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Dr. J. Frank White wrote:
> 
> While the Micronesian Island of Rota is planning to add two wrecks to
> its list of dive sites, dive shop owners say Truk is putting it's
> largest (and only) tourist attraction at risk.
> 
> Divers from all over the world come to Truk to dive at any one of the
> 48 ships sunk in the lagoon in 1944.  The ships lay on the sandy
> bottom of the lagoon and have made an attractive artificial reef
> protected from the ocean by Truk's coral reef.
> 
> But the tropical fish that make the ships such an interesting dive may
> also be their demise, as one popular, although illegal, way to fish is
> by throwing glass bottles of dynamite with a lighted fuse into the
> water.
> 
> Ironically, the ships themselves are the source of the dynamite,
> locals assholes take the gun powder out of the bombs which they steal
> from the wrecks.
> 
> Dynamited fish feed the families on Truk and are sold at the local
> fish market, says Manny Sonnis, director of marine resources for
> Truk.  He acknowledges that dynamiting is so popular he gets reports
> about it every other day.  Sonis said his department sends patrol
> boats into the lagoon everyday.  While some dive boats anchor on the
> wrecks and damage them, he said he's had no reports of dynamiting
> there.
> 
> No reports of wreck blasting have reached the Truk Visitors Bureau,
> said Betty Irons, acting director.  Irons used to work for the police
> department which patrolled the lagoon as well.
> 
> "Dynamiting can damage the coral and all the beauty," she stated.
> Truk is known throughout the world for these things we have
> underwater."
> 
> Though dynamiting the wrecks is illegal, enforcement is lacking, said
> Aisek.  Who is on the lagoon everyday as part of his dive business.
> And he has never seen a Marine Resources boat patrolling the reef.
> 
> "There are lots of ways to catch fish, but dynamiting is the easiest
> and the dynamite is free for those stupid enough to take it from 50
> year old 500 pound bombs."
> 
> Pacific Daily News
> 
> 


Step away young man! This is a job for SUPER UNESCO MAN!!!!
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