Someone asked what collectors get paid for fish. In the Philippines they are paid 25 cents for a Coral beauty and 5 cents per 100 or 1000 chromis, damsels etc.
CITES permits are not over reported on to be deceptive. They are over reported in case there are a few extra corals in the shipment. When dealing with people in the developing nations they don't understand the paperwork end of things and could send you a few extra to be nice. If the permit has more listed, then if you have some space in a box that needs to be filled you can do it with coral. Customers do change their orders and it would allow you to fill it. This happened to me and I had to get a new permit which delayed the shipment. Now I deliberately over report by about 10% but I am limited to what is on the original import permit.
<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr> I still have not heard a rebuttal concerning the use of "deflection" tactics among many neighsayers. Do you honestly think that because global temp increases bleach reefs, we should not be worried about trade impacts? It seems to me that gives us even more reason to assess trade impacts and curb negative trends.
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No rebuttal needed. We all realize that something must be done and this industry must clean itself up. But how???
When you compare the effects of global warming/pollution to collection for the aquarium industry this hobbies impacts are miniscule. Something else to ponder, just how much coral is killed by storms and cyclones. The reefs survive this just fine and use it as a means to rebuild. It is similiar to a forest that is healthier if it burns down every now and again.
I remember Bob Fenner talking at MACNA about how much coral a Parrotfish eats every year. I think it was 13 tons but I am not sure. Can someone help?
Shocking statements ahead.
I have noticed that some people view acropora as some type of Holy Grail. This is very far from the truth, acropora is more like a weed than anything else. A friend had a 12" colony growing on the side of one of his gigas clams, the clam was about 3.5 feet long and probably several hunderd years old. The acropora was jeopardizing the clams health so it was hammered off. The reality of the situation is that acropora is only valuable to the hobby. Please don't misunderstand me, I too believe in working towards a sustainable low impact industry but lets put things in perspective.
<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr> Lastly, when we consider the threats that global temp increases, siltation, and blast fishing have on reefs, it seems we should make a more concerted effort to control those activities which can visibly denude a reef, and which we can actually impact from afar. Instead of accepting the trade impact by making it appear "small" in comparison, we should accept that it does have an impact, and as an American, I can't visibly impact issues like pollution/siltation or hot water in other countries, but I can help the U.S. stop importing certain species and help the reefs.
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I know this trade impacts the reefs, some more than others and some not at all. I believe that our effects are negligible compared to the others mentioned. I see no reason not to allow harvest on reefs that are not stressed due to pollution etc. and give the reefs that are stressed a chance to recover. Although, this will not happen when you are telling a man that he can not feed his family because some people on the other side of the world, who don't know what his situation is, say that he can't collect coral. He will go to fishing or shrimp farming etc. Both of which harm a reef far more than this trade. This is one reason why I introduced sponge farming to Vietnam. It is very low impact and non polluting.
There are ways to get involved in stopping the tyranny of the dollar. Ethical funds, when American based transnational companies start abusing the poor, get on their case, ie child labour, paying a mother of 6 25cents to work in the pineapple plantation for 12 hours a day etc.
To try to save the reefs by having the importation of corals, fish banned into the US would only lead to something more destructive being done to the reefs as the poor seek to support their families.
Best Regards,
Tim