Yellow tang is the real poster child
Contrary to what was printed in West Hawaii Today, Jay Lovell, “aquarium fisherman,” is not the “poster child” for the debate over collecting reef fish for sale to the aquarium trade. If debates can have a poster child, it is a Kona baby, a yellow tang, its eyes still huge in relation to its body, glowing with the beauty of innocence. Baby tang was born innocent, and no matter how he dies, he will die innocent.
Mr. Lovell is a convicted criminal, and any “fishing” he does in an aquarium is undocumented, but I’d like to see it.
Bret Yager’s snappy writing makes Jay Lovell sound like a kid who fishes with a string on a pencil, standing in front of his grandma’s aquarium. It surmises he is worthy of being an empathy inducing photo of an a young innocent afflicted with an incurable wasting disease. It even calls what he does “harvesting” despite Mr. Lovell and those similarly employed being nonparticipants in enabling any part of the fish life cycle except its.
Fortunately, Mr. Yager got some great quotes from the remorseless criminal and his brother, implying the crime victim was, as some men still say, asking for it. His victim, remember, was swimming at a distance from Mr. Lovell, unable to trash talk him because she was underwater, when he swam directly over to her and forcefully deprived her of oxygen.
Now, Mr. Lovell and other relentless harvesters claim the need of state protection from people watching them, jotting down their license plates, their boat license numbers, and taking more photos of anchors smashed into coral reefs, and noting the locations and frequencies of their visits.
No, the real poster child for our deplorable situation is the little Kona yellow tang, who is in need of help. One might help by editing the hobbyist-centric Wikipedia article that summarizes, “In essence, the yellow tang is a rewarding, peaceful marine aquarium inhabitant.” The essence of the yellow tang is thus diminished.
Anika Glass
Waikoloa
Big Island response to fire ant poor
In recent articles, I found the response to the little fire ant interesting and disturbing. Oahu’s immediate response was to identify, isolate, eradicate. The Big Island’s response — 10 years too late by the way — maybe we can give funds to homeowners for their eradication efforts.
Eradication, even control, will not happen with hit and miss treatment. Everyone needs to be in the game to push the little fire ant back. I have 1 acre in Keauhou Mauka and just got a positive identification that I have the little fire ant. The Ant Lab in Hilo is great for identification and resources for the “do it yourselfer” and I am motivated to spend the time and money to eradicate, but there is no one from invasive species/agriculture coming to help identify, isolate and eradicate.
I am the gateway to Kona coffee land and I am aware that I am not the only property in the area with little fire ants. Farmers, you thought the coffee berry borer is bad, just wait. The little fire ant is knocking at your door and they are not here for a vacation.
C. Martin
Holualoa