urban imagining myths
has any part of this project addressed possibly setting up or looked into the possible breeding of fish in captivity and selling those instead of collecting off of the reef?
No...because we already know that if ORA cannot do it w/ all the considerable resources they had poured into this....
if Pro Aquatix couldn't do it w/ all the considerable resources they poured into this...
[except for small. fast growing and large egg laying species...a drop in the bucket of reef diversity...] what exactly would we be doing better then they?
It seems by expanding the collection in the wild, as stated numerous times on many boards and in many periodicals, are getting thin on the reefs.
IF collected stupidly, unsustainably...with poison and crowbars....yes!
But you have no idea how wonderful this story turns around when habitat is respected and spared thru proper collecting methodologies.
I know I am more likely to purchase captive bred fish than wild caught.
Only if you buy only some certain clownfishes, some dottybacks, some goby species....and then the list thins out big time.
I am also more likely to purchase home grown corals as well.
Now unlike fishes, coral farming can overprodude on certain groups and cause price declines. Wonderful that it is so easy to do now!
Fragging and planting coral stems out on the reef however, has nothing remotely to do with the breeding and growing out to market size angelfishes, butterflys, anglers, anthias, lions, puffers, triggers and wrasses.
If imagining the utopia of all tank raised fish were possible and true...why waste it on tropical fish breeding? I'd use my imagining gift to secure world peace and feed the hungry first.
I am not trying to be funny here.
The imagining myths have hurt us as they suggested to people that the reefs and the fisherman can all be avoided thru larboratory breakthrus that have so far cost millions and not come to pass!
Sure there is progress. Heck, you can sometimes buy 600 dollar flames if you want to from in Hawaii now.
But the level of progress you "hope for" is far harder to achieve in reality due to serious biological restraints in the laboratory technology of filtering, keeping off disease, feeding and rearing of microscopic larvae that all but the easy species have. [read Deanos link!]
Plus, the tank raised species are the very least of the species in trouble because they are.....the easy species, the fast growing, fast recruiting species! Why do you think they are the ones being bred?
If hollow, token victory takes the place of real achievment and makes people of good intention think "off base" and sidestep the conservation obligation out on the real reefs, then it is not helpful.
Putting fishers out of work diminishes the value of reefs and reef fishes to the them. Then the war on the reefs can really continue.
Only a fraction of villagers get jobs w/ tourism. Did anyone think otherwise?
Only a fraction of villagers will sit down and starve quietly. Did anyone think otherwise?
Most will scrape a reef clean of everything on it if there is no value to it and no reason to moderate, sustain and harvest properly. We bring in this ethic w/ the tropical fish deal and educate and reward people for adhereing to that ethic.
They have no other outside industries that will do this for them as local enterprises encourage a more aggressive fishing attitude.
The sea cuciumber trade has resultied in the diving deaths of hundreds of New Guinea fishers and is another reason the government wants alternatives, alternatives that train people.
You see, from their perspective, this is all about people.
From our Discovery channel, Animal Planet view, its all about coral reefs and precious animals.
Someone has to bridge the gulf between this chasm and unite the interests because ignoring it means you lose it all faster!
Generating and teaching sustainable practices that spare the coral to thousands of fisherfolk working daily save marinelife by amounts you cannot imagine.
Steve
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