Aquarium Fisheries - Word on the Shore , GovernanceAquarium Fisheries - Word on the Shore , Governancehttps://www.aquariumfisheries.com/blogs/governanceSat, 06 Dec 2025 08:25:14 -0800http://zoho.com/sites/<![CDATA[It Takes a Village to Raise a Coral Reef:  Part II]]>https://www.aquariumfisheries.com/blogs/post/village-iiFishes collected for the marine aquarium trade provide important ecosystem services to coral reefs, and must be considered in fisheries management programs for coral reef habitats where these fisheries operate.]]>

The Refuelers

Photo by SGR



Last time, we talked about the devastating, large-scale coral bleaching events that have occurred this summer in Florida, the Caribbean, and elsewhere around the world as a result of the hottest summer on record. Right now, there is much focus and support directed to aquaculture and restoration of the corals themselves, even going so far as to bring them indoors to escape the ocean heat.  But successful coral reef conservation and restoration requires a comprehensive, multi-pronged strategy to support the entire ecosystem, including focus on the many other aquatic organisms which play important ecological roles that help make corals resilient to stress caused by ocean warming.

Here, damselfish still use this bleached staghorn coral as a refuge from predators. If this coral dies off completely, how long will it remain intact to protect these fish? Photo by V. Patankar (CC)

Reef fish species fished for food--think snappers and groupers--place important top-down controls on community structure of reefs by way of their predatory habits.  Accordingly, there is well-deserved attention exerted by governments and fisheries agencies afforded to the management of their fisheries.  But, for many fisheries management programs around the world...


Often lost in the equation is the recognition of the critical ecosystem services that fishes collected for the aquarium trade provide for coral reef health. 
After feeding in nearby seagrass beds at night, these grunts then spend their day on the reef, transporting and depositing nutrients to the corals in which they seek refuge. Photo by the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (CC)



Grunts are a common family of fishes found on coral reefs, especially in the Western Atlantic.  They form impressive schools--large moving yellow spheres roving over reefs or the ocean floor.  For this reason, schools of grunts make captivating centerpieces of reef exhibits in public aquaria around the world.  Back on the reefs, they play an important role in nutrient transport.  During the day, schools of grunts hang over, around, and under coral reefs for refuge.  At dusk, in their schools, they swim to nearby seagrass beds where they feed on the small shrimps and crabs that inhabit them throughout the night.  At dawn, they swim back to their reefs for the following day.  Over the course of the day, as they're digesting their meals provided by seagrass beds from the previous night, they deposit rich nutrients--nitrogen, primarily through excretion, and phosphorous, primarily through defecation.  These important nutrients fuel the mutually-beneficial zooxanthellae that live inside coral tissues, converting these nutrients into bioavailable materials that corals use as resources for growth.  We tip our hats to our colleague, University of Connecticut Professor Dr. Eric Schultz, who studied this phenomenon, publishing a keystone paper in coral reef ecology with Dr. Judy Meyer back in 1985 (Limnology and Oceanography 30(1): 146-156).        

These Humbug Damselfish (Dascyllus aruanus) seek refuge from predators among the branches of a staghorn coral. These planktivores and herbivores convert nutrients they ingest from the water column or algae patches into usable nutrients for the coral and its zooxanthellae. Photo by Kanenori (CC)

Damselfishes comprise the most popular family of fishes collected for the marine aquarium trade.  Millions and millions of these fishes are collected from coral reefs around the world every year to stock home and public aquaria with a vibrant, colorful, animated mix of coral reef fishes.  Damselfishes often represent the first fishes that introduce new aquarists to the aquarium hobby, as they tend to be hardy species.  Back on the reefs, damselfishes rely on structure provided by corals, like the branches of staghorn corals, to protect them from predation.  They spend their days flitting through the branches, feeding on passing plankton or tending to and pruning algal gardens.  Living within and among the corals, they also deposit these same important nutrients:  Nitrogen and phosphorous, absorbed and coverted by the coral's symbiotic zooxanthellae, which convert them into building blocks required for coral growth.

