# The ReefKeeping Hobby,An Endangered Species?



## Flameangel (Sep 25, 2013)

The U.S. Government has enacted legislation that can seriously impact- or even end- the reef hobby as we know it. Protections for 15 Indo Pacific species have been afforded, meaning that they will be listed as threatened. Species listed include members of the genus Acropora, Euphyllia, and others.

The collection, importation, and distribution of these corals is essentially illegal. And this is just the beginning. According to some observers, this listing might extend to the genus level, meaning that trade in all Acropora, for example, could be considered off limits-banned entirely, or at best, severely restricted. In other words, the legislation is so sweeping that, regardless of how the corals were sourced, they could be off limits to commerce.

Look, I am all for passing legislation that protects the reefs, up to and including bans on legitimately endangered species. But the implication that these, or any species, was severely affected solely because of the ornamental aquarium trade is biased, inaccurate, and downright unfair. The problem here is that this opens the door to far more sweeping, far more restrictive general bans.

It means that even maricultured, aquacultured, and otherwise captive-propagated corals could be illegal to sell or purchase. They would be treated in the same sweeping manner as if you were trying to sell White Tigers or some other endangered animals. Under this type of ban, the club frag swap would be as illegal as a bunch of drug dealers swapping samples of crack. Yep.

This is the real deal. The end of the line for our innocence. It's the sum of all fears… All of the corals that we frag, propagate, and, yes- treasure, could be, in theory, removed from our hobby altogether. For that matter, our hobby could be removed altogether.

Despite the apparently reviewing enormous amounts of scientific data, government legislators came to the conclusion that the aquarium trade is more damaging to the reefs than say, recreational yachting, tuna fishing, agricultural runoff, bilge pumping, and “eco tourism.” 

Despite the fact that the reef aquarium hobby and associated coral propagation industry is absolutely saturated with conscientious purveyors who have worked to grow out thousands of coral frags in their facilities over the years so that wild collection would become unnecessary.

Is it the final countdown? Time to party “like it’s 1999?"

Who knows for sure at this point? 

What we do know is that this legislation represents the biggest threat to the hobby yet.

A celebration must be in order for “Snorkel Bob”, “For the Fishes”, and the other “reef hugger” pseudo-“environmentalist” groups, their reactionary, ill-informed masses, and their ridiculously perverted, largely mis-directed agendas. Through their highly publicized, over-the-top, ridiculously exaggerated and hyper-inflated “data” showing the “egregious" amount of damage the aquarium trade has done to the coral reefs, they may have dealt a decisive blow to a largely responsible, multi-million dollar industry that employs tens of thousands of people worldwide.

Hmm…The aquarium industry causes more damage to corals than a bunch of ignorant, sunblock-smeared tourists flailing about wildly with their rented swim fins over delicate coral reefs, after being delivered by boats with diesel-powered engines and bilge pumps, could do? Apparently so. The mind boggles…

A vivid memory of mine from MACNA in Dallas was when none other than Jean-Michel Cousteau, who, after walking the show floor filled with dozens of coral vendors offering propagated frags, and manufacturers hawking highly advanced equipment for coral care, literally muttered to himself, “I had no idea…”

Why is that? Because we- and that includes many of us in the reef keeping world- hobbyists, vendors, manufacturers- the whole ball of wax- have done a not-so-good job of letting the rest of the non-aquarium-keeping world know that we’re actually a bunch of really cool people who definitely give a darn about the state of the world’s reefs, probably more than the very people, loud though they may be, who are trying to shut down the hobby forever.

Yeah, we got a beat down from a bunch of people who have no clue whatsoever about what the hobby and industry are really like; our ethos, values, and how minimal our impact really is compared to virtually every other threat to the reefs, and to corals in particular.

We are the proverbial “low hanging fruit”- the easiest of the potential targets…Our lobbying power is, apparently, the weakest of all of the apparent groups associated with damage to coral reefs.

So, to a reefer- ALL corals will truly become “LE”- won’t they?

We flat out screwed up. I know I did.

Yes, this is our wake up call. I’m giving all of us the proverbial “b- - - - slap.” And I’m starting with myself. 

Instead of writing an article about how the reef hobby is virtually the stewards of the reefs for an airline magazine, National Geographic, or the New York Times, I have been writing pieces about aquascaping and why you should grow macro algae in your sump. I’ve been lecturing about nutrient control and export at MACNA, instead of urging my fellow reefers to become empowered and rally behind those fighting the external threats facing the hobby.

We go nuts on forums and argue about the merits of ULNS, zeolites, what protein skimmer is the best, and which version of the @[email protected]#$%# Acropora is the “real deal”, when, in reality, we all need to be just devoting a fraction of that time telling the non-reefing world about all of the cool stuff we do with corals. Most speakers and authors, such as myself, give a mere passing reference to the problems facing our industry during our talks, and don’t effectively use our “influence” and notoriety to let the outside world know that WE are the true conservationists here.

We don’t “vote with our pocketbooks” enough, making a loud enough tussle to discourage those within our industry from supporting non-sustainable livestock operations and suppliers.


