[Coral-List] The Saga of Dean Jacobson and Majuro Coral Mining (Jim Hendee)
Steve Mussman
sealab at earthlink.net
Wed Mar 19 14:35:01 EDT 2014
Good idea Dennis.
I think the Marshall Islands EPA Facebook page is a very good place to
start.
It would be interesting to see how they would respond to the sudden influx
of a couple of thousand critical comments.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/RMI-EPA-Marshall-Islands-Environment-Protecti
on-Authority/567859269972579
And how about copying and posting those same comments on their newspaper's
site as well?
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Marshall-Islands-Journal/125166150860782
At least let them know we're here and that Dean doesn't stand alone.
Regards,
Steve
-----Original Message-----
>From: Dennis Hubbard
>Sent: Mar 19, 2014 10:50 AM
>To: mtupper
>Cc: coral list
>Subject: Re: [Coral-List] The Saga of Dean Jacobson and Majuro Coral Mining
(Jim Hendee)
>
>Hi all:
>
>I very quickly signed Dean's petition way back when, so I assume that path
>isn't working well. More recently I have been researching places to write
>and at least be a thorn in their side. I just posted on the Facebook page
>for the Marshall Islands EPA office (see url below). I didn't check the
>option to "like" the page.
>
>https://www.facebook.com/pages/RMI-EPA-Marshall-Islands-Environment-Protect
ion-Authority/567859269972579?ref=stream
>
>I seem to remember Jim posting that we had reached 8,000 members. If this
>is correct, we have a significant strength in numbers. If we pass around
>any information on agencies/individuals that could be flooded by 8,000
>individual emails that would at least raise the specter that the word's out
>(other than our congress - they've been oh so effective lately).
>
>And, we need to make each one personal - not just a document with a bunch
>of electronic signatures. Clicking on "sign me up" doesn't take much
>initiative and folks who receive these know it. But 8,000 individually
>crafted objections by obviously cranky members of the scientific community
>could make some difference. I talked about sea-level rise in my class today
>and brought in both our recent research on SL vs reef building.... and
>Dean's saga. The result is a good number outraged students - so we have a
>couple more dozen voices.
>
>I will continue to look for outlets in between lecturing and being chair.
>If we can share these, we might be able to create a sort of clearinghouse
>that we could use to build a unified response to what is a clearly
>rediculous situation. I have learned that it derives largely from the
>Marshall Islands renewed status under the Compact of Free Association
>following WWII and all the wonderful things we did to these islands.
>
>Dennis
>
>
>On Tue, Mar 18, 2014 at 1:14 PM, mtupper wrote:
>
>> Jim, would it be worthwhile sending all the Coral-List discussions about
>> Dean's
>> saga along with a petition to some decision-makers who might have the
>> clout to
>> intervene?
>>
>> Just a thought...
>>
>> Mark
>>
>>
>> Dr. Mark Tupper
>> Coastal Resources Association
>> 2503-13618 100 Ave., Surrey, BC, Canada V3T 0A8
>> www.coastal-resources.org
>> Email: mtupper at coastal-resources.org
>> Tel. 1-778-903-6420
>>
>> > On March 17, 2014 at 2:25 PM "Delbeek, Charles" >> >
>> > wrote:
>> >
>> >
>> > What I find somewhat disturbing is that this not new, Dean has been
>> actively
>> > petitioning this list for help in raising awareness at all levels of
>> > government for this issue, yet it seems as if some are treating this as
>> new..
>> > It is not ... Dean has been waging this battle for several years, with
>> little
>> > help from those in a position to actually help.
>> >
>> > J. Charles Delbeek, M.Sc.
>> >
>> >
>> > -----Original Message-----
>> > From: coral-list-bounces at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
>> > [mailto:coral-list-bounces at coral.aoml.noaa.gov] On Behalf Of Carly
>> Kenkel
>> > Sent: Friday, March 14, 2014 11:27 AM
>> > To: coral list
>> > Subject: Re: [Coral-List] The Saga of Dean Jacobson and Majuro Coral
>> Mining
>> > (Jim Hendee)
>> >
>> > Dear Coral-Listers,
>> >
>> > I feel compelled to write in support of Dean Jacobson and his attempts
to
>> > raise awareness concerning the impending doom of reefs in Majuro. I had
>> the
>> > pleasure of meeting Dean in 2010 when I spent a few weeks in the US
>> > Marshall Islands sampling corals as part of NOAA funded project aimed
at
>> > evaluating genetic connectivity of Acroporids across Micronesia. Dean
was
>> > kind enough to introduce me to the local reefs and share some of his
work
>> > documenting reef diversity in the region.
>> >
>> > The fragile status of reefs in and around Majuro are a conservation
>> > biologist's worst nightmare. Majuro and Arno contain some of the most
>> > striking atolls I have ever seen. The structure of these reefs is
>> > breathtaking and though far from pristine, there are coral species on
>> these
>> > island that I have never seen anywhere else, such as the super-rare
>> > "elkhorn" coral that made headlines a few years ago (
>> >
>>
http://www.nbcnews.com/id/38566957/ns/technology_and_science-science/t/world
s-rarest-coral-found-remote-pacific-atoll/#.UyMs8V5siA0
>> ).
>> > However, these islands are also some of the most impoverished in
>> > Micronesia, combining the worst attributes of a US-funded welfare state
>> > with a social structure that places all the wealth and power in the
hands
>> > of a corrupt minority.
>> >
>> > While I'm sure the Marshallese care about their home, reef conservation
>> > will always take a backseat to feeding their families. There are
>> > individuals and organizations involved in conservation efforts in
Majuro.
>> > However, I witnessed as members of a conservation organization on
Majuro
>> > turned a blind eye to a massive female turtle when she rolled onto the
>> dock
>> > in Arno, filling the bed of a truck, belly up. She was caught while
>> digging
>> > a nest on the beach and destined to be the prime delicacy at a birthday
>> > cook-out back on Majuro.
>> >
>> > Given Dean's experience and my own observations, I do not think local
>> > efforts to prevent dredging are capable of success. However, the
Marshall
>> > Islands are a US protectorate, and clearly the FAA and EPA have some
>> > control over this project. I know people who read this listserv have
>> > connections to policy makers in the US.. As Dr. Hendee pointed out,
more
>> > can be done. If you are able, please take the time to make inquiries
>> about
>> > the runway extension project at Majuro. I believe our combined efforts
>> can
>> > make an impact.
>> >
>> > Best,
>> >
>> > Carly
>> >
>> > --
>> > Carly Kenkel
>> > PhD Candidate
>> > Dept of Integrative Biology
>> > The Univ of Texas at Austin
>> > carly.kenkel at gmail.com
>> > office: 512-475-6424
>> > cell: 623-910-2394
>> > _______________________________________________
>> > Coral-List mailing list
>> > Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
>> > http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list
>> > _______________________________________________
>> > Coral-List mailing list
>> > Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
>> > http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list
>> _______________________________________________
>> Coral-List mailing list
>> Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
>> http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list
>>
>
>
>
>--
>Dennis Hubbard
>Chair, Dept of Geology-Oberlin College Oberlin OH 44074
>(440) 775-8346
>
>* "When you get on the wrong train.... every stop is the wrong stop"*
> Benjamin Stein: "*Ludes, A Ballad of the Drug and the Dream*"
>_______________________________________________
>Coral-List mailing list
>Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
>http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list
More information about the Coral-List
mailing list