Iceland volcano causes problems in Niigata

The shipping of Koi always carries potential risks and problems however, due to the experience of the breeders and others involved, many of these can be minimised and nowadays reports of casualties on arrival are rare.

However, some problems are out of everyones hands.  Last night a number of agents had Koi leaving Niigata for destinations in Europe.  An hour or so after leaving Niigata word came in that airports all over Europe were being closed due to the ash cloud from the eruption of the volcano in Iceland, as such flights from Japan to Europe were all cancelled meaning that all Koi on route had to return to Niigata.

The picture below shows some boxes of Koi from Ornafish's shipment, which totalled 360, awaiting collection by the breeders this morning from the Miyakoya facility.

Whilst their return is costly and inconvenient the consequences could have been much worse had they shipped earlier or the day before.

The guys from the Jackoi party I was with on Monday and Tuesday had departed Narita yesterday morning.  Somewhere over Russia news came in that they'd be unable to land in Holland so the plane turned around and went back to Narita Airport where they are now in a hotel with an as yet unconfirmed departure date.  Had this been the Koi the logistics of getting them back to the breeders premises would have been a whole lot more difficult and put the Koi, which are worth a considerable amount of money of course, at risk.