PHUKET: Two more turtles maimed by fishing nets off Phuket struggled ashore at Karon beach today, latest in an increasing number of harmless creatures suffering through ignorance and greed.
What to do? Phuket's turtles are a lot like canaries in coal mines, an early sacrifice that indicates the atmosphere is deteriorating.
Tick-tick-tick-tick-tick. How long does Phuket tourism have before the precious beaches and reefs follow the Phuket turtles into oblivion?
It's a doomsday scenario that creeps closer with every fishing net tossed overboard and every piece of coral reef souvenired for a mantlepiece in Korea or Taiwan.
Go-Eco Phuket, a recently estabished coalition of dive groups, hopes to begin the reversal process by staging the largest ''dive against debris'' project that Phuket has seen so far.
The event takes place on September 30 when the aim will be to register as many divers as possible and link them with boats and sponsors to coordinate a cleanup on a grand scale.
Non-divers are welcome - it's their ocean, too.
''This has the potential to be the largest single reef cleanup ever conducted anywhere,'' says Joe Blasy, one of the volunteer organisers and a dive instructor who has been living in Phuket for more than a decade.
Phuket businesses are being invited to sponsor a dive boat for the day for just 15,000 baht to help offset fuel costs.
Beyond the day's outing, coordinated strategies are needed at local, national, regional and international levels to prevent, reduce and manage solid waste.
In practical terms that even a turtle can almost understand, that means maintaining the beaches and the reefs in good condition by solving the core problem.
A heartening sign is that government bodies, along with the Royal Thai Navy and other organisations already committed to saving the Andaman Sea from thoughtless two-legged predators, will be on board.
Give up a day either above or below water to help save the seas off Phuket and you could be doing your bit on September 30 to spark a turning point for all turtles, and for tourism.
You can start by contacting volunteer coordinator Kerry Leach on +66 (0) 81415 0006 or e: kerrylouiseleach@yahoo.co.uk
What to do? Phuket's turtles are a lot like canaries in coal mines, an early sacrifice that indicates the atmosphere is deteriorating.
Tick-tick-tick-tick-tick. How long does Phuket tourism have before the precious beaches and reefs follow the Phuket turtles into oblivion?
It's a doomsday scenario that creeps closer with every fishing net tossed overboard and every piece of coral reef souvenired for a mantlepiece in Korea or Taiwan.
Go-Eco Phuket, a recently estabished coalition of dive groups, hopes to begin the reversal process by staging the largest ''dive against debris'' project that Phuket has seen so far.
The event takes place on September 30 when the aim will be to register as many divers as possible and link them with boats and sponsors to coordinate a cleanup on a grand scale.
Non-divers are welcome - it's their ocean, too.
''This has the potential to be the largest single reef cleanup ever conducted anywhere,'' says Joe Blasy, one of the volunteer organisers and a dive instructor who has been living in Phuket for more than a decade.
Phuket businesses are being invited to sponsor a dive boat for the day for just 15,000 baht to help offset fuel costs.
Beyond the day's outing, coordinated strategies are needed at local, national, regional and international levels to prevent, reduce and manage solid waste.
In practical terms that even a turtle can almost understand, that means maintaining the beaches and the reefs in good condition by solving the core problem.
A heartening sign is that government bodies, along with the Royal Thai Navy and other organisations already committed to saving the Andaman Sea from thoughtless two-legged predators, will be on board.
Give up a day either above or below water to help save the seas off Phuket and you could be doing your bit on September 30 to spark a turning point for all turtles, and for tourism.
You can start by contacting volunteer coordinator Kerry Leach on +66 (0) 81415 0006 or e: kerrylouiseleach@yahoo.co.uk
There will also be an after party at Kan Eang 2 where we will be raffling off and having a silent auction for several items donated by local dive shops and businesses in order to raise funds for future Go Eco Phuket events. We are still finalizing the entertainment, but we are working on possibly getting some fairly big names to play at this party. Stay tuned.
Posted by Joe on September 16, 2012 13:42