Fish for Aquariums

[koddyVT]

Here we go.... more attempts at our hobby.

http://news.yahoo.com/hawaii-center-battle-over-aquarium-fish-051055234.html

[Webmanny]

At this rate, soon we won't be able to even purchase life sand.

In all honesty, I agree with putting some level of controls as to where, how much and best practices to prevent damage to reefs. However, some of these activists don't want to see the numbers or studies and want to punish the companies who are doing it right because they can't touch the ones that are doing it wrong in other countries.

I hope this doesn't get in the way of this beautiful hobby. I can already see it happening. 3 or 4 years after they ban fish for aquariums, they report that the over population of fish in reefs is causing the reefs everywhere to die.

These people just lack the vision to see what problems their solution will bring.

[anbosu]

At this rate, soon we won't be able to even purchase life sand.

In all honesty, I agree with putting some level of controls as to where, how much and best practices to prevent damage to reefs. However, some of these activists don't want to see the numbers or studies and want to punish the companies who are doing it right because they can't touch the ones that are doing it wrong in other countries.

I hope this doesn't get in the way of this beautiful hobby. I can already see it happening. 3 or 4 years after they ban fish for aquariums, they report that the over population of fish in reefs is causing the reefs everywhere to die.

These people just lack the vision to see what problems their solution will bring.

We are certainly not doing the reef any favors by culling the ornamental fish population. Population is naturally self regulating in almost any ecosystem. That said, policy should never be written by an extremist group of any kind, eco terrorists included.

[Egkid]

Hopefully one day we'll figure out how to breed most ornamental fish and will no longer need to remove them from the ocean.

It'd be awesome to get some selective traits out of certain fish too, maybe some dwarf tangs, or dwarf angel fish that don't nip. ORA is doing a phenomenal job so far, and I'm sure it won't be long till they can breed almost all aquarium fish species.

[nazgul1979]

That's right, the aquarium hobby is the reason for the decline in fish populations and the damage to fragile reef environments. Oil spills, the Great Pacific garbage patch, etc. certainly do not adversely affect the delicate ecosystems of the ocean.

With that sarcasm being vented, I agree wholeheartedly with Anbosu. Environments shouldn't be plundered just so we have a pretty ornament in our living rooms. That's (somewhat) akin to shooting an elephant for ivory. However, policy shouldn't be written by zealots regardless of which side they stand for. If PETA were in charge of policy we'd never get to eat meat of any kind again and be forced to let our dogs run out the front door because we've been "keeping them prisoner" in our homes. On the flip side, if Ted Nugent were writing laws, we'd shoot something cuz it was fun then walk away.

Unfortunately, the truth of the matter is that if we're waiting on some reasonable/common sense legislation that addresses both sides in a fair and productive manner to come from government then we're gonna be waiting for a really, really, really long time. After all, these are the people that brought us the war on drugs, 18 to fight in war/21 to drink, the patriot act, and many of the other of the hits we all love.

In the end, we all are obligated to minimize our eco-footprint as much as possible by purchasing (whenever possible) captive bred species and to promote and insist upon the education of tomorrow's hobbyist. That's about all we can do.

[CrazyEyes]

Meanwhile Seaworld gets away with housing whales and dolphins in obviously too small tanks and ringling brothers parades elephants around with bullhooks for entertainment.