The Reef Hobby- An Endangered Species?

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BfishLpond78 said:
Who has the ability to lead such a team? Who in the reefing community is well respected and not driven by the all mighty $$$?

If this person presents themselves I'm sure the reef community will back them up with whatever is needed.

Using clownfish just goes to show zero research has gone into this and that they left Finding Nemo on a loop to keep their children happy and all they hear is clown fish clown fish....

Sickening...
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Public aquariums maybe? Commercial aquariums and privately owned seem to be intertwined.

Maybe some Universities with well known researchers who dispute the incorrect claims being made.
 
You make a good point. Maybe someone well respected in the hobby should use their influence to reach out to such a person to start collecting hard data.

Just a thought, I'm sure there are better ones out there
 
BfishLpond78 said:
You make a good point. Maybe someone well respected in the hobby should use their influence to reach out to such a person to start collecting hard data.

Just a thought, I'm sure there are better ones out there
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The only other individuals I could think of that would be able to seriously influence this, is a high up politician that has a reef tank in his/her home. Then the issue is it seems "environmentalists" is becoming a political party. Even though I love the environmentalist mentality and consider myself one, there seems to be ALOT of misinformed people out there.

EDIT: Also, it would be great if all of our aquaculture companies (nationally and internationally) form a unified force to combat this. If they prove they grow X amount of coral Y and X amount of coral Z or raise several thousand clownfish fry per year, it could seriously help diminish the false "impact" on the wild reefs we are blamed for.
 
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shred5 said:
Well this was missed:
NOAA :: National Marine Fisheries Service

Amphiprion percula is also now being reviewed.
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Just read this while reading another. Smh (shaking my head)!

Question for anyone. What if this passes thru for the threatened or endangered species list and we own them? Being it may be illegal to possess them, what are we to do, return them to the ocean? Maybe I've had a long day or I'm just disgusted by the utter thought of my captive species be listed or the fact we reefer's that try to keep/purchase only captive or home grown species (fish and coral). I couldn't focus on work today just thinking about this and the future of our love for the ocean and this hobby. Maybe I'm just losing my mind!
 
I really can do no better than to quote George Carlin (edited out the curse words): "We're so self-important. Everyone's going to save something now. “Save the trees, save the bees, save the whales, save those snails.” And the greatest arrogance of all: save the planet. Save the planet, we don’t even know how to take care of ourselves yet. I’m tired of this crap. I’m tired of stinking Earth Day. I’m tired of these self-righteous environmentalists, these white, bourgeois liberals who think the only thing wrong with this country is that there aren’t enough bicycle paths. People trying to make the world safe for Volvos. Besides, environmentalists don’t give a crap about the planet. Not in the abstract they don’t. You know what they’re interested in? A clean place to live. Their own habitat. They’re worried that some day in the future they might be personally inconvenienced. Narrow, unenlightened self-interest doesn’t impress me."

With that out of the way, what we must master, and quickly, is the sexual reproduction of stony coral in captivity.
 
We are getting involved!

We have additional plans to raise funds in an effort to save our hobby, details coming soon.

 
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Wow, I'm so impressed with the enthusiasm for protecting the hobby here! Here's some further reading on some of our upcoming fights now that the coral ESA listing has been announced:

Orange Clownfish a Step Closer to ESA Listing

Banggai Cardinal NMFS Revie Status

All of you who have donated to PIJAC's marine ornamental defense fund, THANK YOU! Your money is going directly to ensuring that we as aquarists have a say in these high-level decisions that could have a huge effect on not just our hobby, but the booming aquaculture industry here in the US.
 
You know I posted this write up by Scott (hope you don't mind bud, lol) on our local Tampa Bay Reef Club Facebook 2 days ago and not 1 person had anything to say about it. It just blows my mind...
 
ridgelon said:
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.
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Truth is there isn't such thing as "global warming" it's "climate change" some places are hotter, others are colder
 
Cool. "Spread the word" Crazy how we spend so much money to collect dirt from the moon but when it comes to our planet and ocean no one care, it's a known fact we know more about space than we do our own ocean
 
I believe that they should control, and if they must, illegalize wild collection.
But illegalizing aquaculture is just plain moronic. Aquaculture HELPS corals!
 
I think we all can agree on two very important things :

1. If this law does go through, learn from it and look to attempt at stopping it whatever way you can ; rallys, groups, petitions, conferences etc.

2. If it doesn't go through, or not to the extent that we think it will, we should all make sure that it will never get so close to this point again.

We have a voice, we have facts, statistics, everything we need to stop this. All it takes is some time, effort, and dedication.. for EVERYONE who is affected by this idiotic law.
 
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shred5 said:
New endangered coral ruling threatens your right to grow corals

That reef guy this might also answer your question along with others.

Also Len they do talk about species ban...
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I (sped) read the actual document, and there is no immediate plans to prohibit any species except the two Caribbean Acroporids that are already prohibited. NOAA was actually quite clear about this point multiple times. Yes, Threatened status is one step removed from Endangered, but it is a pretty big step. I understand the concern of aquarists about the ESA listing; I'm an aquarist after all and obviously deeply invested in the hobby and industry. However, I think the fear has been exaggerated.

But the most important thing we all need to understand about NOAA/ESA is this: It's really not something the aquarium industry has much influence over. Even if we prove to everyone that our industry is a model conscientious steward of the world (and let's be honest here ... our industry is still very far away from riding this high horse), NOAA may still move ahead with decisions to elevate the listing status or implement prohibitions on certain species. Why? As Thales says, our industry is a mere blip on the radar. They don't care if we are super duper breeders or owners. If the species is threatened by whatever (coastal development, climate change, CoTS, diseases, pollution, ad nasuem), it's going to head towards some protection.

I would love to see a fairer ESA policy that restricts collection and importion of species deemed seriously threatened but yet allow the interstate trade of propagated/captive-bred species similar to what they do with CITES registered asian arowana breeders in certain countries. Unfortunately, the USA usually takes a "all or nothing" prohibition approach.

PIJAC's threat to sue NOAA does not sit well with me. Maybe I'm naive and this is actually how lobbies work, but I just can't understand how suing the organization you hope to win over is a good idea. It's bad PR. It's also completely pointless for the reason I stated in the previous paragraph. PIJAC also believes it's a right to own animals, even those that are threatened. It's not a right. It's a priveleged responsibility.

IMHO, I would spend our collective resources to fight organizations like Sea Shepard, which (with the help of For the Fishes and Snorkel Bob) is spreading outrageous misinformation in their propaganda campaign.

And IMHO, the emphasis should not be about protecting our hobby. It should be about doing what is right ... what is scientifically sound. If some corals are threatened, and some corals really are threatened, our hobby can not stand in the way of their protection because we like greater variety in our glass boxes or we want our livestock cheaper.
 
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CherryCorals said:
We are getting involved!

We have additional plans to raise funds in an effort to save our hobby, details coming soon.

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Thanks guys for your donation.

Everyone must pitch in though.

Hobbyists
Collectors
Wholesalers
Dealers

Everyone
 

IF YOU HAD TO TAKE A REEFING EXAM, WOULD YOU PASS?

  • Yes!

    Votes: 32 45.7%

  • Not yet, but I have one that I want to buy in mind!

    Votes: 9 12.9%

  • No.

    Votes: 26 37.1%

  • Other (please explain).

    Votes: 3 4.3%
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