Aquarium trade in Hawaii

[scubadada]

The aquarum trade is not without potential adverse consequenses. The following are but 2 recent Undercurrent reviews.

From 6/09:

"Poor Hawaii. Having read a reader report bemoaning the loss of fish in
Hawaii's reefs, I thought I was prepared. But I wasn't. Reefs are the
ocean's nursery and Hawaiian's have murdered their young. I'm told that
there are no limits on the taking of reef fish, most of which go to the
commercial aquarium trade. Whatever the reason, Hawaiians' need to wake-up
to what they are doing. While the Manta night dive was absolute magic, it
is a manufactured event. The true joy of diving is experiencing the
natural underwater world. I've now experienced Hawaii's and it ain't
pretty."


From 8/08:

"I really hate to write this review. I have dived with Dive Makai for over
twenty years. Over that period of time the dive operation has been
wonderful and still is. The people running the boat work in the same manner
as the past even though I really miss diving with Lisa.The problem is with
the fish life on the reefs. In 8 dives we saw very little and since the
coral in Hawaii is minimal there was little to see. The dive guide tried
hard but was unsuccessful.Even our three dive adventure was pretty much a
bust. What a difference from the past when fish of all types were common.
The only exception was the Manta Ray night dive. This was superb many
Mantas and up close for the whole dive it blew my 14 year old sons mind."

I'd like to hope we can find a way to preserve the Hawaiin reef environment for all to enjoy now and into the future.

Please see article from July Undercurrent. Could we please do something to save Hawaii's reef fish?

Where Have Hawaii’s Fish Gone?
check home aquariums back on the mainland

While Undercurrent readers report plenty of good snorkeling
and diving experiences in Hawaii, it’s with increased frequency
that they’re asking “Where have all the fish gone?” The dramatic
decline in reef fish has several causes, but none weighs
so heavily as the losses due to commercial collectors gathering
reef fish for the home tanks of hobby aquarists. Although some
marine aquarium fish and invertebrates are aquacultured by
the industry and hobbyists, 90 percent of marine ornamentals
are caught in the wild.
Recent studies show population declines from 38 percent
to 75 percent in seven of the top 10 collected species, Hawaii’s
most beautiful, unusual and often rarest fish. Given that the
“marine ornamental” trade operators have no limit on the number
of fish or species they may collect - - and there are no limits
on the numbers of permits issued - - it’s no wonder reef fish
populations are in serious decline.
Forty-five percent of the top 20 collected species are only
found in Hawaii. But for these endemic species, there is
no replacement pool. If they are overcollected to the point
where they cannot rebound, these unique species could be
lost to Hawaii - - and divers and snorkelers - - forever. And
because four-fifths of all collected species are herbivores,
the loss of those animals affects the algae/coral balance on
Hawaii’s reefs.
On the Big Island, where the heaviest fish collecting occurs,
a management plan established in 2000 set aside 30 percent
of the shoreline as no-take zones. Four of the top 10 collected
species are now more abundant within these zones, but the
remaining six species (e.g., the multiband butterflyfish and
the Hawaiian cleaner wrasse) continue to decline. Along the
remaining 70 percent of the Kona coastline where collecting
occurs, targeted species are dramatically less abundant. For
instance, yellow tang populations average approximately 40
percent of what they were five years ago in the no-take areas,
and have sometimes measured less than 25 percent. Clearly,
collecting continues to have significant impact on Kona’s reefs.
Seventy percent of Kona’s coastline and 98 percent of those on
the other islands are being sacrificed to that industry.
Reef animals die soon after they are captured. In 2007,
Hawaii’s collectors reported that of the 700,000-plus animals
collected, 20,340 animals died before being sold (the true numbers
are estimated to be several times higher). This equates
to every fish on a Hawaiian reef the size of five football fields
being scooped up and tossed in a dumpster. Mortalities continue
throughout their journey from wholesalers to the retailers
and finally the hobbyists. Many surviving fish are starved,
bagged and drugged for shipping. They will die shortly after
arriving on the mainland because they are unsuitable for home
aquariums; they are either impossible to keep outside their
native reef habitat or require expert care that few hobbyists
can provide. In fact, 99 percent of all species die within a year
in captivity.
Of Hawaii’s 20 most collected species, 10 of them are listed
by aquarium experts as “unsuitable for captivity.” The most
egregious examples of fish sacrificed for brief entertainment in
a tank are the Moorish Idol and the Hawaiian cleaner wrasse;
both are known to starve within weeks because their preferred
foods are not available in captivity.
Recent research in Hawaii shows that yellow tangs are
long-lived, surviving on reefs for decades; the oldest found so
far is 41. Hundreds of thousands of them are collected on Big
Island reefs every year, and though suppliers consider them
easy to care for and good for beginners, only a few thousand
of them will live beyond a year. The aquarium trade claims
the losses are worth it: hobbyists cite their tanks’ “educational
value” and industry professionals cite the need for livestock to
support their lucrative “dry goods” sales of tanks, filters and
lights. Common sense says reef animals are fueling a disposable
hobby: When the fish die, they are thrown out and replaced,
like cut flowers.
This is not just a problem exclusive to Hawaii, excessive
catching of wild fish for aquariums happens all over the globe.
The majority of the marine aquarium livestock originates from
Indonesia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and central
Pacific Islands (e.g., Hawaii). Others are also imported from
the Caribbean and Red Sea regions.
Most of the “live rock” in aquariums, meaning corals and
invertebrates, are also collected from the wild and its use has
increased drastically, due to the rise in popularity of reef tanks.
Collecting or mining of many types of coral often means the
use of a hammer and chisel to remove pieces from the reef,
generating heaps of dead coral rubble and habitat damage. Fiji
and Indonesia are currently the world’s largest suppliers of ‘live
rock’ and coral and the U.S., again, is the major importer.
If you believe reef animals are best left on their home reefs,
then take action:
* Ask your local pet stores to stop selling wild-caught marine
fish and animals.
* Ask your local restaurants and businesses with marine aquariums
to stop keeping and displaying the animals.
* Boycott those businesses that ignore your requests.
* Sign the petition sponsored by the Hawaii Reef Fish Recovery
Project at http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/ree...rent-ornaments
* Contact the organizations Coral Reef Alliance and Reef
Check and ask them to take action to end fish collection off
Hawaii shores. (CORAL has no position on fish collection,
preferring to have all interested parties, including collectors, get
together to work out a compromise.)
* Spread the word to your fellow divers.
P.S.: In early May, Hawaii’s Department of Land and
Natural Resources board approved a ban on the taking and
feeding of parrotfish, surgeonfish, chubs and sea urchins along
a one-mile section of the Maui coast in North Ka’anapali, from
Keka’a Point to Honokowai Beach Park. The goal is to protect
these species because invasive seaweeds they usually eat are fast
overtaking much of the coral along that shoreline. The ban, if
approved by Governor Linda Lingle, would mark the first time
Hawaii has adopted protections for specific species as a broader
strategy for restoring the health of a reef. Both scientists and
fishers support the plan. However, many species, including butterflyfish,
angelfish, Moorish Idols, eels and hermit crabs, can
still be taken in unlimited numbers from those reefs.
Author Rene Umberger has been a scuba instructor and guide on Maui
since 1983. When not underwater she works with the tourism industry
creating educational materials, developing environmental standards for
marine tourism and organizing underwater cleanup events. She is currently
the administrator for the Maui Nui Marine Resource Council.

