This is my personal response as Founder of Hawaii Ecotube to a comment posted today - placed below, and is meant to address those of you that do not know me personally. I will only leave this post up for a short time, as this will be the last thing I will say on this matter – on this website anyhow. Because really, this isn’t what I meant for this website to be…
Yes, I DID work for DLNR – Division of Aquatic Resources (as a diver) to be exact, and I have seen first hand that there are a multitude of things causing the decline of our ocean resources here in Hawaii. I can also say I wish there was just one thing we could do to fix all of the woes. Truth is (as I see it) there isn’t, and everyone that uses the resources is going to have to participate in a little give and take. I started this website so that all people could have a say – whether I personally agree with them or not - and deliberate topics in hopes that a mutually beneficial solution (to all of a resource’s users) could be obtained. I, personally, believe that all people have a right to use the resources, and if one or more of those resource users causes a negative effect on the whole – changes need to be made. I applaud those that join in on the process, whether I agree with them or not – because I hope that the process will eventually prevail for the greater good.
I left the Division months prior to starting this blog site. I’m assuming all the stuff placed in quotes is to imply that I said them (see below). This is out and out not true. Also, what I say was and will continue to be on my behalf and only my behalf. I have (in my mind) tried to speak for the all the critters in nature (because to me - it takes all of them to make a system work) that do not have a voice in our forums and courtrooms, and will continue to do so.
My statement on a “witch hunt “was not directed at all the fine folks who are rallying to stop something they believe in their hearts to be wrong – as I said, I do have an opinion on Aquarium Collecting. Those that know me personally know what it is, and I will continue to join in the process and voice my opinion in hopes that what I believe to be right will prevail. The witch hunt I am speaking of - is the demonizing of individuals and organizations that are joining in on the process to arrive at a solution that is mutually beneficial for all of us today, and most especially for future generations.
This is Ms. Umberger's comment to my "In Response" blog...
John Mitchell? From the DLNR? Oh... now it all makes sense! "Extraction, good - marine tourism, bad" Don't touch the sea urchins - don't feed the fish - but hey, you aquarium collectors, you're alright... sustainable even.... breaking apart the reef to get feather duster worms, "not a problem", collecting over 2 million hermit crabs since 2000 and shipping them off to the mainland? "sustainable! (as long as scuba tours keep their grubby hands off them, that is...)" ....unbelievable....
"Better to be known as a sinner than a hypocrite" (please don't take that personally)
You're also wrong - this is not a one person blatant witch hunt. There are thousands and thousands behind me, John.
Rene Umberger
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