AN Australian underwater professional living in the Western Province urges the United States to help open airspace between Munda airport and Tokyo, Japan.
John Fairfax said Japan needs fresh Sashimi and Solomon Islands needs to market its fish.
“An example of business and employment opportunities to offset impact of seafood devastation would be for the US to help open the air space between Munda jet airport and Tokyo,” Mr Fairfax said.
The Australian had been vocal about seafood devastation which he said is caused by developed countries.
The marine researched said effects of island fish stock devastation and the human social and economic environment impact is becoming a grave concern.
Mr Fairfax who had 50 years experience in underwater research mainly in the Solomon Islands waters said the problem warrants discussion at the highest level.
“This growing problem is the root of many food shortages in the Solomon Islands and politicians need to seriously look into this,” he said.
He said fish stock devastation has been causing malnutrition and disease amongst poverty stricken SI people over the years.
“What has the SI Parliament and leaders of this nation told about this problem and possible solutions?”
Mr Fairfax said fish depletion is evident due largely to the overloaded nutrients brought into the Solomon Islands waters by the current which has untreated sewages from large cities.
“Anyone who proved this problem otherwise can challenge me on this.”
Mr Fairfax said piping out sewages into the ocean is a worldwide problem.
“It has been modern nations that have taken away so much fish and overloaded the Pacific food ecosystem with sewage nutrient pollution from billions of people.
“There is now critically urgent need for openness and honesty by developed nations to aid real solutions.
“Proper sanitation and sewage treatment must be urgently put in place to allow seagrass and coral ecosystems to regenerate instead of collapsing.
“It can be done. Consequences of inaction are immeasurable and already impact world food sustainability and security.”
Mr Fairfax who has been living in Rendova and visited the fishermen of Langa langa, said many fishermen in the areas often returned home without a catch nowadays.
Speaking on the initiative to open up the airspace, he said the Noro cannery may have gourmet tinned fish for export to Japan to help make sashimi load’s more viable and vice versa.
“Noro and Munda and Solomon Islands and the South Pacific need the business and employment.
“WWII is over and restrictions on that presently closed air route can surely be lifted.
“United States Secretary of State John Kerry would do well to understand that world leadership is needed to deal with impact of seafood devastation at the bottom of Pacific people and economies.
“In just the past thirty years Pacific Islands people have lost abundance and availability of their traditional staple fish protein supply.”
Mr Fairfax said algae is killing seagrass and coral, nit over fishing, not acidification.
“There are critically serious consequences but evidence of substance also indicates significant business and employment opportunities from sensible solutions, including sanitation and proper management of sewage nutrient loadings.
“There is need for leadership because local politicians and struggling governments seem to consider the problem too big, too overwhelming
“But viable solutions are possible, challenging and essential.”
By EDNAL PALMER