Produced by David Vosseler of MAC:
Marine Aquarium Council Process for Developing MAC Core Standards and Interacting with the Marine Aquarium Industry
1. Pre-MAC Certification Development Activities
· "Pre-MAC coalition" of industry, conservation organizations, hobbyists and public aquariums forms and begins to meet and assemble information on possible certification (1997)
· OATA Code of Conduct provided by Ornamental Aquatic Trade Association as a major basis for initial standards (1997)
· Industry participants in several "pre-MAC coalition" meetings provide written and verbal suggestions for inclusion in industry standards (1997/1998)
· Leading organizations in "pre-MAC coalition" form a Steering Committee, including strong industry presence, and determine to create separate organization to coordinate certification development (1998)
· Pre-MAC Steering Committee conducts search and hires a Director to formally establish MAC on their behalf (June, 1998)
· MAC established a non-profit corporation, with pre-MAC Steering Committee as initial Board of Directors (September, 1998)
· Board of Directors constituted with major industry representation:
PIJAC (Board Chair), AMDA (Board Secretary), Quality Marine, Philippines Tropical Fish Export Association, OATA (who are later joined by Asosiasi Koral Kerang dan Ikan Hias Indonesia-AKKII, Ornamental Fish International-OFI, as well as Marine Aquarium Societies of North America-MASNA)
2. Early MAC Standards Development Activities
· MAC Chain of Custody Mini-Workshop in Long Beach with collectors, exporters, importers, retailers, pet trade association and certifier (July,1998)
· MAC Multi-stakeholder workshop in Manila with large Philippines industry representation; with participation of a US importer, retailer and hobbyist expressly sought and supported by MAC (August, 1998)
· First of many meetings between the MAC Director and the members of the Philippines Tropical Fish Export Association (PTFEA); MAC visits to many industry collection and exporter operations (August, 1998)
· MACNA '98: MAC Board member Phil Shane introduces MAC and shares his presentation time slot so that MAC Director can describe MAC to the plenary audience (September, 1998)
· MAC Director seeks out meetings with every Fiji marine ornamentals exporter (January, 1999)
· First issue of MAC News sent out by e-mail and fax; includes an item entitled "Certification: Getting in on the Ground Floor" which states "Your participation is critical to developing certification and bringing it to reality. Contact MAC if you are interested in being part of a standards' task team'." (March, 1999)
· MAC visits to several Jakarta-based exporter members of Indonesia Coral, Shell and Ornamental Fish Association - AKKII (April, 1999)
· MAC Director synthesizes available information into an initial rough draft of Standards (mid-1999)
· MACNA '99: MAC presentation on certification and specific industry-oriented briefing session on certification is held for industry participants are well attended (September, 1999)
· MAC Board Meeting/Strategic Planning Workshop (primarily industry representatives from around the world) sets MAC Mission and Objectives and reviews and comments on initial rough draft of Standards (September, 1999)
· MAC News 3rd Quarter 1999 (mailing list: 600 in 40 countries) calls for additional interested parties to participate in Standards working groups (September, 1999)
· Several hundred copies of initial draft standards are made publicly available at Marine Ornamentals '99 and mailed to many others (November, 1999)
· Three MAC workshop sessions at MO '99 specifically review each of the areas of the draft standards and seek comments; many industry participants indicate they will send written comments; no comments are received (November, 1999)
3. Expanded MAC Industry Interaction and Standards Development
· MAC convenes industry only meeting in Los Angeles that is attended by over 20 US wholesalers, mostly West Coast importers, who indicate their general support for MAC developments (March, 2000)
· MAC convenes multi-stakeholder workshop in San Francisco, including industry representatives, to review progress and set action needed for standards development (April, 2000)
· MAC interaction with European industry expands by attending Interzoo (world's largest live animal industry show) at which the MAC Director and Board President (Marshall Meyers, PIJAC) hold meetings with major European exporters, importers, retailers, trade associations, and hobbyist associations; MAC makes a presentation to the International Pet Advisory Council (May, 2000)
· AKKII convenes the first of numerous meetings to be held with the MAC Director; most of the fish exporters on Bali also later met with MAC; visits to many industry Indonesia exporters (May, 2000)
· MAC Certification Coordinator and Accreditation Coordinator hired and develop format and workplan for formal MAC Standards development (mid-2000)
4. Review/Revision by Standards Advisory Group and International Workshops
· Initial formal working draft of three MAC Standards compiled (mid-2000)