The Blue Green Chromis (Chromis viridis) and Humbug Damselfish (Dascyllus aruanus) flitting around this coral keep fresh seawater flowing through its branches. Photo by the National Parks Service (CC)
Coral aquarists pay much attention to flow over the corals in their reef tanks as a key variable in coral health.  Back on the reefs, as damselfishes flit about the branches of their host coral, they flush fresh seawater through its branches.  This transports plankton to feeding coral polyps, fresh nutrients, and--especially important during warm ocean temperatures--cool water from nearby open waters.

Laboratory experiments recently completed by Dr. Andrew Shantz and his colleagues confirmed that when exposed to heat stress, antler corals (Pocillopora grandis) showed improved metabolism and developed larger populations of zooxanthellae when Yellowtail Dascyllus damselfish (Dascyllus flavicaudus) were present, compared to when they were absent.  At the end of the experiment, heat stress caused average calcification rates in the coral to decrease by over 80% when damselfish were absent, but increase nearly 25% when damselfish were present.  Shantz and his colleagues' study bore out the "Stress Gradient Hypothesis," which predicts that positive interactions become increasingly important for structuring communities as environmental stress increases.  This study was published just this year in the journal Global Change Biology (29:  417-431). 
The Yellowtail Dascyllus (Dascyllus flavicaudus). Photo by F. Libert (CC)
This is why fisheries management programs must assess and make data-driven decisions to sustainably manage aquarium fisheries in coral reef habitats where these fisheries operate. These and other fish species routinely collected for the marine aquarium trade play important roles in bolstering the resilience of coral reefs against stressors induced by climate change and other human-caused impacts. 

Aquarium Fisheries can help, by assessing regulatory frameworks to highlight effective practices, and providing recommendations for strengthening fisheries management. It has done so for the Florida Marine Life fishery.  Our work will take us next to Indonesia, the 2nd largest source country for marine aquarium fishes, where we aim to do the same...stay tuned for news on this important upcoming work!

Till next time.
]]>Wed, 20 Sep 2023 12:52:42 -0400<![CDATA[It Takes a Village to Raise a Coral Reef:  Part I]]>https://www.aquariumfisheries.com/blogs/post/village-iFishes collected for the marine aquarium trade provide important ecosystem services to coral reefs, and must be considered in fisheries management programs for coral reef habitats where these fisheries operate.]]>

Scrapers and Browsers

Scientists from the Australian Research Council conduct in-water surveys to assess the extent of a bleaching event on the Great Barrier Reef. Photo by T. Chase/Australian Research Council Center of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies. CC BY-ND 2.0.


The large-scale coral bleaching events that have occurred this summer in Florida, the Caribbean, and elsewhere around the world as a result of the hottest summer on record have been devastating.  Noble efforts by coral restoration programs, fueled by the support of donations from individuals and organizations in the environmental philanthropic community, have tried to stem losses this summer through a variety of means, even going so far as to bring open-ocean aquacultured coral fragments indoors to recirculating systems where temperature can be controlled.


The Molasses Reef off the coast of the Florida Keys is beleaguered by bleached corals. Photo by M. Kieffer (CC)

Aside from the focus on nurturing the corals themselves; we, as members of a global society, know that we need to take bold, collective action to stem global climate change. It seems like an insurmountable task; and nations around the world are collaborating to address this global risk to our planet...ever so slowly. In the meantime, it's critical to bolster the resilience of coral reef and other ecosystems to mitigate the ongoing impacts of climate change, like the impacts we've seen this summer.


One important mitigation strategy is to address or ameliorate other threats to coral reef health.  There is well-deserved attention exerted by governments and fisheries agencies afforded to the management of large reef fish species fished for food--think snappers and groupers, for example.  These fishes serve important ecosystem functions, like large-bodied fish-eating groupers that place top-down controls on community structure by way of their predatory habits.  But, for many fisheries management programs around the world...

