Sb 580

[vanisleboy]

A friend of mine on the Big Island sent me this email. There have been previous discussions here on the merits of taking reef fish for the aquarium trade. Here's a chance for everyone interested in the subject to have their say!

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There is the first hearing this Thursday in Conference Room 225 at the Hawaii State Senate on SB 580 to ban commercial aquarium collecting in Hawaii.

If you cannot attend please submit testimony in support of SB 580 by Email:

Testimony may be emailed if less than 5 pages in length, to the Committee at:

WLHTestimony@Capitol.hawaii.gov

Please indicate the following: Aloha Chair Dela Cruz and Water and Land Committee members.
Measure: SB 580

Hearing Date/Time: Thursday, February 3, 2011 at 1:15 pm

Testifier Position: IN SUPPORT


NOTE: If you have specific testimony in mind, then proceed. If you can't think of what to testify, it helps to state your name, your ocean connection and/or experience on the reef, including interaction with these fish. Your observations of reef populations and/or personal contact with the aquarium trade will also support your case. Say what you feel, what you want, with evidence that you can distinguish the difference between right and wrong.

The general categories of testimony can be economic, Hawaiian culture, conservation, morality or whatever else you feel. The commercial aquarium collection business removes nearly a million fish a year from our Hawaiian reefs, mostly here on the Big Island. Sport fishing, subsistence fishing, snorkeling and diving would all improve if these fish were kept here. This trade benefits a small number of people, and costs Hawaii 40x the amount they collect for the fish sold.


Now is the time for all good mermaids & sea dogs to come to the aid of our reefs.

This bandit angelfish said hello yesterday, somewhere in Maui County between 30 and 90' deep. Her mate was nearby. We can't say where, because the aquarium trade would scoop both instantly for sale to a Tokyo tank keeper at $400 each, the going rate. They call this sustainable--who's going to miss 2 fish? Economists, Hawaiian cultural practitioners, conservationists & many others call it wrong.

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Further info on the measure can be found here:
Measure History

 

[Maine Diver]

Thanks for posting this. I totally agree that it should be banned.

 

[rgbmatt]

Here we go again... For the record, I'm a commercial aquarium fisherman.

A better idea, don't support this thing. Plain and simple, it's an attempt by one special interest group to eliminate another for personal reasons. Obviously the ocean could use better management (not only fishing, but many other issues), but simply banning one industry, on behalf of another, is just not right.

The thing is, the aquarium fishery has supported hundreds of people in Hawaii for decades - in some cases much longer than the dive tour industry. These are legitimate businesses - permitted and regulated by the state. This doesn't just include fishermen like myself - there are pet stores, dealers, tank maintenance people, and many others that rely on the aquarium industry for a living. These are local families - we have bills to pay, kids to feed and send to school, and elderly parents to take care of. We depend on the ocean just as much as everybody else, and it's entirely in our best interest that our resources are sustained - if the fish are gone, we'll be out of a job.

What's more, most people in the world will never be able to go diving - if it weren't for aquariums the majority of people on mainland or other parts of the world would never be ale to see and enjoy these fish. Even in Hawaii a lot of people aren't able to go diving for a variety of reasons (health, age, etc.) You can't say that one group of people has a right to enjoy the ocean and another doesn't.

As someone who's been fishing here on Oahu for years, I've never seen any conflict between myself and the dive tours, recreational divers, or snorkelers. I know a good number of people in the local dive industry and have worked with them for years. They know what I do and don't have a problem with it - I respect their business and they return the favor. It's a no-brainer - obviously people will get upset if they go to a dive site and a fish they saw before is gone, so we're careful to leave those areas alone. We live on an island, and what goes around comes around - people have to work together to survive. There's more than enough ocean for everybody to share, and there's absolutely no reason why we can't do so.

Nor have I, or any of the other fishermen here, seen any long term decline in numbers of aquarium fish. We've been diving the same reefs for more than 4 decades, and the fish always return year after year. If this supposed depletion was true, we'd have been out of business long ago. The state has been monitoring the fishery since the early 1970s, and there has never been any declining trend. The one thing that did have an effect on the fish population was when Hurricane Iwa wiped out a large portion of Oahu's reef in the early 1980s. Since that time, much of the reef has recovered and, despite the fact that we were still catching fish, their populations have rebounded remarkably well.

The one area where biologists are (justifiably) concerned is with the Big Island yellow tang fishery, which is quite sizable. However, it's not unmanaged - the state already has a number of restrictions on the books, including very large no-take zones that encompass most of the popular dive sites. That in itself basically means that the species will never become depleted, but the state is currently in the process of introducing a number of new regulations (with the cooperation of fishermen) to further ensure that the fishery remains viable and can coexist with other ocean users. I expect the take will be limited or reduced at some time in the near future, but it's no reason to completely shut down the fishery - there needs to be a compromise so everyone can survive.

So, if you want to do the right thing, don't support this bill. It's good to be concerned about the ocean, but extreme measures like this don't benefit anybody. If you live in Hawaii, try getting to know some of us before you pass judgement - you'll see that we care about the ocean just as much as you do. If you live on the mainland, get to know some local aquarists and see their perspective. If you want to send testimony to the legislature, say that you support proper management of ocean resources, but a flat-out ban is the wrong way to go.

 

[smellzlikefish]

I'd say RGB hit the nail on the head. I've been diving with a number of collectors, all of which have a better grasp on what is going on ecologically under the surface than most other divers I know. Hawaiian collectors have the sense to not use dynamite, cyanide, or other blatantly destructive methods. There are large areas of "no take zones" in place. In addition to the rules, most rotate diving activities so they don't deplete one spot and they tend to avoid commonly sport-dived areas. Because of this, Hawaii has one of the more sustainable aquarium fisheries in the world and should instead be a model for other places like the Phillipines where fish collecting is more destructive.

If you have a reason for concern (backed by real data), then by all means lobby for more regulation. If you want to get involved with the ocean, start by going after less sustainable fisheries (bluefin tuna come to mind). I used to be on the "ban fish collecting" side of the issue, but after getting to know some collectors, I have realized they are somewhat like the hunting community on the mainland. They take a few animals, but they serve as some of the strongest and most effective wildlife advocates you'll meet.

 

[SoCalRich]

Good response.
It made me think of this industry in a different point of view.
After all, this is your back yard.

 

[Black_3000psi]

Its really hard to believe that one persons private agenda is what this is actually all about.I have dove with several fish collectors, and they operate on a code of ethics many divers would be surprised they have. one of which is to not collect on sites that are used as known dive sites or snorkeling sites. another is to never over fish an area, not to mention their respect for the reef. granted there is room for improving regulations. and there will always be someone that doesnt respect those rules. just like all the locals that continue to spear fish at sharks cove, and three tables. I sincerely hope the dive community can see past this. once snorkel bob has gotten this past, who do you think is next on his list?

 

[oahu_diver]

Unfortunately, I don't even think it's about one person's personal agenda to save the fish and his snorkeling business. It seems more motivated by his personal agenda to make a name for himself and get create a buzz and some free publicity for himself.

 

[Black_3000psi]

that too

 

[olelomoana]

When money is involved, all logical argument becomes lost in rationalization for personal gain. Would anyone spend the time and take the risks involved if there was no profit motive? Perhaps a few, but not many.

Money is truly the root of all evil.