Aquarium Habitat using a CDT?

[Anonymous]

From the Aquarium Habitat website, http://www.aquariumhabitat.com

WHAT DO WE MEAN BY CERTIFIED NET-CAUGHT?

Almost all suppliers of the marine aquarium hobby claim their fishes to be "net-caught", but few can actually document that. Our work with the Marine Aquarium Council and the International Marinelife Alliance provides a way for our customers to be certain of the origin of their fish, and their capture using non-destructive methods.

TRACEABILITY AND DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE

The IMA, in conjunction with the Philippine Government, has established a network of cyanide detection test centers (CDT Laboratories) where fish can be tested for cyanide contamination. Collectors for our Company are only approved once they are cleared by the IMA to have undergone training and are undergoing monitoring for strict compliance. Their fishes are randomly tested for cyanide and CDT certificates are kept on file.

In our facility they are quarantined by batch number system so that every organism that is dispatched is identifiable and can be traced back to its source.

I had no idea that routine CDT testing was in use by any export group. Is the above a fact or promotional hype? Also, what collecting groups are providing Aquarium Habitat with their net caught fish?

Don

 

[kylen]

Send Marivi an email. She may answer your questions rather than obtaining the information second hand.

 

[Anonymous]

Great Idea! Just dropped them an email! It is so exciting to see that someone might be testing fish right now!

 

[Anonymous]

I think you should go through this forum, research past postings. As I understand it, neither IMA nor MAC actually has a CDT in place. It's become a HUGE issue, in large part because of claims like this.

 

[mkirda]

I think you should go through this forum, research past postings. As I understand it, neither IMA nor MAC actually has a CDT in place. It's become a HUGE issue, in large part because of claims like this.

Seamaiden,

According to Horge's post on has visit to the BFAR lab, the lab still is open and is testing fish. It still runs the same test as it did under the IMA protocol, apparently.

The issue is really that the test is easily circumventable. No one requires the fish to be tested, nor is random testing done.

To be effective, the artificial pass/fail level needs to be taken off, the test needs to be truly random, and random on species normally targetted by cyanide users, then have the export permits tied to positive/negative test results.

Only then will the test be effective.

Even then, the effect can be limited.

Regards.
Mike Kirda

 

[PeterIMA]

To Sardonic Wit,

I think that the web site for Aquarium Habitat needs to be updated. The company stated that its fish are being tested for cyanide by the IMA/BFAR laboratories. This was true up until the end of September 2001. Since, then BFAR has conducted cyanide testing for a fee when fish are voluntarily submitted by the exporter.

One importer in Canada sent me CDT certificates signed by BFAR based on the picric acid test during 2002. This is a different test than the APHA/ASTM method involving Ion Selective Electrodes (ISE) previously used by IMA. The latter method is now being used by BFAR. So, it is possible to get fish tested by BFAR but the problem appears to be that few aquarium fish are being tested based on random sampling of export facilities. Hopefully these problems will be rectified.

Peter Rubec

 

[Anonymous]

The reply is below. Not certain whether this means Aquarium Haitat is currently testing, however it appears to be inferred to me. Looks likethey are doing a good job.

Don



Dear Don

Thank you for your e-mail.

There were a number of us in the Philippines who used to do cyanide testings throught the IMA operated cyanide detection labs (subject of the webpage referred to). Please refer to http://www.imamarinelife.org/content/aw ... dt_01.html for a more specific description of the testing program. As IMA had turned this over completely to our government, the Bureau of Fisheries has since adopted a less reliable testing system - the Modified Picrate Paper Method. They are now presently in the process of working with MAC and another organization to change this into an even more accurate method than the ISE.

My main job as an exporter is to ascertain the traceability of specimens in the facility. Only about 0.15% of the stock inventory is tested and should be made on a random basis. There has been only 2 occasions when cyanide was detected on specimens coming from the same supplier who has since been suspended.

I hope this information has been helpful.

Yours truly,
Marivi Laurel
Aquarium Habitat Ent.

 

[PeterIMA]

Marivi, I hope that you are wrong about the MAC adopting a "modified" picrate paper test for cyanide detection. First, you should read the article by Nelson Herwig about how to make your own Picrate testing reagents. I later heard that picric acid is highly combustable. Apparently, the Houston zoo had to call a bomb squad to remove the picric acid from Herwig's office. SeaWorld evaluated the picric test and found it was unreliable. I guess that is why it is not listed in the books by APHA and ASTM as a "Standard Method".

I would like the MAC to explain how even International Standards Organizations can accept an unpublished method for cyanide detection (picric acid paper?). I can not imagine how any amount of refinement would allow picric paper test to replace the method for total cyanide ion linked to Ion Selective Electrode (ISE) determinations previously used by IMA and now by BFAR.

John Brandt tell me she is wrong. Or at least explain what the MAC is doing about CDT. I think the MAC has passed its self -imposed deadline for implementation for cyanide testing of MAC Certified fish at MAC Certified export facilities.

Peter Rubec

 

[John_Brandt]

Peter,

I can't say yet which testing method they are using, or will be using. I will make inquiries about this.

Briefly about the status of MAC CDT:

MAC, through Lino Alvarez, brought the parties (BFAR and PCSD) together to discuss the issues which resulted in BFAR committing to revisit/revise/overhaul its procedures on sampling, handling of evidence, actual testing and release of test results. BFAR also promised to adopt stricter controls to protect the integrity of the entire process.

MAC is working with BFAR on the CDT program. BFAR requested a delay of a couple of weeks but they should start June 25 or 26, 2003.

Please don't think that MAC is not serious about bringing cyanide-free Philippine fish to the world. The systematic administration of the CDT test on MAC Certified fish will bring about one more necessary weapon in the fight against destructive collecting methods.

 

[mkirda]

Please don't think that MAC is not serious about bringing cyanide-free Philippine fish to the world. The systematic administration of the CDT test on MAC Certified fish will bring about one more necessary weapon in the fight against destructive collecting methods.

John,

Does this mean that MAC will be testing only MAC-certified fish? Or does this mean that MAC will be testing fish from MAC-certified exporters, including non-MAC certified fish?

If they intend to only test MAC-certified fish instead of randomly selected cyanide-targeted fish throughout the MAC-certified facility, the CDT is essentially meaningless in my opinion.

Regards.
Mike Kirda

 

[Anonymous]

Great news, John! It's a shame that it is buried in this thread. It deserves a new thread. I'm happy to see that MAC is positively influencing BFAR.

-Lee