Often lost in the equation is the recognition of the critical ecosystem services that fishes collected for the aquarium trade provide for coral reef health. 

This Bleeker's Parrotfish (Chlorusus bleekeri) is picking off bits of turf algae and dead coral tissue, leaving behind a scoured substrate ready for new corals to settle. Photo by F. Libert (CC)



Parrotfishes are a family of fishes with hard beaks, known for their behavior of scraping and scouring reef surfaces for food. On account of their size and stunning coloration, these fishes are a common centerpiece of large reef exhibits featured at public aquaria around the world. On the reefs, they ingest algal turfs, sediment, dead coral tissues and skeletons.  They leave behind a freshly cleaned and scoured substrate that becomes prime real estate for crustose coralline algae, an important algae that acts as a "glue" holding coral reef structures together, as well as settling coral larvae, ready to start brand new coral colonies on reefs.

Collectively, this school of Brown Tangs (Acanthurus nigrofuscus) can make short work of filamentous algae on reefs. Photo by F. Libert (CC)

Surgeonfishes and rabbitfishes are famed herbivorous browsers on coral reefs.  Many species of both are prized possessions in hobby aquaria around the globe.  On the reefs, these fishes prune reefs of seaweed and macroalgae.  In so doing, they reduce coral overgrowth and shading by these fleshy algaes. 

This Streamlined Spinefoot (Siganus argenteus) is browsing on fleshy algae it comes across on the reef. Photo by R. Kretzberg (CC)

These two guilds of fishes complement each other by pruning different types of algal growth that can threaten coral growth and proliferation. Corals exposed to a heatwave become compromised by stress, making them vulnerable to algal overgrowth. But corals on a reef cohabitated by scrapers and browsers have a better chance of being protected from algal overgrowth. If corals die and patches of reefs become overgrown by algae, reefs have a better chance of getting re-settled by coralline algae and fresh coral larvae when scrapers and browsers have prepared the substrate for their settlement.
This is why fisheries management programs must assess and make data-driven decisions to sustainably manage aquarium fisheries in coral reef habitats where these fisheries operate.  These and other fish species routinely collected for the marine aquarium trade play important roles in bolstering the resilience of coral reefs against stressors induced by climate change and other human-caused impacts. 

Aquarium Fisheries can help, by assessing regulatory frameworks to highlight effective practices, and providing recommendations for strengthening fisheries management.  It has done so for the Florida Marine Life fishery.  Our work will take us next to Indonesia, the 2nd largest source country for marine aquarium fishes, where we aim to do the same...stay tuned for news on this important upcoming work!
]]>Thu, 07 Sep 2023 11:20:35 -0400<![CDATA[Hawaii's Storied Aquarium Fishery]]>https://www.aquariumfisheries.com/blogs/post/hawaii-fisheryDespite comprehensive management of Hawaii's historical marine aquarium fishery, litigation over the past few years has effectively shut it down. This blog post explores its history, the reasons why, and the status of the fishery by late 2022.]]>

Despite comprehensive management of Hawaii's historical marine aquarium fishery, litigation over the past few years has effectively shut it down.  Here, we'll explore its history, the reasons why, and the status of the fishery by late 2022.  


Hawaii's marine aquarium fishery was historically active on the islands of West Hawaii and, to a lesser extent, Oahu.  The stories of these two regions are similar, but there are some differences between them.  This story will focus on the history and developments of the West Hawaii fishery.

The West Hawaii Regional Fishery Management Area (WHRFMA)


West Hawaii's marine aquarium fishery was well-regulated for many years under the management authority of the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR).  The area honored marine protected areas (MPAs), and established a network of nine additional Fish Replenishment Areas (FRAs).  All of these site designations restricted fishing activity to varying degrees to allow for recovery of fish densities in these and surrounding fishing areas.  The Council established a "White List" of 40 species permitted for fishing, and fishing activity was regulated through the use of permits, gear restrictions, and fishing quotas.