And what did we do to stop this stuff as a hobby and industry? 

Not a whole lot, actually. Yeah, I’m calling us all out again: Hobbyists, industry people too. "STARS" OF AQUARIUM-BASED TV SHOWS!! Where are you guys when you could really do some good at reaching a broader audience than virtually anyone else in the aquatics field at the moment? You think that just because you build aquariums for ignorant masses that the potential ban doesn't affect YOU? 

Crickets. 

Silence.

We collectively bury our head in the sand year after year, hoping that “they” in some industry lobby that we have made little effort to learn about (PIJAC) can maneuver to stop these bills from being implemented, without our support, save an occasional "attaboy" or nod to an industry advocate like Ret Talbot. We hear the talks at conferences, but we continue to believe that these things are the vague and pointless ramblings of a few “Chicken Littles”, claiming that the sky is falling. 

Guess what? The sky IS falling. It actually fell. We screwed around too long, and now the Clownfish are coming home to the anemone for good. The “environmentalists”, in their zealous, unfocused frenzy to get some progress by taking out ANY available target, are mobilized and winning this battle.

How serious is it this time? Well, at MACNA, I had occasion to talk to two of the guys leading the charge for the industry against this threat, ORA’s Dustin Dorton, and Live Aquaria’s Kevin Kohen. Both of these guys were visibly disturbed by the NOAA ruling, and when guys of this caliber get shaken, it’s time for all of us to take it very seriously.

Am I overreacting here? I don't think so- not this time.


Okay, I’ve pointed out what we did wrong. It’s time to talk about what we can do to help.

First, individual hobbyists can spark wider discussions about these topics on the message boards…We need to really let everyone know what’s going on. We need to encourage individuals, clubs, stores, vendors, and anyone associated with the hobby/industry to send monetary donations to the PIJAC (Pet Industry Join Advisory Council):

PIJAC Marine Ornamental Defense Fund 1146 19th Street NW, Suite 350 Washington, D.C. 20036

You can call them at 202-452-1525x1020, or find out more information at PIJAC.org/marine

All monies collected will be used to help pay the cost for PIJAC’s legal team fight this legislation, and will go directly to protecting the marine ornamentals hobby.

If you think that you can’t get your friends to donate easily, I suggest a grassroots Facebook campaign similar to that used for the “ALS Ice Bucket Challenge”- perhaps the PIJAC “Salt Bucket Challenge”, whatever…call out your friends, fellow vendors, industry and non-industry types! Something. Anything.

Second, clubs can have frag swap events and raffles to donate a portion of the proceeds to this fund. Even more important, clubs and even individual hobbyists should reach out into the broader aquarium hobby, and even to the non-aquarium hobby, to solicit support and donations to help this cause. 

The detractors are taking our hobby away from the very people who have the most respect and love for the reefs- US! It’s time we fight back…but not with venom and frustration. We need to fight back by letting the rest of the world know the real facts about the impact of our hobby and industry on the wild reefs, and the true amount of concern and caring that we have for these irreplaceable natural resources. If we’ve ever needed to take a stand- now is truly the time.

Yes, the reefs are in trouble. And no- our hobby is not the sole cause of it, or even a significant cause of it. We as a group must show no tolerance for non-sustainable, unethical practices that can endanger these priceless natural resources. 

Scott Fellman


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## altcharacter (Jan 10, 2011)

You forget that these corals will be allowed to be imported from canada into the US as long as you have the proper paperwork.

Just as you see the Japanese Rhizo coming in on shipments from the Philippines, americans will now start to see acros being shipped in as well from other parts of the world.


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## Flameangel (Sep 25, 2013)

*The collection, importation, and distribution of these corals is essentially illegal*. And this is just the beginning. According to some observers, this listing might extend to the genus level, meaning that trade in all Acropora, for example, could be considered *off limits-banned entirely, or at best, severely restricted*.


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## nc208082 (Jun 27, 2013)

But is it only illegal in the us? Hard to believe US can impose a world wide ban on this with many countries that have huge industry with the marine hobby.


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## Flameangel (Sep 25, 2013)

As always,other countries more especially Canada will follow the leader.


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## noy (Nov 19, 2012)

they are listed as threatened and not endangered - and here is the posting from the NOAA website as to what that means

What Happens Next?
•There are currently no prohibitions relating to individual conduct, except for those related to the two previously listed elkhorn and staghorn corals in the Caribbean.
•We will consult with federal agencies on actions that they execute, fund, or authorize that "may affect" listed corals to ensure the action does not jeopardize the continued existence of these corals.
•In the future, we may also identify specific regulations for the conservation of these threatened species, because ESA prohibitions against "take" are not automatically applied as they are for species listed as endangered.
•We will continue to work with communities to help them understand how the agency's decision may or may not affect them. The tools available under the Endangered Species Act are sufficiently flexible so that they can be used in partnership with coastal jurisdictions, in a manner that will allow activity to move forward in a way that does not jeopardize listed coral.
•We will now work with partners on mitigation measures and recovery strategies for the newly listed corals, building from approaches that have shown success elsewhere.

