The Reef Hobby- An Endangered Species?

[Nic dos santos]

Our Reefs

hi everyone
I just wanted to share our coral and fish collection industry here in Australia, Provision Reef is our industry association www.provisionreef.org.au we work hard as a group to maintain our sustainable collecting in the Great Barrier Reef Marine park, we work with scientists, and government body's globally. we wish to share our practice's globally to ensure the future of our industry and to set a bench mark globally.

it would be great for everyone to look and share our industry's organisation with as many as you can, we will never stop moving forward to ensure we are leading the way to a better future for our reefs.

all knowledge shared is a benefit for all from the scientist community to the hobbyist's.


a quote I said to a scientist last year, was one I will pursue, we have some of the best coral carers in the world "the hobbyist's" if the oceans were to change drastically due to global warming, we have the best live library of all species in the global hobbyist's aquariums, and the best coral propagators in the world to replant our reefs

thanks
Nic Dos Santos
Ultra Coral Australia

Provsion Reef
vice president

 

[ridgelon]

well, looks like I'll end up in jail with the drug dealers then. We won't stop selling our aquacultured corals even if we have to give the coral away and just 'charge for packaging and handling fees' or go meet people on a dark street corner in the middle of the night. Most people who pass laws don't think much and are completely out of touch with reality. Go tell the global warming environmentalists wackos to take a look at the water temps of Fiji for the last 20 years, it's not warming at all.

 

[Leonard]

While we are certainly inching closer to certain prohibitions for certain species, IMHO this post is too much FUD, doom and gloom. I have not heard of any reports or indiciations that any of these 20 newly listed species will be elevated to genus level, nor do I think this is even a realistic possibility for the foreseeable future.

The NOAA findings does not implicate the aquarium industry as being a major contributor to the threatened status of these 20 newly listed corals. Our hobby is mentioned mostly in passing, so there isn't some great bias by NOAA towards our industry. The marine ornamental hobby/industry really has very little effect on the future ESA listing for these corals. As long as reefs are threatened by coastal development, pollution, climate change, et al., NOAA will continue down this road. Unless you can stop the tourism industry and big oil, this is unfortunately largely out of our hands.

Please note my comments only pertain to the ESA listing. In regards to Sea Shepard, Snorkel Bob, For the Fishes, et al., I agree an unified front to combat their misinformation is a great idea.

 

[Ddavis]

Not going to wait

As some of you indicated this might just be a lobbyist organization trying to get funding. However in Hawaii the topic of banning animals has come up quite a bit and every bit of reduction in fish population has been blamed on the aquarium hobby. The ban on Lion Fish in the aquarium trade in Florida is another move without evidence that the aquarium trade caused the issue.

As Oscoror said:
"Oscaror

All these anti aquarium activists are just a bunch of ingnorant numbskulls. And if this hobby is banned, I'll just watch and laugh as the reefs crumble from these idiots running around in their sunscreen killing a coral each minute. And they'll just blame it on something new."​

As busy as our government officials are I do not think for one minute that they have the time to do the research themselves so the group that looks most organized will win the vote. I would just like to see that before our government moves to change our ability to maintain these animals that they would look at the facts and have real evidence that we are negatively in anyway impacting the environment. Without someone to stand in the room with the legislators to encourage them to do the research the person that yells the loudest will get the vote. I for one am not going to wait until this hobby is taken away from me and I want someone to represent the pets that I maintain and have become a member of PIJAC.

 

[Krull]

If anything, we as hobbiest could help turn around the problem at hand. There's got to be something we can do to change this and the future of our oceans.

 

[uniquecorals]

hi everyone
I just wanted to share our coral and fish collection industry here in Australia, Provision Reef is our industry association www.provisionreef.org.au we work hard as a group to maintain our sustainable collecting in the Great Barrier Reef Marine park, we work with scientists, and government body's globally. we wish to share our practice's globally to ensure the future of our industry and to set a bench mark globally.

it would be great for everyone to look and share our industry's organisation with as many as you can, we will never stop moving forward to ensure we are leading the way to a better future for our reefs.

all knowledge shared is a benefit for all from the scientist community to the hobbyist's.


a quote I said to a scientist last year, was one I will pursue, we have some of the best coral carers in the world "the hobbyist's" if the oceans were to change drastically due to global warming, we have the best live library of all species in the global hobbyist's aquariums, and the best coral propagators in the world to replant our reefs

thanks
Nic Dos Santos
Ultra Coral Australia

Provsion Reef
vice president

Thank you for sharing! We would love to learn more about how Provision Reef is working with the industry, scientists, and government!