The Result



The DLNR's management strategies seemed to be working.  As an indicator species in the Hawaii marine aquarium fishery, the Yellow Tang, the most popular species in the fishery, enjoyed growth in abundance of the species throughout the WHRFMA since 2009.



Overall changes in Yellow Tang abundance (Mean +/- SE) in FRAs, MPAs, and open areas, 1999-2018.  YOY = Young-of-year.  Source:  Hawaii DLNR

Photo by B. Everett

The Case Against Aquarium Fishing in Hawaii


Preservation vs. Conservation

Both are means of protecting the environment.  Conservation seeks to balance the sustainable use of natural resources, managing the long-term viability of those resources with the opportunity to provide for the livelihoods of people dependent on them.  In contrast, preservation seeks to protect resources from human use, excluding livelihoods from the equation.


Bad Actors

Bad actors in the aquarium fishery have utilized illegal and destructive fishing methods to catch fish for profit.  Preservationists have highlighted the stories of these bad actors in arguing their case against the Hawaii marine aquarium fishery.


Malama 'Aina:  "Taking Care of One's Place"

A tenet of the Hawaiian ethos is to take from the land only what is needed for survival.  Fishing for food is generally accepted in Hawaiian culture, as it provides sustenance.  Aquarium fishing, however, is not needed for survival.  This is the cultural perspective of native Hawaiians, and merits respect and consideration when it comes to making decisions for the Hawaiian aquarium fishery.  But what about the livelihoods of Hawaii's marine aquarium fishers, many of whom are natives themselves? 

Timeline

A coalition of individuals and preservation organizations filed suit to force the DLNR to conduct an environmental review before issuing collection permits.  Here's how it unfolded:

Who is the Pet Advocacy Network (PAN)?

PAN, formerly the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council (PIJAC), represents the experience and expertise of the responsible pet care community to legislative, regulatory, and governing bodies.  The Mission of their Aquatic Committee is to foster collaboration among the aquatic community on aquarium fish regulatory and legislative issues impacting businesses, hobbyists, and environmental stewardship in the U.S.  Does anybody remember Habitattitude?  Yup!  They did that.  In this case, PAN's Aquatic Committee prepared two Environmental Impact Statements (EISs) for aquarium fisheries, on the Islands of Hawaii (West Hawaii marine aquarium fishery) and Oahu.  The timeline continues...

So Where Do Things Stand Now?

As of this writing, based on the split vote of the revised EIS and the rules of Hawaii's Board of Land and Natural Resources (BLNR), the revised EIS has been officially accepted.  Consequently and presumably, the DLNR will be preparing for re-opening of the fishery and re-engaging in its management, monitoring, and enforcement efforts.  Stay tuned! 

Sources

This blog post was informed from insightful conversations with Bob Likins, Executive VP of the Pet Advocacy Network, Matt Pedersen, and Bryce Risley.  Articles on the topic published by FISH Magazine, Hawaii's Department of Land and Natural Resources, the Pet Advocacy Network, and Reef to Rainforest Media were also consulted.  

]]>Tue, 15 Nov 2022 06:24:42 -0500<![CDATA[The America COMPETES Act:  What Happened?]]>https://www.aquariumfisheries.com/blogs/post/america-competesWhat was the America COMPETES Act and why did it make waves across the marine aquarium community? How can the community proactively engage on future relevant legislation? Dive in to find out.]]>


The America COMPETES Act was a bill introduced into Congress in 2022.  It proposed "to invest in innovation through research and development, and to improve the competitiveness of the U.S."  It was an ambitious bill that sought to do lots of things for American society and business. 


In it contained amendments to the Lacey Act of 1900.  The Lacey Act is a conservation law that prohibits trade in wildlife, fish, and plants that have been illegally taken, possessed, transported, or sold.  

This spot-fin porcupinefish is a popular species in public aquaria, perhaps on account of its amusing disposition. But the fish can also be toxic to humans if improperly prepared and eaten due to tetrodotoxin, a nerve toxin that it accumulates in its tissues. Would this species be subject to regulation during interstate transport under the America COMPETES Act? Photo by B. DuPont.