· Standards Advisory Group (SAG) formed, ending up with about 80 members, with US industry as the single best represented constituency (August-October, 2000)
· MAC News 3rd Quarter 2000 (mailing list: 1900 in 60 countries) puts out request for additional SAG participants (September, 2000)
· MACNA '00: MAC makes a plenary presentation, convenes a specific industry-oriented briefing session that was well attended and participates in AMDA and MASNA meetings (September, 2000)
· MAC staff meeting undertakes detailed review of draft standards and includes industry participation from a major Pacific Island exporter/US importer and 2 AMDA importer/retailer members (September, 2000)
· MAC produces first full draft Standards based on preliminary input from stakeholders (October, 2000)
· MAC convenes industry meeting attended by most fish exporters on Bali
(October, 2000)
· MAC European Liaison Director and MAC Director meet with representatives of German trade and aquarist associations, several major importers in Germany, the Netherlands and France (November, 2000)
· SAG reviews and comments on draft Standards (November - December, 2000)
· MAC News 4th Quarter 2000 announces public review of draft Standards to be coming in 2001 (December, 2000)
· MAC compiles results of 1st SAG review and revises draft Standards (January - March, 2001)
· Pacific Regional Workshop on the Aquarium Trade (Fiji) reviews and comments on draft Standards, including many industry representatives (February, 2001)
5. Continued Review/Revision by Standards Advisory Group, International
Workshops and Public
· MAC produces revised draft Standards for public review (March, 2001)
· MAC News 1st Quarter 2001 calls for public review of draft Standards (March, 2001)
· SAG invited to review Standards again during the public review (March, 2001)
· Public and SAG, reviews and comments on draft Standards (April, 2001)
· PTFEA meeting with MAC (April, 2001)
· International Workshop on the Coral Trade (Jakarta, Indonesia) reviews and comments on draft Standards (April, 2001)
· AKKII convenes members meeting with the MAC (April, 2001)
· MAC compiles results of public review and revises Standards (May, 2001)
· MAC produces revised draft Standards for 2nd SAG review (June, 2001)
· SAG reviews and comments on revised draft Standards (June, 2001)
· MAC compiles results of 2nd SAG Review; only two US industry reviewers state significant problems with 1% DOA / 1% DAA (June, 2001)
· MAC News 2nd Quarter 2001 announces Core version of Standards available (July 1, 2001)
· MAC posts final working (pre-certification launch) version of Core Standards (Issue 1) for use in Feasibility Studies (beginning of July, 2001).
· MACNA '01: MAC makes presentation, conducts several industry and hobby briefing sessions, and participates in AMDA and MASNA meetings (August, 2001)
6. Core Standards Feasibility Study, Testing, Adoption and Commitment
· Feasibility Study in Philippines explores applicability and practicality of the Standards in supplying certified organisms (i.e. collection to export) (April-October, 2001)
· MAC News 2nd Quarter 2001 reports Feasibility Study results that several reef-to-export chains achieved less than 1 % DOA from reef to collector to exporter and in many cases 0 % DOA (September, 2001)
· MAC convenes industry-only meeting in Los Angeles for wholesalers to provide updates on the Standards testing plans; visits to many wholesalers conducted (September, 2001)
· Statements of support for MAC Certification provided by Indonesia Coral, Shell and Ornamental Fish Association (AKKI) and Philippines Tropical Fish Export Association (October, 2001)
· Standards formally tested in the operations of 18 companies in the Philippines, United States, United Kingdom and Netherlands; with more US importers requesting MAC to participate in the Test Case than was actually planned or needed (November, 2001)
· The five international certifier companies participating in the Test Case determine that the MAC Certification system is sufficiently robust and complete to proceed (November, 2001)
· MAC "Statement of Commitment" is made available by which companies can chose to publicly state they are "committed to a sustainable future for the marine aquarium industry and to the quality and health of marine aquarium organisms and the coral reefs from which they come" and "believe that Marine Aquarium Council's (MAC) certification is the best way to achieve this, and are, therefore, committed to becoming certified and encouraging others in our industry to become certified"
· MAC Board of Directors approves MAC Core Standards and Certification, noting that after the initial implementation of the Standards begins there will be the opportunity to for the Board's Standards Committee to review and revise them (November, 2001)
· MAC Certification launched at Marine Ornamentals '01 (November, 2001)
· By the end of 2001, 45 companies in 9 countries, including 17 US wholesalers voluntarily sign Statements of Commitment to become MAC Certified as soon as possible (December, 2001)
· Statements of support for MAC Certification also provided by additional major industry associations: Ornamental Fish International and AMDA (early 2002)
