Cruise ship runs aground in Raja Ampat

[WetPup]

Link to FB post that contains the info (inc. photos)...

Quoted at the end of this post for those who don't have FB (I know you exist...)

It wasn't a "liveaboard" as we know it, but more one of those big cruise liners.

Mass tourism in RA was never going to end well.

Discuss

CRUISE SHIP RUNS AGROUND ON CORAL REEF IN RAJA AMPAT
This ship ran aground today on 'Crossover Reef' just off the northern end of Kri Island. Will they be held responsible for the environmental damage?
I know this area very well and there is no excuse for this ship going aground on a beautiful reef that is well known and easy to see. It is serious negligence in very a sensitive area.
What benefits do these cruise ships bring to Raja Ampat anyway? Do the local people benefit?

 

[NYCNaiad]

Ugh! I really hate cruise ships.

 

[billt4sf]

&!%@)^(%(+)+)})^(&%(**+_ !!!!!!!

 

[Diving Dubai]

This is one of my "pet peaves"

In Misool, they have a protected area of approx 300,000 acres. The rangers and their equipment are financed predominately by Misool resort (with some sponsorship from others)

Everyone benefits from this. Misool obviously, the local dive/ tourist industry and the local population. Although they can't catch fish in the area, once fish leave then they are available. This protected area allow fish to breed and multiply benefiting all

The cost of this as I understand it is $250,000 per year.

LOB's using the area are asked to contribute. Between them all I believe they only donate $20,000! They are happy to line their own pockets whilst others pick up the tab. Scandalous. It not like they put that much money back to the local economy

We as divers have a responsibility to support those who do good work and ignore those who don't. Yes it may cost us more, but in the great scheme of a vacation to RA for instance it's not a great deal of money.

 

[billt4sf]

This is one of my "pet peaves"

In Misool, they have a protected area of approx 300,000 acres. The rangers and their equipment are financed predominately by Misool resort (with some sponsorship from others)

Everyone benefits from this. Misool obviously, the local dive/ tourist industry and the local population. Although they can't catch fish in the area, once fish leave then they are available. This protected area allow fish to breed and multiply benefiting all

The cost of this as I understand it is $250,000 per year.

LOB's using the area are asked to contribute. Between them all I believe they only donate $20,000! They are happy to line their own pockets whilst others pick up the tab. Scandalous. It not like they put that much money back to the local economy

We as divers have a responsibility to support those who do good work and ignore those who don't. Yes it may cost us more, but in the great scheme of a vacation to RA for instance it's not a great deal of money.

I agree completely!

It i one of the reasons I can use to justify to myself going to Misool Eco Resort -- I am making a contribution to the ecology of the area (and scientific research as well, BTW).

But I don't see HOW to get it done. If everyone on a LOB contributed $100, then what?

- Bill

 

[WetPup]

I think then you're starting to push it. We're already paying for a RA permit to dive in the marine park which is $100 or thereabouts to the local authorities. You start slapping more direct fees on visitors to Misool and you'll have people asking wtf they're paying the marine park permit fee for in the first place. It's a touchy issue.

There's a fine line between a genuine conservation fee and a straight up money grab sometimes.

Also remember that this ship that ran aground is not a dive boat - it was a large cruise ship. The people on it are not likely to return to the area again and again like divers might. They don't have the same vested interest in keeping the place pristine.

 

[Wookie]

Line their pockets? At the end of 20 years, I broke even and paid my tax bill. No one is lining their pockets running a LOB. Most are living their dream. Hopefully it only costs them a little.

 

[WetPup]

Not what I meant. If the LOB's are collecting the money on behalf of a local conservation effort, and it's made mandatory, then you have to wonder...

We are already paying a $100 RA permit fee, which according to all documentation suggests the money is being put towards conservation efforts in the marine park. It'd raise more than a few eyebrows if they started collecting a separate permit fee just for Misool conservation on top of the original mandatory permit for "conservation" when the original money collected should be (at least in part) be going towards Misool anyway.

I'm not suggesting that the LOB's are the ones doing anything untowards. It's the organisations who are supposed to be administering the permit money that I am questioning. It's not that I can't afford to pay it, but I also don't appreciate the kind of shenanigans some of these organisations try to pull.

 

[Wookie]

I collected fees for the National Park Service on my customer's behalf. Actually, I sucked it up and didn't pass it on. I paid fees to the National Park Service for my annual permit. Had I done neither, and had a poor accounting, the National Park Service would have pulled my permit. I have no idea of the fee and permit structure of the park in RA, but they only need to pull the permit of one LOB before the rest will fall right in line. Actually, they only need to audit a single boat....

 

[WetPup]

Which brings me back to my original point - the cruise ship that ran aground on the reef was not a LOB. It was one of those giant cruise ships that has hundreds and hundreds of passengers on board.

Bringing in yet another permit is not going to do anything about huge ships passing through and wrecking the place.

I see where you're coming from, I just think it's tangential to the real issue here. Huge cruise ships and mass tourism.