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MARINE AQUARIUM COUNCIL<br>
</font></u><font face="Barbedor T" size=3>Certifying Quality and
Sustainability in the Collection, Culture and Commerce of Marine
Ornamentals<br>
<br>
</font><font size=6><b>MAC NEWS - 4th Quarter 1999<br>
<br>
</font><font size=3><u></div>
Welcome<br>
<br>
</u>We are pleased to be able to bring this
4</font><font size=1><sup>th</font></sup><font size=3> Quarter 99 issue
of MAC News to the growing MAC Network of over 900 people and
organizations in 50 countries and territories. </b>With the
successful completion of MAC's first full year of activity, t<b>he first
MAC Annual Report </b>was submitted to the MAC Board and <b>will soon be
available on the updated MAC website</b>, summarizing our activities,
progress, and challenges in 1999. The Council is moving solidly forward
into what promises to be a very exciting year for certification
development.<br>
<br>
We would like to express our <b>appreciation for your efforts towards
achieving our collective mission</b> <b>and</b> <b>we look forward to
your continued support and involvement in MAC</b>. In particular, we
would highlight the support in 1999 of the David and Lucile Packard
Foundation, the World Wildlife Fund, the MAC Board of Directors and their
organizations, and marine aquarium industry companies too numerous to be
mentioned. Finally, with all the activities of late 1999, we have a
backlog of communications and regret any delays in responding to
you.<br>
<br>
<b><u>Update: US Call for Public Input on Trade in Coral Reef
Species<br>
<br>
</b></u>As noted in our November MAC Bulletin, the Fish and Wildlife
Service (USFWS) called for public input on the trade in coral reef
ornamental species, particularly whether additional legislation should be
considered and what such legislation might address. The Dec 6
meeting was well attended by the public and by Coral Reef Task Force
(USCRTF) agencies. Presentations were made by: MAC, AZA, AMDA, Center for
Marine Conservation, Counterpart Int'l, Ecovitality, Humane Society,
Indonesia government and industry, MASNA, PIJAC, TRAFFIC, World Resources
Institute, and WWF. <b>The overwhelming majority of input focussed on the
opportunity for the marine ornamentals trade to be environmentally sound
and provide incentives for reef stewardship - and the key role of
certification in achieving this. <br>
<br>
</b>MAC also provided extensive written comments to USFWS (available in
January on our website). Our analysis indicated that current legislation
is sufficient and that there are numerous other mechanisms that the US
might use to ensure the trade contributes to the wise use of reefs.
However, we also included proactive suggestions for constructive
legislation, in the event such a path is pursued. About 50-60
organizations, including those listed above, submitted comments to the
USFWS and we would like to thank all those who took the time and effort
to do so. <br>
<br>
As of early January, <b>the USCRTF is working through the issues and
input concerning the trade and the US role and, to our knowledge, no
conclusion has yet been reached. MAC will continue to track the situation
and seek to work with the Task Force</b>. The day after the public
meeting, the MAC Director met with key US agencies to identify ways in
which we could be mutually supportive or collaborate in ensuring the
trade in marine ornamentals is environmentally sound.<br>
<br>
<b><u>Marine Ornamentals '99 and MAC Workshops<br>
<br>
</u>MO '99 proved to be a significant event</b>, bringing together over
300 participants from the marine ornamentals industry and hobby,
aquaculture, government, and science. From the insightful plenary opening
by Martin Moe through to the closing forum on conference recommendations,
MO '99 provided informative presentations and lively - sometimes heated -
discussion on the present and future of marine ornamentals. The keynote
speakers, session paper presenters and participants included many MAC
Board and Network members. <br>
<br>
Of particular importance were<b> </b>the<b> MAC certification workshops
and the input received from participants on
</font><font face="Palatino">Best Practice Standards for: Water Quality
and Husbandry,</b> <b>Cultured Organisms</b>; <b>Live Coral and Live Rock
Collection; and</b> <b>Fish and Invertebrate Collection. </b>A fifth
workshop considered Trade Data and Information: What we need to know and
how we get it. <b>The working draft of the MAC Standards of
Practice was available at MO '99 </b>and provided the basis for
discussion</font> during the workshops. The revised draft standards will
soon be available on the updated MAC website<font face="Palatino">.
</font>As outlined in the 3<font size=1><sup>rd</font></sup><font size=3>
Quarter 99 MAC News, a series of<b> </b>working groups will finalize the
initial version of the standards for testing in mid-2000.<br>
<br>
<b><u>MAC Scientific Advisory Committee and Reef Monitoring <br>
<br>
</u>MAC is forming a Scientific Advisory Committee of senior coral reef
scientists from around the world</b> to provide independent scientific
advice on the management and monitoring of marine ornamentals harvest and
trade. Certification will eventually require objective field surveys and
monitoring, so <b>we are also linking</b> <b>with the Global Coral Reef
Monitoring Network (GCRMN), Reef Check volunteer monitoring, and ReefBase
database programs </b>that collect and assemble data on coral reef status
and trends. MAC is working with these programs to adapt and apply their
methods to certification monitoring. This will ensure certification
related reef monitoring is based on internationally accepted methods and
expertise - creating <b>a "win-win" situation whereby</b>
<b>certification will provide support for the monitoring of harvested
reefs and the results will provide data for GCRMN, Reef Check and
ReefBase</b>.<br>
<br>
<b><u>Addressing the Need for Marine OrnamentalsTrade Data <br>
<br>
</u>Adequate information on the trade in marine ornamentals is
lacking</b> and discussions on the trade's possible impact are seriously
under-informed, diverting many of us into non-constructive debate and
creating the possibility that major decisions will be based on an absence
of information or on misinformation. <b>MAC is involved in 2 major
efforts to improve this situation</b>. One is a collaborative project
proposed by the World Resources Institute to examine marine fish import
data recorded by the USFWS and analyze trade patterns and trends into the
US.<br>
<br>
Over the long term, <b>an ongoing international program of documentation
and data for marine ornamentals in trade is needed. MAC and the World
Conservation Monitoring Center (WCMC) are collaborating to develop an
international Marine Ornamentals Information System to provide
consistent, comprehensive, quality information</b>. The system will build
on the existing CITES data system at WCMC and MAC's need to document
compliance with certification standards. <b>Marine aquarium industry
exporters and importers around the world have volunteered to provide data
and to assist with developing the system</b>. We encourage the
involvement and support of other MAC Network members in this, especially
industry stakeholders.<br>
<br>
<b><u>For More Information<br>
<br>
</b></u>As always, if you know someone that should be part of the MAC
Network, please encourage them to visit the MAC website and submit the
simple form. <br>
<br>
Contact: Paul Holthus, Executive Director, Marine Aquarium Council
<br>
Ph: (+1 808) 923-3254 Fax: (+1 808)
923-6023 <br>
E-mail: paul.holthus@aquariumcouncil.org Website:
<a href="http://www.aquariumcouncil.org/" eudora="autourl">www.aquariumcouncil.org</a><br>
<br>
<br>
</font><br>
<div>Paul Holthus</div>
<div>Executive Director</div>
<div>Marine Aquarium Council</div>
<div>3035 Hibiscus Dr., Honolulu, Hawaii USA 96815</div>
<br>
<div>Phone: (+1 808) 923-3254 Fax: (+1 808)
923-6023</div>
<div>Email: paul.holthus@aquariumcouncil.org</div>
Website:
<a href="http://www.aquariumcouncil.org/" EUDORA=AUTOURL>www.aquariumcouncil.org</a><x-tab> </x-tab>
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