Good diving, now, and hopefully in the future, Craig

 

[sffrenchman]

Thanks for posting this.

The link to the petition website is not working. Here is the correct link: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/reef-fish-arent-ornaments

 

[scottitheduck]

Petition signed!

 

[howard4113]

Petition signed!

Me too. I have personally witnessed the decine in the health of Maui's reefs - certainly at least partially as a result of algae invasion. While many attribute the explosion of algae and the general malaise of the reefs to onshore fertilizer runoff / sewage... (especially in the Ka’anapali area and Ulua beach), the lack of grazing reef fish is certainly an aggravating factor. In less accessible areas the reefs are not declining as rapidly - although there is definitely a large general deficit of yellow tangs when compared to Big Island reefs. Curtailing fish collection will have a beneficial effect on the economy, as tourism generates a much more sustainable income than fish collection.

Mark

 

[Downing]

Petition signed.

I'm an Undercurrent member and had already read those reports with interest since I'm coming to Oahu in a couple of weeks to do some diving (see ya soon, Scotti!).

I wanted to keep an open mind and see for myself but obviously it's not good to read this sort of stuff as Undercurrent is completely member driven with presumably no axe to grind other than the best interests of scuba divers.

 

[scubadada]

Hi Downing,

I've been lucky enough to have had the opportunity to dive off Oahu in 2006, 2008, and 2009 while visiting on business. I had a very good time and my experiences easily exceeded my expectations. I'd be willing to bet you'll have a good time also.

Good diving, Craig

Portland, OR 1980-88

 

[Henryville]

I'll be happy to sign, and I agree that a lot of collection is a senseless waste of marine life.

However, being a trained scientist I will say the causal link drawn here is shaky at best. I'd be looking at runoff, point source pollution, ocean warming, and disruption to the food chain as major factors. Regardless, Hawaii would be well served to do all it can to protect its unique ecology, above and below the surface.

 

[rgbmatt]

This article is highly biased - all of the negative statistics were selectively pulled from a variety of places while conveniently ignoring anything positive. A lot of what's said is either taken out of context or is just plain false.

What isn't being said here is that the state has been monitoring the fishery for many years, and has shown that, for the most part, it's sustainable. Here's an article from state biologists in case you'd like to read something more balanced:
http://hawaii.gov/dlnr/dar/coral/pdfs/6_FISHLIFE_YellowTang.pdf

Recent studies show population declines from 38 percent to 75 percent in seven of the top 10 collected species, Hawaii’s most beautiful, unusual and often rarest fish.

