divers and fish
Prasanna Weerakkody
firefish at sltnet.lk
Thu Nov 1 14:02:31 EST 2001
Bill and others
I still think that you have no clue what goes on down here. Unfortunately
the poor fish collectors down here have no access to computers or internet
(many would be barely literate at that matter)and they will never know of
what their paymasters (i.e. the aquarist)do or would want them to do either.
The locals always used the reef fish for food; and the traditional methods
and levels of harvest were sustainable and non destructive. The collection
of ornamentals is not traditional and was began and is sustained by the
demand by the aquarist. So I do blame the aquarist for the fate of the reef
at the hands of the local collectors. I don't think you can come clean on
this; The aquarist remain the driving force of the collector, and in a way
your attitude that the aquarist and the fish collector are disconnected
illustrates the point - that the aquarist is not aware or care about their
effects on far away unseen reefs. (Out of sight - out of mind???)
If the aquarists do care they should be willing to voluntarily adjust the
demand of the trade to match the changing situation on the reefs. and
pressurize the 'middle man' the Fish exporter to adapt responsible trade
regulations and in turn impose conservation minded controls (techniques,
awareness and practices) among their fish collector groups in the field.
This is the rock on which we are forced to bash our heads to bring some
relief to the reef fauna. Against money driven politics it is difficult to
bring in regulation from bottom up. so may be the aquarists could look at a
top down approach to this problem "if they care".
I would be perhaps the happiest if the aquarists are successful at breeding
and growing fish and inverts on their tanks(no more extraction and perhaps a
few re-introductions...). But if that is not the sink hole to which our fish
go I have no clue where they do go.
Forgive me for my stubbornness, It's just that I have to be afraid for every
little colorful fish recruiting on the reefs where I work; knowing that
their days on the reef are very very short. And we have to (though with much
regret)scare the fish and teach them to be wary of divers in order to retain
at least a few so that they would grow up on the reef and hopefully breed.
Perhaps I hope for too much.
Best wishes
Prasanna
At 11:09 PM 31-10-01 -0800, you wrote:
>Prasanna,
> Seems like you are blaming the aquarist for the habits of the local
>collectors and as far as I know there are very few people that collect
>for their own tank. In my experience in Fiji, the largest coral
>exporter in the world I believe, most collection was done by local
>Fijians. They then transfer the livestock to the various companies
>exporting it. During my stay there I also became aware of the various
>destructive habits of Fijians upon their own reefs. I heard of local
>Fijians eating sea turtles even though it was illegal since January, an
>article was published in the Fiji Times about how two turtles from a
>research station in Hawaii were caught and 1 was eaten. I also
>witnessed a sea turtle in a fish collection system in Suva. I inquired
>the manager on why it was there and she replied it would be returned to
>the ocean soon. I also witnessed various large breeding size fish
>including specimens that would be considered exported by the aquarium
>trade eaten for food. Am I saying they cannot eat these fish? No, but
>eating of breeding fish will and does have an impact on the overall fish
>population and variety of the reef.
>
> While most reef keepers are not marine biologists by title many
>have become lay marine biologist through the love of their hobby. While
>I might defend the hobby through words I would like you to take a look
>at various sites that have been created because of the hobby.
>
>Online magazine created for hobby:
>http://www.animalnetwork.com/fish2/aqfm/archive/default.asp
>1 of the captive breeders of tropical saltwater fish:
>http://www.orafarm.com/
>Largest hobbyist site on the Internet: http://www.reefs.org
>
>While you state
>
>"I don't think the reef keepers have a clue what is going on down here, or
>care how much they are contributing to the destruction of the reefs to build
>"pretty little artificial reefs' that they can keep at home."
>
>I implore you inform yourself of the current situation of reef keeping in
the United States. My apologies if I sound hard or defensive, but the
aquarium industry is no longer a sink hole for fish and inverts, many of the
animals that are now imported are now being captive grown and bred. I invite
you to join the reef keeping community as an outside observer and if you
still believe we don't have a clue after 6 months of active participation
then so be it.
>Bill Crockett
>www.reefs.org
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>Prasanna Weerakkody wrote:
>
>>I am not so sure if the aquarium enthusiasts are anymore enlightened lot
>>than the average diver as ursula defined. (may be there is one or two) Down
>>here in Sri Lanka one of my prime activities is re-settling hundreds of
>>pieces of coral broken by fish collectors (to extract the fish from their
>>hiding places)supplying the aquarium industry. Post to the 1998 bleaching
>>event the reefs down here have suffered tremendously with less than 50% of
>>the reefs remaining and struggling to survive. there is significant loss in
>>fish abundance and diversity. But the aquarium fish industry has not been so
>>"understanding or aware" and continue pumping reef fauna out at the same
>>rate. they still comb and squeeze the reefs for fish(and inverts) down to
>>the last one left. If there is even a slight reduction to the numbers
>>exported it is more due to fish collectors quitting the job as it is no
>>longer viable; than because of the sensitive Reef keeper hobbyists
>>voluntarily putting a brake in their demand of live exotics to give a chance
>>for the reefs to recover.
