125pp). If it works, I'm going to try use Delta miles as they fly to Sydney.

Back in the day, we would always fly LAX > Sydney > Cairns > Port Morseby. From there we'd usually puddle jump to Kimbe, Rabaul, etc.

Here's the ship:

Papua New Guinea Scuba Diving Adventures - Spirit of Niugini Liveaboard Vessel

 

[jcom]

... But from what I understand most of the locals are tribal or unfriendly, leaving the only option for diving on liveaboards (which are a bit out of my budget). I'd love to know if there are safe and affordable ways to travel to western papua.

and Rev.... GET CERTIFIED!!!!

Unless a lot has changed in the last 8 years or so, I can honestly say that you've been misinformed. The locals, including tribal groups, are some of the friendliest and most welcoming people I've ever met. Any land based operation that you go with will be run out of a lodge-type scenario and they will visit a set interary list of dive sites. Your business is these folks livelihood and you will be treated very well. But, even if you were to visit some of the more remote villages, tribes, etc. as part of a tour...you'll have absolutely nothing to worry about.

However, my thoughts are that if you're going to go to the effort and expense of traveling to a remote destination like PNG, you should not cut any corners. While there are land based operations (certainly more now than when I worked there), they simply can't offer the experience that a liveaboard can. Now, don't get me wrong....the B to B+ (hell, even a C -) dive sites in PNG would be A to A+ just about anywhere else in the world. But liveaboards get you to those less frequented, remote, and otherwise inaccessible locations that a land based operation can't come close to touching. My point is that if you're going to spend $4000 - $4500 doing a land based trip, it's definitely worth sacrificing here and there to come up with the extra $1000 - $1500 to go live aboard.

...and don't even get me started about the fishing and sashimi. Can you say minutes old, chilled yellowfin?

Just my $0.02