Injurious Species


Problematic amendments centered around species designated as injurious:  To humans, agriculture, forestry, or wildlife.  The bill provisioned for the creation of a "whitelist" of approved, non-injurious species.  But how would those species determinations be made?  The bill provisioned the Secretary of the Interior with the power to list any species as injurious for up to 3 years while study is conducted to confirm such a determination.  


The bill called for monitoring and regulation of interstate transport of species designated as injurious. Currently, however, there are no systems in place for this kind of documentation and permitting.  So how would this work in the U.S.?

Aquarium Organizations Intervened

The Pet Advocacy Network  represents the experience and expertise of the responsible pet care community to legislative, regulatory, and governing bodies.  The Mission of their Aquatic Committee is to foster collaboration among the aquatic community on aquarium fish regulatory and legislative issues impacting businesses, hobbyists, and environmental stewardship in the U.S.  Does anybody remember Habitattitude?  Yup!  They did that.  The Network, after studying these aspects of the bill, came out in opposition of these proposals and launched a letter writing campaign on behalf of its members.  All in all, the organization spurred the submission of 17,000 letters as public comment on the bill.

The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) represents 235 zoos and aquariums around the U.S. and beyond, many of which are landmark institutions in their cities that enjoy the broad support of their city and state governments,  After studying these aspects of the bill, the AZA encouraged their member zoos and aquaria to engage their elected representatives on the bill, while AZA staff conducted direct communications with government representatives to represent the organization's position on the bill.

Ultimately, the America COMPETES Act became law in August 2022 as the CHIPS & Science Act, wherein the Lacey Act amendments were discarded.


But the marine aquarium community is advised to be vigilant, as these amendments are still favored by some politicians, and are likely to resurface in future bills.

Photo by J. Larsen/NASA-Goddard
How Can I Engage?

The Pet Advocacy Network monitors developing legislation concerning pet care at the municipal, state, and federal level, alerting its members to engage with their representatives on legislation that may be impacting them in their corner of the U.S., and engaging directly on priority developments.  If you're a marine aquarium business, consider joining the Network to stay informed, and to channel your voice to the right government representatives. If you're a hobbyist, ask your local marine aquarium club to join, and ask that the topic of regulatory issues becomes a regular part of your club meetings. 

Sources

This blog post was informed from insightful conversations with Bob Likins, Executive VP of the Pet Advocacy Network, Steve Olson, Senior VP of Government Affairs at the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, and Matt Pedersen.  Articles on the topic published by Reef to Rainforest Media were also consulted. 

]]>Tue, 15 Nov 2022 06:18:49 -0500<![CDATA[Getting the Word Out]]>https://www.aquariumfisheries.com/blogs/post/getting-the-word-outIn early 2022, Aquarium Fisheries reached out to stakeholders near and far to advance sustainable marine aquarium fisheries.]]>
Photo by J. Slone/Piscine Energetics

In February 2022, Aquarium Fisheries Director Paul Anderson traveled to Moody Gardens (Galveston, TX) for the Regional Aquatics Workshop to highlight our recent accomplishments and current projects in aquarium fisheries conservation. In addition, he presented the results of an assessment of Florida's regulations for marine aquarium fishes collected in the State for sale. He conducted this work alongside Aquarium Fisheries partner and Fisheries Economist Dr. Bob Pomeroy, discovering that the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's policy framework is comprehensive, and fish catch trends for the vast majority of fish species are stable or improving. The marine aquarium fishery--in Florida and elsewhere around the globe--is important to the aquarium and zoo professionals at this Workshop, who tell the stories and conservation priorities of coral reefs to people from all over the U.S. Hats off to Allen’s Printing Company for the beautiful poster!