>>
>>I don't think the reef keepers have a clue what is going on down here, or
>>care how much they are contributing to the destruction of the reefs to build
>>"pretty little artificial reefs' that they can keep at home. May be the
>>recreational divers who visit the reefs could check out the reefs and make
>>the aquarists aware.
>>
>>The aquarists should know that every colourful fish that livens their living
>>room makes the reefs less and less colourful as the selective predation by
>>the trade is leaving the reefs full of only the 'bland' fishes. think of
>>what such high intensity selective extraction does to the reef ecology.
>>
>>My apologies if I sound a little hard; but it is hard to sympathize with
>>aquarists when you are struggling with the long distance effects of their
>>hobbies on a daily basis.
>>
>>Prasanna
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>At 07:44 AM 31-10-01 -1000, you wrote:
>>
>>>At 10:32 AM 10/31/2001 +0000, you wrote:
>>>
>>>>Without recreational divers the academic community has NO hope of
>>>>spreading the word about the plight of the world's reefs.
>>>>
>>>I believe the marine reef keeping hobby has a very large % of "reef aware"
>>>individuals, perhaps more so than the diving community .. since these
>>>individuals have a great deal of experience with what is necessary for
>>>healthy corals to survive and grow and an appreciation of their delicacy.
>>>This is also a very useful group when it comes to spreading awareness of
>>>corals reefs and their inhabitants to the general public. I know several
>>>hobbyists who regularly have groups of elementary students visit their
>>>homes to view their reef aquaria and learn about coral reefs in general.
>>>
>>>Aloha!
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>J. Charles Delbeek
>>>Aquarium Biologist
>>>Waikiki Aquarium
>>>2777 Kalakaua Ave.
>>>Honolulu, HI, USA 96815
>>>808-923-9741
>>>808-923-1771 FAX
>>>
>>>~~~~~~~
>>>For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the
>>>digests, please visit www.coral.noaa.gov, click on Popular on the
>>>menu bar, then click on Coral-List Listserver.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>~~~~~~~
>>For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the
>>digests, please visit www.coral.noaa.gov, click on Popular on the
>>menu bar, then click on Coral-List Listserver.
>>
>>
>
><html>
><head>
></head>
><body>
>Prasanna,<br>
> Seems like you are blaming the aquarist for the habits
of the local collectors
>and as far as I know there are very few people that collect for their own
>tank. In my experience in Fiji, the largest coral exporter in the world
>I believe, most collection was done by local Fijians. They then transfer
>the livestock to the various companies exporting it. During my stay
there
>I also became aware of the various destructive habits of Fijians upon their
>own reefs. I heard of local Fijians eating sea turtles even though it was
>illegal since January, an article was published in the Fiji Times about how
>two turtles from a research station in Hawaii were caught and 1 was eaten.
> I also witnessed a sea turtle in a fish collection system in Suva.
