Is Indonesia Ban going to lift?

chicago · Jan 8, 2020

Opened? Today?

stacksoner · Jan 8, 2020

They will never lift the ban---or allow corals to be exported as we once knew it.

What we're likely to see are aquacultured imports with uncompetitive pricing. It's obvious that their govt cares very little about this trade vein given its willingness to shut it down indefinitely. They're going to tax the hell out of these products to offset new internal regulatory costs.

ppatches24 · Jan 9, 2020

chicago said:
Opened? Today?

No? Where are you seeing that?

Bape47 · Jan 9, 2020

Who said they open in Jan 2020?

GlassMunky · Jan 9, 2020

According to this article that was posted 4 hours ago shipping opens up on Jan13

Indonesian Cultured Coral Exports will Resume Next Week! | Reef Builders | The Reef and Saltwater Aquarium Blog

After a nearly two year hiatus, next week Indonesian coral farmers will once again be able to export their cultured corals. Following a long process that started with the re-election of president…

reefbuilders.com

ScottR · Jan 9, 2020

GlassMunky said:
According to this article that was posted 4 hours ago shipping opens up on Jan13

Indonesian Cultured Coral Exports will Resume Next Week! | Reef Builders | The Reef and Saltwater Aquarium Blog

After a nearly two year hiatus, next week Indonesian coral farmers will once again be able to export their cultured corals. Following a long process that started with the re-election of president…

reefbuilders.com

I just ran into this article here on r2r earlier. Apparently only one farm has the ok so far. Just a tiny drip in the ocean.

Sofishtication · Jan 9, 2020

Personally I think the ban should stay in place. It’s great that stocks are being monitored and trade restricted accordingly, however by lifting the ban you will get 10 people descimating stocks for every one person who is respectful to the habit in their work.
As much as I want fresh stock of cheap coral in my living room I’d rather the habitat I’m trying to recreate is preserved.

chicago · Jan 9, 2020

These are not being taken from the reefs.. they are being aquacultured like some of the fish we are all eating. and the clams and oysters we are also enjoying. Not to mention the workers that are being employed in the process. There was on a post a great video of the process . many more videos out there.

shred5 · Jan 9, 2020

GlassMunky said:
According to this article that was posted 4 hours ago shipping opens up on Jan13

Indonesian Cultured Coral Exports will Resume Next Week! | Reef Builders | The Reef and Saltwater Aquarium Blog

After a nearly two year hiatus, next week Indonesian coral farmers will once again be able to export their cultured corals. Following a long process that started with the re-election of president…

reefbuilders.com

I would not believe anything reefbuilders says about Indonesia they have had it wrong from the beginning..

But I hope so..

PacificEastAquaculture · Jan 9, 2020

Email today from one of my suppliers:

Hi Dr. Mac,

This email is to let you know that the issuance of Health / Veterinary Certificate for corals in Indonesia has been allowed, thus resuming coral export - in this case cultured corals.

Only cultured corals are allowed for export at this initial stage. Health Certificate will be issued and obtained, after the exporters pass some mandatory procedures. One of the key procedures is the inspection done at the exporter’s farm facility by the Fisheries Agency officer, 1 week prior to shipment. Corals to be exported are those to be inspected and checked. It means our business partners cannot just ask and get our shipment as quickly as in the past. Not at this initial stage.

sde1500 · Jan 9, 2020

PacificEastAquaculture said:
Email today from one of my suppliers:

Hi Dr. Mac,

This email is to let you know that the issuance of Health / Veterinary Certificate for corals in Indonesia has been allowed, thus resuming coral export - in this case cultured corals.

Only cultured corals are allowed for export at this initial stage. Health Certificate will be issued and obtained, after the exporters pass some mandatory procedures. One of the key procedures is the inspection done at the exporter’s farm facility by the Fisheries Agency officer, 1 week prior to shipment. Corals to be exported are those to be inspected and checked. It means our business partners cannot just ask and get our shipment as quickly as in the past. Not at this initial stage.

Now we're getting somewhere!

shred5 · Jan 9, 2020

PacificEastAquaculture said:
Email today from one of my suppliers:

Hi Dr. Mac,

This email is to let you know that the issuance of Health / Veterinary Certificate for corals in Indonesia has been allowed, thus resuming coral export - in this case cultured corals.

Only cultured corals are allowed for export at this initial stage. Health Certificate will be issued and obtained, after the exporters pass some mandatory procedures. One of the key procedures is the inspection done at the exporter’s farm facility by the Fisheries Agency officer, 1 week prior to shipment. Corals to be exported are those to be inspected and checked. It means our business partners cannot just ask and get our shipment as quickly as in the past. Not at this initial stage.

Now you I believe since you are directly involved.
I would bet the inspections will continue and is one of the conditions to make sure illegal corals are not being shipped and most likely to make sure excess corals are not being shipped. I would bet there is a limit.

Larry L · Jan 9, 2020

shred5 said:
I would not believe anything reefbuilders says about Indonesia they have had it wrong from the beginning..

That blog post was written by Vincent Chalias, who operates coral aquaculture farms in Bali. He probably knows what he is talking about.

Zoajohn · Jan 9, 2020

I like to see that it’s lifted for cultured organisms only.

zalick · Jan 9, 2020

chicago said:
These are not being taken from the reefs.. they are being aquacultured like some of the fish we are all eating. and the clams and oysters we are also enjoying. Not to mention the workers that are being employed in the process. There was on a post a great video of the process . many more videos out there.

As an avid diver and frequent traveler to Indonesia, I can say from my first hand experience this is incorrect. I've dove reefs all over Indonesia, both the popular spots and places nobody has probably ever been (on a private boat). I've seen many of the coral restoration projects first hand, and underwater. I've also had countless discussions with locals who are involved with reef preservation.

When the trade is opened for only aquaculture, you will still have unscrupulous actors who take from the reef. The ocean is too massive to patrol it all. Where there's profit (and poverty), there will be people exploiting it.

The number of people employed in the trade is a drop in the bucket compared to the number of people that are employed when the reefs are thriving.

I'm all for supporting aquacultered corals. And if the choice is between taking directly from a reef v. growing aquacultered in a previously barren bay, I vote aquaculture of course. But a complete ban is the best way to ensure the reefs thrive for generations.

Bans place the pressure on us, who are fortunate compared to the average Indonesian, to come up with new technology so we can grow coral inside, without disrupting the reefs at all.