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Update
Still no corals, cultured or wild collected, flowing in from Indonesia. Still tons of rumors of every type and scenario. Checking, verifying, debunking would be a full time job.
One of my suppliers sent me info about an upcoming conference:
https://ourocean2018.org
The conference is a fact, my supplier's comments are opinion, but opinion of someone in the trenches every day and someone intimately involved and has had zero income for past 6 months, the duration so far of the ban.
My supplier's concern is this (their words, not mine):
"Tell your australians friends to somehow be awared of whats going to Susi convey next week in Our Ocean Legacy, Bali 28-30 October
Tell them to talk with their country’s representative whos coming here. I think Susi is going to launch agenda which is banning coral trade all over the world. She will ask australian fiji and other coral exporters to stop exports and make commitment there.
She keeps saying in media over past days that at this event there has to be solid commitment, and one of her agenda mentioned in website is about preservation of coral reef.
I hope its not, tho!"
I looked at the info about this conference and it appears to be the fifth such event. No speakers are listed yet. We should all be in favor of saving the reefs, but not at the cost of shutting down our industry and hobby. Mariculture and aquaculture can be done sustainably with no impact on wild reefs. Bans that include mariculture and aquaculture are detrimental to their stated agenda of saving the reefs. Their agenda is not actually saving the reefs! Be wary of those asking for donations to save the reefs or restore the reefs, etc. I see many such requests poping up all over. Their sites are slick, their requests seem in ernest, but watch what you are donating to. For one they may be funding shutting down our industry and hobby, or secondly and more likely, feeding someone's pocket.
I thank you for going to these great lengths to promote and sustain a more responsible way forward in the hobby by promoting the use of aquaculture/mariculture. This helps solve the slaughter of our reefs and makes the hobby grow leaps and bounds from the "flower picking method" that we have all seen.Generally in this industry, if you want it done, you do it yourself, at least thats what I do.
My focus is on sustainable culture, that is the only way forward and must be done with the full support of local governments.
There are groups, but thus far from my experience they seem more about padding their pockets than actually doing much. I don't really know much about all the so-called restoration groups. As far as trade groups, none that I know of that promotes mariculture/aquaculture.
You have to remember that this is a very competitive industry and so many of the folks involved were hobbyists turning a love of a hobby into their livelihoods or side jobs in many instances. If its a sideline job for extra income that does not translate often into mobilizing for action. Most folks feel that their private collection and trading and buying among each can fuel their needs. Often forgetting where those corals actually originated from.
Our industry/hobby seems more about lone wolves than organizing for a cause or need. A lot of it is egos, this industry has mega sized egos and everyone knows somebody or says they have the golden egg. So, consequently not much coop among competitors. At least that's my experience. There very well might be something else I'm unaware of.
I thank you for going to these great lengths to promote and sustain a more responsible way forward in the hobby by promoting the use of aquaculture/mariculture. This helps solve the slaughter of our reefs and makes the hobby grow leaps and bounds from the "flower picking method" that we have all seen.
I understand the coral guys and small retailers, But the ORA"s Petco"s Marinland Ecothech and fish importers, whole salers as well as the coralvew"s Kessil and so many BIG boys in the industry here, Europe and even China and Japan need to legitimize this as a commodity otherwise our grand children will not have the opportunity we all have and the Tree Huggers who are well organized and funded will outlaw all things reef because live food is living and has rights.:confused:;Wacky See PITA and live bait (worms)
Its crazy a Go Fund Me can raze a Half a Mill for a homeless guy but this INDUSTRY cant get there $.#.!.T together.........BTW..what does MACNA do other than puffing out their chests?
Maybe we all need to purchase Knock offs from alibaba so the Equipment manufactures, distributors and retailers step up.
SORRY about the rant Doc but some one has to say it!.....You and Walt cant do it alone.
I will agree to disagree so I will not comment anymore.Thanks. But, the reefs are not being "slaughtered".
I think mariculture/aquaculture is the way forward and am putting my energy and resources toward that direction, but wild collection has negligible effect on a constantly renewing resource.
Maybe we all need to purchase Knock offs from alibaba so the Equipment manufactures, distributors and retailers step up.
SORRY about the rant Doc but some one has to say it!.....You and Walt cant do it alone.
Dr. Mac is right about the industry. I was an industry insider, but a very small one, from 1986 until about 2006. I think that is long enough to see the Ego problems for what they are. I remember Peter Hagen telling me "they owned Canada" and were going to do the same in the United States. I just blinked and walked away. I have seen many players come and go and I finally left the industry. The vertical integration from distribution to manufacturing to livestock wholesale and retail that has happened has further weakened the industry. Now you have one or two companies that control retail, wholesale, manufacturing and livestock distribution but they will not lift a finger to help out the supply problems...they are the supply chain from start to finish and they relish the elimination of competition. No one cares about the supply as long as they get theirs. So much self interest and so little support for the actual hobby. PIJAC and other industry organizations will come and go but no one is willing to take the steps necessary to provide a healthy supply chain for the industry. The industry has no lobby firms or efforts to protect itself from this predatory government intrusion into our sustainable supply chain. Just look at logging, mining, hydro power generation and you will see the end game for the pet industry as a whole and aquaculture in particular. The aquarium industry is going to be limited to what smaller operations can grow and provide until their voice is silenced by regulation or lack of sustainable sales. Let's face it there are lots of ways to make a living but the pet industry is one of the harder ones.
I left due to the elimination of supply for acrylics when NAFTA was instituted and all the acrylic manufactures moved to Mexico. Quality and supply plummeted and the supply chain dried up. Still to this day I cannot buy quality acrylic sheet from the distribution channel in the western United States. I would have to buy at volumes that make it crazy to speculate on. Glass is not much better with import sheet from China. So I just sit on the sidelines and watch the industry contract.
I realize I have no answers but lots of questions. Thank you Dr. Mac for keeping us informed. I wish you all the best as you attempt to create a new supply chain. If I knew how to help I would.
So the Parliaments previous comments about trade being good to go essentially meant nothing?
So the Parliaments previous comments about trade being good to go essentially meant nothing?