collecting clarions back in the day

[clarionreef]

They have become such a hot topic lately....I thought I'd dig out a photo of the first collecting trip I ever took after them back in 1984.
Back then there was no national park to tresspass in and no species restrictions as now.
Steve
Cortez Marine

 

[Anonymous]

You trained a gorilla to catch fish by hand???



Sorry Steve, I couldn't resist.

Peace,

Chip

 

[clarionreef]

Hey,
Thats all shadow and photo decay...! Not me.
I aint hairy!
Steve

 

[Fragguy]

So what is the law on collecting them at this point?

 

[Anonymous]

So what is the law on collecting them at this point?

It's illegal. Someone got busted last year for trying to import a bunch and list them as Passer or King angels or something. My memory is foggy.

 

[Fragguy]

I see them once in a while at LFS. Can they be collected from other countries? Mexico, Central A.

 

[Anonymous]

I see them once in a while at LFS. Can they be collected from other countries? Mexico, Central A.

Uh, dunno. I always thought they were only found on the tip of Baja and the Revillagedo (sp?) Islands on the west side of Mexico. But I admittedly don't know much about these things.

I'm sure Steve or Gresh can fill us in.

 

[clarionreef]

They have never even been found at Costa Ricas offshore islands...Los Cocos.
There is a report of them being rare at Clipperton.
I've been out to the Revillagegedos Islands off Cabo 4 times now and they are super abundant.
98% of them are 8-10 inches long and are left alone to breed, feed and die of old age.
The cool thing is that the sizes everyone wants are the sesonal juvenile smalls and mediums. They are in zero risk from this trade and have earned the only attention because of this trade. Soldiers on the island have roasted them and found them a bad food item.
They are not competed against by the stronger passer and have as a result enjoyed a different evolutionary path and have become ...nice and peaceful. Adults roam about in 100 plus gangs!
Its a huge , long and wide blizzard of orange.
The hysteria that has surrounded them is all about money, lust and greed. Even the figures in Mexico who know nothing of them are the most paranoid about something happening that they don't cash in on it. So...no one can cash in on it....least of all Mexican fisherman.
There are none with less clout in Mexico then innocent Mexicans trying to make a living, legally.
Permits were in the offing based purely on bribes but the American bribe offerer disappeared from the scene.
Partners of mine there are still trying to loosen a legal permit which carries a research component. The paranoia has also stiffled research ...and none is on the way at all. Pegged to export activity will provide the research they all say they want. We'll see.
Steve

 

[Fragguy]

I am a firm believer that awareness of something can equal long term survival, when that which we are aware of is something that we desired and has a high value placed on it.

If they were managed in a sustainable manner the result of their “controlled” distribution across the globe would create value and thus help in the preservation of the species. It is only when we (the world) is exposed to these creatures in displays and we learn about them that a culture of caring is instilled in us for their well being.

This value would be far greater for the species than the value that the locals would put on them which would at best be; ...a source of “poor” quality meat.