Inkling

Since the early 1900’s, the trochus took on another task – providing protein, jewelry, cosmetics, and even things as simple as buttons – for the human race.  It phonographic record is now playing a different tune and the price is not right.With fast boats, convenient tools, and better strategies, we are the equivalent of the Mad Cow Disease to not only the trochus, but all of the reef dwellers as well.   We have become so infectious that we’ve encroached into reserved and conserved areas.For a buck and eighty-five copper coins, we hold our breaths – supposedly to show our children quality time – under water, stick our hands into dark crevices, and forget that natural things have significant purposes.In earlier days, the trochus had inspired us to think as a community when venturing into the reefs.  Our children tagged along then because we simply could not have afforded imported hired hands; and we had to “teach” our children about reef codes.Those earlier days have drifted into another time zone.  Now we cannot afford not to bring the imported hired hands to the reefs and our children – if they can’t read or write – must learn to recognize the trochus as the culmination of all the dead US presidents. Our children are learning fast: “Money talked and said the trochus must die.”  Our children learn this simple message on the first day of this trochus harvest season.  For the right price, they’d take a chance – even if it means sacrificing a limb to the moray eel.As with Mad Cow Disease, we have created a chronic, degenerative disorder affecting the ecological system of the reefs.  Worse of all, our children have become the bearers of the symptoms.We could be cured of the disease – don’t expect to eat a lot of hay; you will not produce milk.  We just simply need change our attitude of the trochus as well as all of our marine resources.  We could help the trochus live a little longer and let it do its job.If you are one of those people who need to spend quality time with their children, stay home with your kids – you would not be as distracted and you’d save money and fuel.  Further, your children would have about .0005 percent of a chance to be bitten by an angry and hungry fish; and your relatives could use your boat.Exponentially, if you really, really want to help the trochus, leave some of its relatives in the water.Take a huge breath and breed trochus – find help.  Don’t be a cow!