-Scott

 

[uniquecorals]

While we are certainly inching closer to certain prohibitions for certain species, IMHO this post is too much FUD, doom and gloom. I have not heard of any reports or indiciations that any of these 20 newly listed species will be elevated to genus level, nor do I think this is even a realistic possibility for the foreseeable future.

The NOAA findings does not implicate the aquarium industry as being a major contributor to the threatened status of these 20 newly listed corals. Our hobby is mentioned mostly in passing, so there isn't some great bias by NOAA towards our industry. The marine ornamental hobby/industry really has very little effect on the future ESA listing for these corals. As long as reefs are threatened by coastal development, pollution, climate change, et al., NOAA will continue down this road. Unless you can stop the tourism industry and big oil, this is unfortunately largely out of our hands.

Please note my comments only pertain to the ESA listing. In regards to Sea Shepard, Snorkel Bob, For the Fishes, et al., I agree an unified front to combat their misinformation is a great idea.

You are definitely correct about the NOAA findings..We are certainly not implicated as the major contributor. We are mentioned in passing, but the problem is- we don't see all of the other factors being regulated into impotence (i.e.; contraction, oil trades, tourism, etc.). The problem, as I see it, is that we have done little to separate the trade from the other perceived threats to the reefs, and as a result, we are the easiest of the threats to eliminate. The reefs are in danger because of man's activities, but we in the hobby and industry are the only group among the negative forces listed that is actually doing something about it- like regulating collection, fostering mariculture, and supporting aquaculture ventures. And, rather than making a distinction between maricultured and aquacultures corals, they are just...corals, and if there is a total ban, that's that.. Talk to the guys on the forefront of the fight for the hobby, and they'll tell you that the elevation of the protections to these corals to a species level is a VERY realistic possibility....Scary thought.

Well, there was a lot of negativity here...We do need to get off of our collective rear ends and understand just how we can help save the reefs AND maintain a sustainable trade. We need to let the outside world- including whackos you mentioned that we are not the bad guys here...A lot of work to do on our end. It starts with understanding that there is a problem, facing it, and supporting those who speak on behalf of us.

Thanks for your excellent points!

Scott

 

[Nic dos santos]

Thanks scott, the more we do together the stronger we stand

pls take the time to watch and read the information and share the video with you local forums, we are backed by scientists and government body's here in Australia

 

[Terence]

Want to really make a change? Don't just blindly give money to a lobby or PAC. Actually get involved with government. Local government, state government, federal government. It does make a difference to know who your congressperson is and continually write them, go to their office, learn how they vote. There are so many unintended consequences from do-gooders out there - this is just the one that finally affects us directly.

And, this is a situation where people need to fight asymmetrically. By that I mean don't just only go fund the lobby, some of you out there that are film makers should use this as an opportunity to show the world not just the hobby, but the people and animals whose lives depend on it. And I don't only mean us. I mean indigenous people that not only need the trade to eat and support their families, but the lengths they go to to protect the reefs - their livelihood. It is through their own capitalistic self-interest that they protect the reef. This should be put into a documentary in such a way that it shows what did happen to the reefs before the hobby, what these people had to do before the hobby to survive, and what will happen when it ends. That is what would be effective and changing minds and getting people involved.

Market forces work.

Think Blackfish

 

[CWMorrow]

Are you up against PETA?

 

[Tank2379]

I want to do a salt bucket challenge- I also donated

 

[VelasCorals]

Ban clown fish??? Are you serious? I'm surprised the documentation didn't read "we need to prevent the sale, distribution and trade of all nemos". So ignorant...

 

[reggaedrummin]

Can't keep me out of it!

 

[kashbrook]

PIJAC membership

Hey Scott,

I have been an aquarist for over 25 years, but started keeping salt water in the mid 1990s after I became an avid SCUBA diver in the Republic of Panama (wish I still lived there). It is where I discovered that I could maintain a reef of my own in a 55 gallon tank. I collected various specimen to study habits and released them after a few months right where I got them. I continued to observe specimen I released to make sure they were okay (adapted back to natural feeding if I ever gave them pellets, didn't place them in harms way, etc.).

I taught my children to respect wildlife - large or small. They have watched the way I take care of our corals and fish. Now, my youngest daughter is a freshman in college studying ecology. My hope is to have an influence on our younger generation to be stewards of these precious critters, but my fear is this will end with this new Endangered Species Act.

I just joined the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council (as a hobbyist) and also donated. Thank you Scott for posting this important issue. I hope we win.. and by we I mean the reefs in general, our aquarium reefs and fish, and those of us concerned about conserving/preserving wildlife. Through specimen collection or captive bred reproduction distribution WE are the reason why some corals have not completely died out - well that's my opinion any way.