This is not a recent study. These figures were selectively pulled from a study done in 1998 - more than ten years ago. The same research has shown that, since then, the majority of these species haven't declined. Some have increased in abundance, and some have remained about the same. As a matter of fact, the species that "declined by 75%" in 1998 is the Potter's Angelfish. Currently, this species has increased in numbers and is more abundant in areas where the aquarium fishery is active than in closed areas.

And because four-fifths of all collected species are herbivores, the loss of those animals affects the algae/coral balance on Hawaii’s reefs.

This has already been tested. Since 1998, extensive studies have compared open areas to closed areas on the Big Island, and they have found no difference in the amount of algae and live coral.

Reef animals die soon after they are captured. In 2007, Hawaii’s collectors reported that of the 700,000-plus animals collected, 20,340 animals died before being sold.

Add that up, and it comes out to slightly less than 3% of fish dying from the time they leave the ocean until they reaching the mainland. That's extremely efficient - no other fishery in Hawaii has that little waste. Most types of fishing have much higher rates of bycatch or mortality - even catch and release sportfishing kills more fish.

Recent research in Hawaii shows that yellow tangs are long-lived, surviving on reefs for decades; the oldest found so far is 41. Hundreds of thousands of them are collected on Big Island reefs every year, and though suppliers consider them
easy to care for and good for beginners, only a few thousand of them will live beyond a year.

It is true that some yellow tangs can live for a very long time. However, the same study quoted here also found that only 1% of yellow tangs survive from the time they arrive on the reef until they reach adulthood. In the wild, juvenile yellow tangs are subject to extremely heavy predation, and very few of them live to reach maturity. In captivity, their survival rate is higher than it is in the wild.

Most of the “live rock” in aquariums, meaning corals and invertebrates, are also collected from the wild and its use has increased drastically, due to the rise in popularity of reef tanks. Collecting or mining of many types of coral often means the
use of a hammer and chisel to remove pieces from the reef, generating heaps of dead coral rubble and habitat damage.

I do not agree with this practice either - taking natural "live rock" basically involves removing parts of the reef that have taken years to grow. However, this has been illegal in Hawaii for many years and is no longer a problem. The "live rock" currently sold in Hawaii is grown in a Hawaiian fishpond on Molokai. It provides essential income to the community and in no way affect the health of the reef.

* Contact the organizations Coral Reef Alliance and Reef Check and ask them to take action to end fish collection off Hawaii shores. (CORAL has no position on fish collection, preferring to have all interested parties, including collectors, get together to work out a compromise.)

CORAL is taking the right approach. Getting together to work out a compromise is what should be done in any situation. What's wrong with that?

Scubadada - according to your profile you live in Philly. I live in Pearl City, Hawaii (right outside Honolulu), and am in the ocean on a weekly basis. My livelihood depends on maintaining healthy reefs and healthy fish stocks. I have no desire to fish myself out of business, nor do I want to interfere with the tour company owners' ability to earn a living and share our ocean with tourists such as yourself. For every scuba diver in Pennsylvania who visits Hawaii, there is somebody in your city who is not able to come here and dive, but can experience the marine world through keeping an aquarium, and I know that they care just as much about the environment as you do.

For any divers on Oahu who want to support this effort to take away our jobs, please keep this in mind. We are humans beings just like you. Most of us were born and raised on the island. This is our home and we don't want to mess it up. We rely on our natural resources to support our families; it's how we pay for our kids' clothing, school supplies, and their medical bills when they get sick. This is how we support our elderly parents and grandparents. Nobody's trying to selfishly pillage the ocean - we know you're in the same situation as us and have always made sure to leave your dive and snorkel spots alone when we're fishing. There's more than enough ocean for everyone to share and I'd like to think we can continue to coexist instead of pointing fingers and fighting with each other.

 

[S0ckm0nk3y]

Hey thanks for posting this info scubadada. Great fodder for awareness and debate that gets people talking.

For those of us in Hawaii petitions aren't the only thing we can do. If you're worried about why the reef fish are disappearing and want to help out... contact and volunteer for your local Nature Conservancy in the state of Hawaii. Right now here on the Big Island they're working with the community to foster awareness about human impact on the reef... in addition to collecting data about the health of the reefs.

-Eric

 

[edrobmaui]

This article is highly biased - all of the negative statistics were selectively pulled from a variety of places while conveniently ignoring anything positive. A lot of what's said is either taken out of context or is just plain false..

What could be positive about removing aquarium fish from the reef (except personal gain?) Here on Maui I observe an enormous difference in fish population between protected areas and non-protected.

We are lucky that there is less fish collecting around South Maui than other parts of the state but I still notice a lack of the aquarium targeted species on the coastline reefs as compared to Ahihi-Kinau and Molokini. Yellow-tang is the most obvious example of a fish that I see in schools in protected areas and only in single or pairs (if at all) on other reefs. I also miss the Uhu but this is due to spear fishing.

On the other hand diving at Ahihi-Kinau or Molokini can enlighten divers to the possibilities of a more abundant shoreline reef system.

It may not be the only action necessary for 100% turnaround but I am convinced if we can stop (or slow down dramatically) the commercial removal of fish we will see a rebound in inshore fish populations.