Should we "rob the reef" for the future?

[kellyjn]

Yes, I think we should take rare corals for science. Cryogenically freeze a sample, and start mariculturing (for re-seeding purposes only) another sample.

 

[Joost's reef]

Im all for conservation dont get me wrong but one thing humans have a hard time understanding is that we need to allow animals to go extinct its part of nature. adapt or die yes we can do our part not to aid the problem but every animal plays into its environment and vise versa

Great idea! we should just keep the greenhouse gases rolling, keep polluting our oceans with plastic, we should just let small mistakes like oil spills happen to save money so we can get ahead of the other inferior nations. We should just keep cutting down forests, and we should overfish our oceans. We should do anything to make money while destroying our planet. Great plan, God must gave us the ability to so we should right? That same God of yours gave you the ability to kill your neighbor so why not just do? I guess you'll have to buy a book or a set of DVD's to understand me with my "Green Dragon" destroying prosperity of the poor Americans.

 

[Joost's reef]

I'd like to note that I don't have anything against religious people.

 

[Captain Nemo]

Personally I think that we should be careful either way. I dont see why we cant just take the small colony of some corals and grow them out in the ocean and transport to a location where the params are exact to the ocean and grow more there. That way we perseve the reef and only take what we need, and have more for future reefers. Just my opnion on this. I have seen where they are growing out certain corals in Fiji and Bora, and it seems to work well. Anyways my 2cents.

 

[spscrazy]

my first thought when I saw this poll was who is "we" to me that would be a big factor on how my vote went. there is a difference between something going extinct and something being exterminated.

 

[Bubbles_B]

I dont like people that take stuff freely from where it "naturally" belongs just to say its RARE and hard to find. Dude, you found it and others like it in the reef. I wish I can take those people from their natural state and frag them up propgate them for resale and say that they're RARE. Think about it for a second, is it really worth it to try and go against the grain of nature's course of action? Things happen for a reson and a good one at that. Don't be fooled by the profitability of a "New Rare" coral. There is just no such thing as RARE. I am a funny, passionate about cooking, fun loving, basketball playing, asian american, that hates asian food and perfers American food. Does that make me RARE?

You tell me beacuse their are others just like me out there in this huge world. Think about it, soak it all in...

I vote heck NO!

 

[Triggerman77]

Yes It should be done under strict Regulations ! and Aided by someone with serious Knowledge of reef conservation!! "Ie" Ken Nedimyer This guy is my idol !!!! He devoted his whole life with or without Help from Government And/or Other Agency's
And some of u guys talking about doing it ! It Can be done!!!! Even Here in the US. U could just travel to other Countries to find and collect small fragments of rare and endangered species. In conjunction with Federal and local Authority's Of Course.
Check this Guy and read all info u can Google on Ken Nedimyer. I would post a link but not sure it allowed

O and i would def change the title !! LOL Not Robbing!! Saving The Reef !!!!! :wink:

 

[Akwarius]

I voted that I have no freakin idea! Conservation in general is a philosophical paradox. Our saving of organisms that may go extinct could interfere with mother nature, at the same time the very presence of the human race is also causing more extinction. How do we decide what lives and what dies? And if every organism is spared, then what effect will this have on the evolving ecosystems of our planet?

 

[mpoletti]

I know that I have a lot of friends in the industry, but I wish that we would close CITIES and went to 100% captivated propagated and breeding. When we perfecting our breeding practices, collect different broodstock and farm from there.

My $.02

 

[brahm]

sure, but I don't think it should be hobbyists. It should be some sort of organization that is funded, dedicated and can be held accountable. I'd hate to be the guy to post on here my tank crashed during a power failure and I lost the last of some species.

 

[Steve W]

Rare species should command a high premium price, and the bulk of this price should go to funding such a facility

Steve W

lol

It's actually a strong idea. How to fund it or how one went about doing it would be another issue....the idea itself is good though.

 

[Steve W]

I also think that collection of rare or unusual species should be done scientifically. If we are going to have any hope of sucessfully raising and propagating these species then we need information about the area where they are collected. i.e., salinity, temperature, nutrient levels, currents and current speeds, types of plantonic life, etc. If this type of information was collected then we would have a better chance of keeping them alive. Without it, we are contributing to extinction of the corals and our hobby.

Steve W

 

[Reef Pets]

Lets be realistic about collecting from the natural reefs... A wild reef is somewhat like a hobbyists reef tank, with out fragging and trimming the reef will over grow and eventually the coral will touch and we all know what happens from there... If coral is not taken from the reef it is a fact that the tropical islands from where these are are collected get series storms, hurricanes, tsunamis, cyclones and the list goes on. Anytime that these storms or disasters occur much or the reef gets badly damaged or destroyed.
Maybe I look at the topic somewhat different? But I believe that if coral is not collected to a certain extent we as hobbyist will only miss out on such beautiful coral. If the reefs become over grown mother nature will run its course and the reefs will be cut back from natural causes.

The government / United States Fish and Wildlife kill more coral than anyone and all hobbyist combined. The paperwork for importing has to be absolutely perfect or the shipment will be seized and set aside to eventually be thrown in the trash. The government seems to be so concerned about the environment but has no problem seizing entire shipments because a coral species was listed wrong on paperwork. By import/export laws they cannot release the shipment and in turn all of it dies due to a simple clerical error.