I think all of these corals are controlled under CITES appendix ii anyways. Since we (Canada) don't harvest these corals - we would follow the CITES guildlines (as we had always done).

Took a quick look at acropora lokani - the export quotas in place for 2014 are:
Fiji 40000 
Indonesia 3000 [Quota for GENUS Acropora]
Malaysia 0 [Quota for CLASS Anthozoa] all - Sabah (didn't look this up).

Acropora jacquelineae - 3000 for Indonesia.

as for the frogspawn - Euphyllia paradivisa
there is a quota for Indonesia for 2500.

Didn't check all the other species but don't think there will be any prohibitions that impact us in any significant way.


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## Announce (Aug 27, 2008)

Wow. I can't believe the amount of ignorance and bias in that article. I usually like the articles on reef builders but this one is absolutely ridiculous. 

I will craft a more detailed response when I have some time, but for us to completely shut down a legal movement that is finally trying to do something to protect the worlds oceans is ridiculous - legislators are well aware of the economic boost provided by the hobby and despite this are making movements to protect our planet. 

If anything this law is a god send for our hobby, which especially in regards to reef fish is drastically unsustainable. With laws prohibiting import the hobby will not die, it will grow and it will adapt to actually be sustainable and ethical. No more importing of wild corals? Good now we can focus on propagating the ones we have, and create a hobby that is not reliant on natural resources. 

Yes there are ethical suppliers that we import from, but having seen first hand the damage cyanide, reef bombing, and unsustainable catching practices, this should have been done long ago.

Also his argument that "the hobby causes less damage than yachting or fishing" is shockingly ignorant. They all damage the ocean, and it seems like Fellman is implying that we should only target the most damaging first. No, we should do what we feasibly can, when we can. 

This will not kill our hobby, it will grow it. I urge the community not to take Mr. Fellman's opinion to heart and to think for themselves in regards to what exactly this legislation would mean should it pass.


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## Flameangel (Sep 25, 2013)

*Replay of the Live Q&A Session With Mr. Saltwater Tank*

Watch the replay of Mr.Saltwater Tank Q & A:
http://www.mrsaltwatertank.com/repl...-threatened-under-the-endangered-species-act/


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## Bayinaung (Feb 24, 2012)

In the Philippines collection of corals is banned. Which I totally forgot about. I used to live there when I was a kid. People used to harvest and export SPS corals for handicrafts. We're not even talking about LIVE corals. We're talking about digging out huge chunks of SPS, dry them and export them. yeech. The most valuable ones were SPS corals that have red skeleton. Well I believe even jewellry was made out of the red coral, since ancient times.


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## Bayinaung (Feb 24, 2012)

I certainly believe responsible collection is a must. The dynamite and cyanide fishing is a method local fishermen use not just for collection hobby but also for food fishing I believe. Those are definitely deplorable.

What's even more incredibly damaging are the fine-netting commercial fishing that's being employed by HUGE commercial fishing fleets today, basically dredging up the ocean floor where the waters are shallow in the fashion of combines on farms destroying everything in its path.

WWF states world's fishing fleets are 2-3x larger than what the oceans can sustain. That along with destruction of reefs around the world will lead to dead oceans. Try reviving THAT.

http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/blue_planet/problems/problems_fishing/


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## Flameangel (Sep 25, 2013)

*Muro Ami Fishing In The Philippines*

Watch this video of how incredibly destructive this system of fishing is to corals:


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## solarz (Aug 31, 2010)

Announce said:


> Wow. I can't believe the amount of ignorance and bias in that article. I usually like the articles on reef builders but this one is absolutely ridiculous.
> 
> I will craft a more detailed response when I have some time, but for us to completely shut down a legal movement that is finally trying to do something to protect the worlds oceans is ridiculous - legislators are well aware of the economic boost provided by the hobby and despite this are making movements to protect our planet.
> 
> ...


Well said, and I agree completely. Our hobby should be, first and foremost, sustainable. That is the only way we can all continue to enjoy the beautiful corals and fishes that we love.


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## Tristan (Aug 15, 2011)

Bayinaung said:


> In the Philippines collection of corals is banned. Which I totally forgot about. I used to live there when I was a kid. People used to harvest and export SPS corals for handicrafts. We're not even talking about LIVE corals. We're talking about digging out huge chunks of SPS, dry them and export them. yeech. The most valuable ones were SPS corals that have red skeleton. Well I believe even jewellry was made out of the red coral, since ancient times.


The collection of corals has been opened up for a new sustainable company in the Philippines. Basically their main focus is to rebuild the damaged reefs of the Philippines but will be selling 30% of the mariculture corals they produce to help fund the project.

Essentially like many mariculture projects in Indo they will be taking large corals from the reef, growing brood stock and then harvesting those to repopulate the surrounding ecosystems.

Once they get it stable and start collecting from all the regions you should see some very interesting corals come from there.

I haven't checked with the guys lately to see how progress is going but it should be ready for import soon, as they have been working on it for the last year or so.

Edit: Just talked to my friend, looks like the export laws remain unchanged but will likely be opened up in the second quarter of 2015.


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