Ever wonder.....

[Jonthefishguy]

how LIVE FISH & CORAL gets damaged during transit and arrives broken, sick, dead, or dying? Here is a more than likely reason.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ajjeS2epoo

During my annual trip out to visit all the vendors, distributors, and wholesalers on the west coast this week, I happened to catch a serious issue with the way a certain airline company handles live fish. I was exremely shocked and angry about how they handled it in LAX. This video is completely tame compared to how it was treated in LAX as it was being loaded in the belly of the plane. One box actually caught air for a few seconds and then landed on its side. Unfortunately, I was not prepared to see this and therefor I did not have my camera ready. However, as we were going to make a stop, i was ready in the event that they would unload the live order. They did not dissappoint. This particular order was being deboarded in El Paso Texas. We apparently had to make a stop in El Paso on our way back to Houston. I have forwarded this to all that were involve and hope that this issue gets resolved.

[Gseclipse02]

. I have forwarded this to all that were involve and hope that this issue gets resolved.

it wont .... do you think they will make it a point for every worker to handle box's with TONS of care??? that would take more time and time is money its sad but the truth

[captexas]

Not surprising. And that is just the guys at the airport. Dont' think UPS or Fedex handles your stuff any better. I've seen UPS packages that look like they were run over by a truck. And I've seen some that were obviously speared with a forklift.

[subsailor]

hey my order went through El Paso last week.....

[Jonthefishguy]

It does not take extra money or time to carefully lay down the box rather than throw it. As you can see in the video, they have time to conversate during the process so "time" isnt the issue. Paying the worker more money will still have the same result, so money is out as well. What it boils down to is employess simply not giving a **** because its not theirs. They have become to complacent in their jobs and if it gets broken or dies, its not theirs so they dont care.

I have not only sent the email to the wholesaler who was shipping them, I have also sent them to all the other wholesalers I visited as well and let them see the video and consider the fact that it is quite possible that their orders to their customers are being treated the exact same way. A few of them mentioned that they would start paying attention to their orders that leave on SW and if they see the same issue, they may switch to a different carrier.

Companies like myself, sign a contract with the wholesalers and within the contract many of them have a clause in them that state that in the event that their is DOA, that we must obsorb the first 5 to 8% and any loss over than percentage will be credited by the wholesaler. For the most part, many DOA's are credited without enforcing this clause, but at least we know NOW where and how this 5 to 8% or more happens as I am sure they are not simply packaging up dead/nearly dead fish or broken coral. By watching this video, wholesalers as well as businesses can see where it is more than likely the 5-8% and sometimes more loss comes from. In the end, whether its the wholesaler, the retailer, or the customer......someone pays for the fish loss somewhere down the road.

[aggman]

man that is total bull! i can't stand lazy and complacent people. what you need to do is get more video and send it to the airline. the wholesalers can only do so much, its the airline that are going to have to enforce the handling procedures. and they don't care.

so yea, this is shocking, but what can we do? it sucks that we aren't the ones to change the standards.

~alex

[Bill S]

Jon, try sending the video to the TV news folks in El Paso. They LOVE this kind of stuff. And as much as I really don't like them, send it to the PETA chapter in El Paso.