Coral Reef Task Force National Action Plan and Meeting

[J. Charles Delbeek]

On Sat, 26 Feb 2000, Jack Sobel wrote:

> 4.	Manage coral harvesting and end destructive collecting practices-
> The plan directs the U.S. to reduce the unsustainable commercial extraction
> of reef resources and its resultant habitat destruction.  The U.S. will
> restrict commercial collection of coral and "live rock" throughout U.S.
> waters and phase-in a ban on the use of cyanide in collecting reef products.
> However, because of the critical importance of coral and "live rock" to the
> vitality of coral reef ecosystems, the task force should consider whether a
> comprehensive ban on commercial collecting would be more appropriate.

Mr. Sobel: It is unclear to me what this paragraph is referring to. Are
you calling for this action on coral reefs in US waters, or is this
referring to coral reefs in other countries? If you are referring to both,
then this paragraph needs to be rewritten, as it stands now it is
confusing.

I might be wrong but to the best of my knowledge there is no coral or live
rock commercial collecting going on anywhere in US waters, it is illegal.
The same can be said for cyanide fishing practices. If you know otherwise
I would like to know where it is occuring in US waters and where you got
this information from.

Respectfully yours,

J. Charles Delbeek