[Coral-List] Selling coral

[Eric J Hochberg]

>From the same website (http://www.steventhornedesign.com/store/our/coral):

"This unique natural Coral has been harvested under precise, government approved, world class management arrangements. As a healthy resilient ecosystem, the Great Barrier Reef accumulates and extra five million tonnes of new Coral growth every year. Of this growth, a small quota of abundant fast growing Coral of premium quality and limited size is hand harvested from specific reef zones. Just as reefs recover after natural events such as cyclones, they also quckly replenish after harvesting. Corals either regenerate from the base or larval settlement and growth of a new colony occurs. Coral harvesting is based on the highest marine science standards. A portion of sales is donated to independant scientific research to ensure that harvesting remains responsive to climate change and causes no detriment to the Great Barrier Reef."

If they have permission from the Australian government, one would presume (or hope) that the harvesting has been carefully considered and deemed sustainable.

If they don't have permission, one would expect them to get in trouble.

---- Original Message -----
>From  	"Ed Blume" <edblume at mailbag.com>
Date  	Tue, 12 Feb 2008 22:52:36 -0600
To  	<Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov>
Subject  	[Coral-List] Selling coral

This site that is selling coral looks disturbing: http://www.steventhornedesign.com/store/catalog/coral

What types of coral are pictured?  And how bad is it that it's being sold?

Ed Blume
Volunteer, Centro Ecológico Akumal (www.ceakumal.org)
Madison, WI