Meanwhile, a month later, and halfway around the world in Indonesia--the world's 2nd most important source of fish for the marine aquarium trade--our partners at LINI gathered ~70 members of the marine aquarium fishery and trade to discuss the sustainable development of the country's fishery.  Presenters included esteemed representatives from the Indonesian Government's Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, INOFE--Indonesia's marine aquarium fish exporters association, LINI, and us of course.  Also in attendance were many marine aquarium fishers from throughout the nation.  This is the first time these stakeholders have convened to advance sustainable marine aquarium fisheries since 2016.  It is our hope that this virtual conference jumpstarts a sustained collaboration among these stakeholders to mold the country of Indonesia into a model fishery for the marine aquarium trade.  

]]>Sat, 16 Apr 2022 16:21:24 -0400<![CDATA[The Marine Aquarium Fish Trade Invests to Assess its own Sustainability]]>https://www.aquariumfisheries.com/blogs/post/Florida-Marine-Life-PolicyDynasty Marine Associates, Inc. is sponsoring Aquarium Fisheries to assess marine life policy for the State of Florida. Photo by S. Yancar/Praech Productions]]>

Dynasty Marine Associates, Inc. packages the fish they collect singularly or in small groups in ventilated containers to avoid fish aggression during transport.  Photos by Dynasty Marine Associates, Inc. and S. Yancar/Praech Productions

Over the course of the pandemic, aquarium keeping has become popular as people are at home, nesting, and investing in their pets.  The hobby provides hands-on science experiences in biology, chemistry and environmental science; and with the inclusion of the family in the hobby, aquarium keeping fosters family bonding, communication, and an ethic of responsibility. But international trade of aquarium fish has been stymied this year as reduced flights have driven up shipping costs.  U.S. aquarium fisheries trading domestically are thus poised to gain increased market share, supporting the livelihoods of fishermen, exporters, wholesalers, retailers, and others in the value chain.  But Hawaii’s marine aquarium fishery, well-managed in relation to those at other global locales, has faced recent changes to regulations that make it challenging for aquarium fishers to collect fish.  This impacts 226 commercial aquarium fishers and jeopardizes the annual boost of $2 million from the fishery to the State’s economy, according to an environmental impact statement prepared by the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council in 2019.


An opportunity for Florida.  These developments offer a market growth opportunity for Florida marine aquarium fishers, and raise the profile of this fishery in the eyes of the marine aquarium trade and environmental advocates alike.  But can the policy framework of the Florida marine aquarium fishery sustain coral reef fish populations and fishers’ livelihoods over the long term, and will it continue to do so with rising demand? 


Dynasty Marine Associates, a leading marine aquarium fisher in Marathon, FL, has invested in the research needed to answer this question.  Ben Daughtry, President of Dynasty Marine, said:  “In recent years, deliberations over the sustainability of coral reef aquarium fisheries in some locales have been one-sided.  Our approach in Florida is to engage stakeholders from the Florida fishery to invest in an up-close look at the sustainability of our own businesses.  We’ve taken the first step, and invite others to join in the effort.”


Enter Aquarium Fisheries, founded by Dr. Paul Anderson, a marine scientist who has dedicated his career to understanding and improving the sustainability of the aquarium trade.  Anderson has partnered with Dynasty and with Dr. Bob Pomeroy, a fisheries economist, and Dr. Tracey Dalton, Chair of the University of Rhode Island’s Department of Marine Affairs, to answer this question.  With the help of a URI graduate student, their goal is to describe the policy framework for marine aquarium fish as an educational tool for regulators and stakeholders in the Florida marine ornamental fishery and as a model for other locales.  They will assess the effects of current policies on 1) the sustainability of selected indigenous coral reef fish species, and 2) stakeholders and their businesses.  Comparisons will be drawn among policy landscapes for other selected locales.  The forthcoming report may offer policy recommendations that have demonstrated successes in sustainability in other locales.


Anderson emphasizes the need for stakeholders from all sides of the issue to weigh in:  “We seek to pursue this study objectively and comprehensively, with the support and input of the voices of those who are passionate about coral reef conservation and those who want to see the aquarium trade continue to educate families and children for decades to come.  These people are often, though not always, one and the same.” 
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