 

[asandbox]

Why don't they stop the houndred of gallons of radioactive waste that's still leaking form the nuclear plants in japan every single day

 

[Oldude]

Thanks Scott I appreciate your comments. It would be a real shame if the environmentalists took things to the ridiculous & this great hobby became outlawed.
I think hobbyists have done a lot in regards to "coral" education although yes we should do more. That said, it isn't always easy influencing public opinion as the majority of people rarely get to see a real reef let alone captive one. In my opinion it is rare for even public aquariums to do a very good job with their reef displays. I don't mean to stereotype but the ones I've been to have had unwhelming captive reef displays as they seem to invest their time & money into the big fish & animals. I guess what am trying to say is that the beauty of what a captive reef can become is seldom seen by the general public so any outrageous legislation would likely be lost on them so as you stated we need to drive an increased awareness and try to make a difference.
Over the years I have been fortunate to have had the opportunity to open up my home & share my reef with cubs, scouts and other church/youth groups who came for a tour and I believe they always leave with a new awareness and appreciation for aquatic life, coral reefs & the ocean in general.
Moving forward I think awareness is key to having a common sense & factual approach to what is being legislated.

 

[Nacltdog]

Years ago the AMA (Academy of model aeronautics) began talks with the FAA to set forth rules of operation. Mostly common sence rules which the AMA already had I place. IE Don't fly around a real airport. Very quickly the AMA found out it was in bed with the devil and when the FAA's ruling came out models were all but thrown in with the drone club. Oh even thought the AMA sat down with the FAA in joint corporation the FAA wound not let the AMA see their purposed ruling until it officially released it.... What happened next, a organization that is about 78 years young with over 170,000 member started calling all sorts of elected officials and made them understand the stupidity of the situation. Very quickly the FAA got some heat to let the "model planes" alone.

What we need is a like minded body. Like maybe "S.E.A." Society of Environmentally friendly Aquarist. A non-profit. body for the education, protection, and revitalization of aquatic environments. A strong, unified voice, well funded organization to lobby (puke) for our hobbies protection.

When it gets right down to it, we reef keeper are really scientists in the pursuit of marine aquaculture, a whole lot of scientist at that. Our hobby has amassed more research than the limited number of grad. students that the university's turn out.

Ok I am off my salt box now..

 

[lionfish5740]

Didn't have a chance to read everything posted yet so I apologize if it was said already.

I've recently read (I believe in Coral magazine) about how Asia is becoming the largest importer of saltwater fish/coral. More of a fad for the increasing middle class. I'm not trying to shift any blame, more of emphasizing the importance of more of us being more mindful of the impact.

I listened to Reef Threads podcast of MANCA this past weekend. I recall hearing them talk about a speech given by a local fish store owner who's focused on getting people into the hobby instead of the rest of us. They know that the money is to be made with new people of the hobby, or worse off, temporary visitors spending some cash. I know everybody has to start somewhere but I'm against people buying fish or coral with zero knowledge of their care requirements. It disgusts me how many LFS I've seen that are about the sale only instead of the care of the livestock. You can be arrested for animal cruelty of larger land animals but not fish or corals? To be clear, I'm speaking about the seller and the buyer being responsible. This is only one aspect of the hobby that dumbfounds me.
During the recession, I worked for a pet store for a short time... naturally the fish department. I was almost fired repeatedly for refusing to sell to customers for various reasons (e.g. issues with tank size, husbandry, water quality, ignorance or stupidity, etc). What saved my job was that I acquired a growing group of customers that would only buy from me. They learned quickly that their success rates increased dramatically of keeping their new pets alive. If I had the day off then they asked my hours and came back. Of course I made peanuts and got horrible, not to mention very few hours so I couldn't stay there. The owner and managers noticed how my sales did so well but didn't follow my example when I resigned.

BTW, I'm by no means some tree hugger/PETA fanatic. I've loved this hobby for the past 15 years and don't plan on quitting it, ever.

 

[AquariGod]

Again, awesome points guys.

We just need to keep the visibility up for our hobby in a good and honest light...It's so ironic that the people who perhaps love reefs more than anyone are being most profoundly attacked for causing their demise.

How wierd would it be one day in the far future if scientists and governments were to approach reef hobbyists to help re-populate the corals that vanished long after the trade became illegal.I mean, doubtful, but could you kind of imagine a scenario like that?

-Scott

Hmm

 

[AquariGod]

Ban clown fish??? Are you serious? I'm surprised the documentation didn't read "we need to prevent the sale, distribution and trade of all nemos". So ignorant...

Lol I know right ?