Marine Aquarium Council Process for Developing MAC Core Standards and Interacting with the Marine Aquarium Industry
1. Pre-MAC Certification Development Activities
· "Pre-MAC coalition" of industry, conservation organizations, hobbyists and public aquariums forms and begins to meet and assemble information on possible certification (1997)
· OATA Code of Conduct provided by Ornamental Aquatic Trade Association as a major basis for initial standards (1997)
· Industry participants in several "pre-MAC coalition" meetings provide written and verbal suggestions for inclusion in industry standards (1997/1998)
· Leading organizations in "pre-MAC coalition" form a Steering Committee, including strong industry presence, and determine to create separate organization to coordinate certification development (1998)
· Pre-MAC Steering Committee conducts search and hires a Director to formally establish MAC on their behalf (June, 1998)
· MAC established a non-profit corporation, with pre-MAC Steering Committee as initial Board of Directors (September, 1998)
· Board of Directors constituted with major industry representation:
PIJAC (Board Chair), AMDA (Board Secretary), Quality Marine, Philippines Tropical Fish Export Association, OATA (who are later joined by Asosiasi Koral Kerang dan Ikan Hias Indonesia-AKKII, Ornamental Fish International-OFI, as well as Marine Aquarium Societies of North America-MASNA)
2. Early MAC Standards Development Activities
· MAC Chain of Custody Mini-Workshop in Long Beach with collectors, exporters, importers, retailers, pet trade association and certifier (July,1998)
· MAC Multi-stakeholder workshop in Manila with large Philippines industry representation; with participation of a US importer, retailer and hobbyist expressly sought and supported by MAC (August, 1998)
· First of many meetings between the MAC Director and the members of the Philippines Tropical Fish Export Association (PTFEA); MAC visits to many industry collection and exporter operations (August, 1998)
· MACNA '98: MAC Board member Phil Shane introduces MAC and shares his presentation time slot so that MAC Director can describe MAC to the plenary audience (September, 1998)
· MAC Director seeks out meetings with every Fiji marine ornamentals exporter (January, 1999)
· First issue of MAC News sent out by e-mail and fax; includes an item entitled "Certification: Getting in on the Ground Floor" which states "Your participation is critical to developing certification and bringing it to reality. Contact MAC if you are interested in being part of a standards' task team'." (March, 1999)
· MAC visits to several Jakarta-based exporter members of Indonesia Coral, Shell and Ornamental Fish Association - AKKII (April, 1999)
· MAC Director synthesizes available information into an initial rough draft of Standards (mid-1999)
· MACNA '99: MAC presentation on certification and specific industry-oriented briefing session on certification is held for industry participants are well attended (September, 1999)
· MAC Board Meeting/Strategic Planning Workshop (primarily industry representatives from around the world) sets MAC Mission and Objectives and reviews and comments on initial rough draft of Standards (September, 1999)
· MAC News 3rd Quarter 1999 (mailing list: 600 in 40 countries) calls for additional interested parties to participate in Standards working groups (September, 1999)
· Several hundred copies of initial draft standards are made publicly available at Marine Ornamentals '99 and mailed to many others (November, 1999)
· Three MAC workshop sessions at MO '99 specifically review each of the areas of the draft standards and seek comments; many industry participants indicate they will send written comments; no comments are received (November, 1999)
3. Expanded MAC Industry Interaction and Standards Development
· MAC convenes industry only meeting in Los Angeles that is attended by over 20 US wholesalers, mostly West Coast importers, who indicate their general support for MAC developments (March, 2000)
· MAC convenes multi-stakeholder workshop in San Francisco, including industry representatives, to review progress and set action needed for standards development (April, 2000)
· MAC interaction with European industry expands by attending Interzoo (world's largest live animal industry show) at which the MAC Director and Board President (Marshall Meyers, PIJAC) hold meetings with major European exporters, importers, retailers, trade associations, and hobbyist associations; MAC makes a presentation to the International Pet Advisory Council (May, 2000)
· AKKII convenes the first of numerous meetings to be held with the MAC Director; most of the fish exporters on Bali also later met with MAC; visits to many industry Indonesia exporters (May, 2000)
· MAC Certification Coordinator and Accreditation Coordinator hired and develop format and workplan for formal MAC Standards development (mid-2000)
4. Review/Revision by Standards Advisory Group and International Workshops
· Initial formal working draft of three MAC Standards compiled (mid-2000)