I inquired
>the manager on why it was there and she replied it would be returned to the
>ocean soon. I also witnessed various large breeding size fish including
>specimens that would be considered exported by the aquarium trade eaten for
>food. Am I saying they cannot eat these fish? No, but eating of breeding
>fish will and does have an impact on the overall fish population and variety
>of the reef. <br>
><br>
> While most reef keepers are not marine biologists
by title many have
>become lay marine biologist through the love of their hobby. While I
might
>defend the hobby through words I would like you to take a look at various
>sites that have been created because of the hobby.<br>
><br>
>Online magazine created for hobby: <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="http://www.animalnetwork.com/fish2/aqfm/archive/default.asp">http://ww
w.animalnetwork.com/fish2/aqfm/archive/default.asp</a><br>
>1 of the captive breeders of tropical saltwater fish: <a
class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="http://www.orafarm.com/">http://www.orafarm.com/</a><br>
><b>Largest hobbyist site on the Internet: <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="http://www.reefs.org">http://www.reefs.org</a></b><b><br>
></b><br>
>While you state
><pre wrap="">"I don't think the reef keepers have a clue what is going on
down here, or<br>care how much they are contributing to the destruction of
the reefs to build<br>"pretty little artificial reefs' that they can keep at
home."<br><br>I implore you inform yourself of the current situation
of reef keeping in the United States. My apologies if I sound hard or
defensive, but the aquarium industry is no longer a sink hole for fish and
inverts, many of the animals that are now imported are now being
captive grown and bred. I invite you to join the reef keeping community as
an outside observer and if you still believe we don't have a clue after 6
months of active participation then so be it.<br>Bill Crockett<br><a
class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated"
href="http://www.reefs.org">www.reefs.org</a><br></pre>
><br>
><br>
><br>
> <br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
>Prasanna Weerakkody wrote:<br>
><blockquote type="cite" cite="mid:200111010310.fA13ADu09350 at laknet.slt.lk">
> <pre wrap="">I am not so sure if the aquarium enthusiasts are anymore
enlightened lot<br>than the average diver as ursula defined. (may be there
is one or two) Down<br>here in Sri Lanka one of my prime activities is
re-settling hundreds of<br>pieces of coral broken by fish collectors (to
extract the fish from their<br>hiding places)supplying the aquarium
industry. Post to the 1998 bleaching<br>event the reefs down here have
suffered tremendously with less than 50% of<br>the reefs remaining and
struggling to survive. there is significant loss in<br>fish abundance and
diversity. But the aquarium fish industry has not been so<br>"understanding
or aware" and continue pumping reef fauna out at the same<br>rate. they
still comb and squeeze the reefs for fish(and inverts) down to<br>the last
one left. If there is even a slight reduction to the numbers<br>exported it
is more due to fish collectors quitting the job as it is no<br>longer
viable; than because of the sensitive Reef ke
>eper hobbyists<br>voluntarily putting a brake in their demand of live
exotics to give a chance<br>for the reefs to recover.<br><br>I don't think
the reef keepers have a clue what is going on down here, or<br>care how much
they are contributing to the destruction of the reefs to build<br>"pretty
little artificial reefs' that they can keep at home. May be
the<br>recreational divers who visit the reefs could check out the reefs and
make<br>the aquarists aware.<br><br>The aquarists should know that every
colourful fish that livens their living<br>room makes the reefs less and
less colourful as the selective predation by<br>the trade is leaving the
reefs full of only the 'bland' fishes. think of<br>what such high intensity
selective extraction does to the reef ecology. <br><br>My apologies if I
sound a little hard; but it is hard to sympathize with<br>aquarists when you
are struggling with the long distance effects of their<br>hobbies on a daily
basis. <br><br>Prasanna<br><br><br
>><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br>At 07:44 AM 31-10-01 -1000, you
wrote:<br></pre>
> <blockquote type="cite">
> <pre wrap="">At 10:32 AM 10/31/2001 +0000, you wrote:<br></pre>
> <blockquote type="cite">
> <pre wrap="">Without recreational divers the academic community has
NO hope of <br>spreading the word about the plight of the world's
reefs.<br></pre>
> </blockquote>
> <pre wrap="">I believe the marine reef keeping hobby has a very large
% of "reef aware" <br>individuals, perhaps more so than the diving community
.. since these <br>individuals have a great deal of experience with what is
necessary for <br>healthy corals to survive and grow and an appreciation of
their delicacy. <br>This is also a very useful group when it comes to
spreading awareness of <br>corals reefs and their inhabitants to the general
public. I know several <br>hobbyists who regularly have groups of elementary
students visit their <br>homes to view their reef aquaria and learn about
coral reefs in general.<br><br>Aloha!<br><br><br><br><br>J. Charles
Delbeek<br>Aquarium Biologist<br>Waikiki Aquarium<br>2777 Kalakaua
Ave.<br>Honolulu, HI, USA 96815<br>808-923-9741<br>808-923-1771
FAX<br><br>~~~~~~~<br>For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to
coral-list or the<br>digests, please visit <a
class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="http://www.coral.noaa.gov">www
>.coral.noaa.gov</a>, click on Popular on the<br>menu bar, then click on
Coral-List Listserver.<br><br><br><br></pre>
> </blockquote>
> <pre wrap=""><!----><br>~~~~~~~<br>For directions on subscribing and
unsubscribing to coral-list or the<br>digests, please visit <a
class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated"
href="http://www.coral.noaa.gov">www.coral.noaa.gov</a>, click on Popular on
the<br>menu bar, then click on Coral-List Listserver.<br><br><br></pre>
> </blockquote>
> <br>
> </body>
> </html>
>
Prasanna Weerakkody
Nature Conservation Group
No.9, Balapokuna place,
Colombo 6.
Sri Lanka
E-mail: firefish at sltnet.lk
Ph: 941-856041
~~~~~~~
For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the
digests, please visit www.coral.noaa.gov, click on Popular on the
menu bar, then click on Coral-List Listserver.
More information about the Coral-list-old
mailing list