Pacific Activist
Written by Daniel Loo on board the Esperanza
I was born in Fiji and have lived there all my life although my family emigrated to Fiji in the early 50s from Kiribati. I have a really interesting heritage as my Dad is Chinese while my mother is Gilberteese (Kiribati) with ancestors from Tuvalu, Ireland and Germany.
When first approached to write something about my experience onboard Esperanza the first thing that came to my mind was whether I had to write something from an activist point of view or as a deckhand. Well to start off, this is my first time to work on a ship and these three weeks have been some of the best in my entire life. Its been truly amazing!!!
Being out at sea as a volunteer has been an exciting experience, and I take my hat off to the dedicated hardworking crew who give one hundred percent effort including their lives for a cause they believe in. By doing this we are able to raise global awareness about the decline of our precious marine resources currently overfished today by hungry money making tuna fishing companies.
What disgusts me the most is the method used to fish tuna as not only tuna is being fished but other marine lives such as sharks, turtles, dolphins and other sea creatures who unfortunately get caught in fishing nets cast by purse seiner ships and long liners.
When we approached an American fishing vessel just as it had hauled in the net we asked the captain about his fishing activities and informed him about the declining stocks of tuna in the world. He did say he was aware of this, but he did not think that the tuna would run out! But pacific fishermen are very concerned about the damaging impact that foreign fishing vessels have on their catch.
It really is upsetting because despite the obvious impacts on our marine resources, fishing vessels continue to overfish and somehow try and find excuses to get away with what they are doing, even it means paying loads of cash to get governments to support them etc. We are taking action out here in the Pacific Commons in order to get the message across that this craziness needs to stop NOW and we mean business! We have been getting a lot of reaction to our activities out here and as a Pacific Islander and an activist - I say "Hooray!!!" with my thumbs up!
Life at sea is not just - campaigning and actions. There is a lot of work involved just to keep the ship running. We like to say here on board that "a clean ship is a happy ship". Well that was what I was told when I first boarded in Suva, Fiji. As someone who has worked in an office for 7 years, I must admit I was very much a novice and lost from the very beginning. I had absolutely no knowledge of how to use the tools and equipment to do various tasks as all of them were very new to me. But I have learnt how to clean and maintain the ship and how to get the inflatable boats off the ship and into the water. The closest I had ever seen a helicopter before was in the movies but now I prepare one for launch so that it can go looking for fishing vessels!
The best part of my trip so far was actually flying in the helicopter and taking photographs of the fishing boats. This is something I will surely tell my grandchildren about! It seems that with Greenpeace... nothing is impossible! I work with inspiring as well as wonderful people who are there with me all the way and were it not for them I would not have been able to learn and experience all these amazing things.
If I have the chance to come back and do this again as a volunteer, I will do so in a heart-beat!
Daniel
Image: ©Greenpeace/Paul Hilton
Comments
hats off to you Daniel......it is because of volunteers like you, that the general public is slowly but surely coming to know of the major problem of over fishing of tuna in the Pacific.....i wish you and the crew onboard the Esperenza all the best of luck while youre out at sea, fighting for something you believe in........peace, love and all things pure mates!
from the university of the south pacific, in class and soooooo wishing i was on board as well
fentz
Posted by: fenton lutun | May 8, 2008 6:36 AM
Dan we are all rooting for you here in Suva and I will show this to the local group today as part of the Defending Our Pacific presentation.
Seni and Nilesh are circulating this to their contacts as well.
We are all so proud of you and all the other Pacific Islanders on board the espy.
Huge hugs to all.
To more great action.
Cheers
J
J
Posted by: Josephine | May 8, 2008 6:57 AM
Dan,
LG are soooo proud of you for taking up the challenge and representing us! Having a passionate person like you on board allows the Pacific people to better relate to the campaign.
Stay safe and we're all dying to catch up on all your adventures when you return.
Peace out
LW
Posted by: Leah | May 9, 2008 8:50 AM
U Go Daniel!!!! thank you for all the hard work u doing and to the rest of the team as well..
wishing u and the team all the best and we support u all the way.
GO GREENPEACE!!
Posted by: Raj | May 9, 2008 12:10 PM