· Standards Advisory Group (SAG) formed, ending up with about 80 members, with US industry as the single best represented constituency (August-October, 2000)
· MAC News 3rd Quarter 2000 (mailing list: 1900 in 60 countries) puts out request for additional SAG participants (September, 2000)
· MACNA '00: MAC makes a plenary presentation, convenes a specific industry-oriented briefing session that was well attended and participates in AMDA and MASNA meetings (September, 2000)
· MAC staff meeting undertakes detailed review of draft standards and includes industry participation from a major Pacific Island exporter/US importer and 2 AMDA importer/retailer members (September, 2000)
· MAC produces first full draft Standards based on preliminary input from stakeholders (October, 2000)
· MAC convenes industry meeting attended by most fish exporters on Bali
(October, 2000)
· MAC European Liaison Director and MAC Director meet with representatives of German trade and aquarist associations, several major importers in Germany, the Netherlands and France (November, 2000)
· SAG reviews and comments on draft Standards (November - December, 2000)
· MAC News 4th Quarter 2000 announces public review of draft Standards to be coming in 2001 (December, 2000)
· MAC compiles results of 1st SAG review and revises draft Standards (January - March, 2001)
· Pacific Regional Workshop on the Aquarium Trade (Fiji) reviews and comments on draft Standards, including many industry representatives (February, 2001)
5. Continued Review/Revision by Standards Advisory Group, International
Workshops and Public
· MAC produces revised draft Standards for public review (March, 2001)
· MAC News 1st Quarter 2001 calls for public review of draft Standards (March, 2001)
· SAG invited to review Standards again during the public review (March, 2001)
· Public and SAG, reviews and comments on draft Standards (April, 2001)
· PTFEA meeting with MAC (April, 2001)
· International Workshop on the Coral Trade (Jakarta, Indonesia) reviews and comments on draft Standards (April, 2001)
· AKKII convenes members meeting with the MAC (April, 2001)
· MAC compiles results of public review and revises Standards (May, 2001)
· MAC produces revised draft Standards for 2nd SAG review (June, 2001)
· SAG reviews and comments on revised draft Standards (June, 2001)
· MAC compiles results of 2nd SAG Review; only two US industry reviewers state significant problems with 1% DOA / 1% DAA (June, 2001)
· MAC News 2nd Quarter 2001 announces Core version of Standards available (July 1, 2001)
· MAC posts final working (pre-certification launch) version of Core Standards (Issue 1) for use in Feasibility Studies (beginning of July, 2001).
· MACNA '01: MAC makes presentation, conducts several industry and hobby briefing sessions, and participates in AMDA and MASNA meetings (August, 2001)
6. Core Standards Feasibility Study, Testing, Adoption and Commitment
· Feasibility Study in Philippines explores applicability and practicality of the Standards in supplying certified organisms (i.e. collection to export) (April-October, 2001)
· MAC News 2nd Quarter 2001 reports Feasibility Study results that several reef-to-export chains achieved less than 1 % DOA from reef to collector to exporter and in many cases 0 % DOA (September, 2001)
· MAC convenes industry-only meeting in Los Angeles for wholesalers to provide updates on the Standards testing plans; visits to many wholesalers conducted (September, 2001)
· Statements of support for MAC Certification provided by Indonesia Coral, Shell and Ornamental Fish Association (AKKI) and Philippines Tropical Fish Export Association (October, 2001)
· Standards formally tested in the operations of 18 companies in the Philippines, United States, United Kingdom and Netherlands; with more US importers requesting MAC to participate in the Test Case than was actually planned or needed (November, 2001)
· The five international certifier companies participating in the Test Case determine that the MAC Certification system is sufficiently robust and complete to proceed (November, 2001)
· MAC "Statement of Commitment" is made available by which companies can chose to publicly state they are "committed to a sustainable future for the marine aquarium industry and to the quality and health of marine aquarium organisms and the coral reefs from which they come" and "believe that Marine Aquarium Council's (MAC) certification is the best way to achieve this, and are, therefore, committed to becoming certified and encouraging others in our industry to become certified"
· MAC Board of Directors approves MAC Core Standards and Certification, noting that after the initial implementation of the Standards begins there will be the opportunity to for the Board's Standards Committee to review and revise them (November, 2001)
· MAC Certification launched at Marine Ornamentals '01 (November, 2001)
· By the end of 2001, 45 companies in 9 countries, including 17 US wholesalers voluntarily sign Statements of Commitment to become MAC Certified as soon as possible (December, 2001)
· Statements of support for MAC Certification also provided by additional major industry associations: Ornamental Fish International and AMDA (early 2002)
