mantis shrimps crisis

[Bridget Armstrong]

Dear coral-listers
I am forwarding this to you as I know there is a lot of expertise on tropical systems out there, and perhaps someone can help:

Please see the urgent message below from Selby Remie who is our IUCN contact
in the Seychelles (a  state member of IUCN) and the person largely
responsible for environmental affiars in government.

Does anyone have an answer to any of Selby's questions or do we know who can
address this problem URGENTLY?

Clearly there is urgency if the temptation is there to eat these shrimps as
the wash up on the shore.  So any response would be greately appreciated -
direct to Selby and/or to us at EARO and/or to Mariano at IUCN Species
programme at HQ in Gland (mgd at iucn.org)

This is one of the reasons for having a group in our region - so can we find
the answers quickly?

With regards,

Geoffrey Howard
Regional Programme Coordinator for IUCN in Eastern Africa

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Selby Remie [SMTP:sel82 at hotmail.com]
> Sent: Friday, November 02, 2001 8:57 AM
> To: mail at iucnearo.org
> Subject: 
> 
> 
> Attention Geofrey
> 
> 
> Dear Geofrey,
> 
> Can you please assist urgently. We have a strange thing happening in 
> Seychelles. There are million of matis shrimps being washed up on various 
> beaches. According to SFA this phenomenon extend to east Africa and 
> Zanzibar. Can you please confirm. Can you also try and offer explanation
> as 
> to why this is happening. I cannot identify the specie yet. It is small
> max 
> lengt 8cm. greenish. I think it is  an Orastosquilla, but this is only
> based 
> on a not so accurate ID guide.
> 
> Some people want to eat this shrimp. I know it will be difficult for you
> to 
> confirm if this is safe, but I am assuming that you know of similar 
> instances. Please reply urgently, because this is hot news right now and
> it 
> is necessary for us to produce a plausible explanation quickly.
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Selby

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