MASNA’s Position Statements
These position statements represent MASNA’s official, board-approved views on Hawaii’s marine aquarium fishery and related issues.
Position Statement on Hawaii’s Marine Aquarium Fishery
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MASNA supports the Hawai‘i marine aquarium fishery and the science-based management that makes it one of the most verifiably sustainable marine aquarium fisheries in the world. As per MASNA’s Position Statement on Sustainable Marine Aquarium Fisheries, MASNA supports the role played by sustainable marine aquarium fisheries within the marine aquarium trade. The marine aquarium fishery in Hawai‘i, especially the West Hawai‘i fishery, is one of the best-studied and best-managed marine aquarium fisheries in the world. The amount of fisheries data available rivals that of any food fishery in the State, and state-employed fisheries managers have stated that if they cannot successfully manage the aquarium fishery, there is little hope for Hawai‘i’s other fisheries. The Marine Aquarium Societies of North America (MASNA) represents a community of North American aquarium organizations and thousands of individual aquarists passionate about marine animals and saltwater aquarium keeping.
Key Message Points Regarding Legislation Aimed at Closing Hawai‘i’s Aquarium Fishery
• Hawai‘i’s marine aquarium fishery is one of the best-studied and best-managed fisheries in the State, if not the world. It is better studied and better managed than many food fisheries that are generally deemed sustainable.
• Most of the measures seeking to close the marine aquarium fishery in Hawai‘i are based on claims that the fishery is “devastating” Hawai‘i’s reefs. The data does not support these claims.
• Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR) aquatic biologist Dr. William Walsh stated in testimony responding to allegations of devastation, “This is not devastation.” Walsh was speaking specifically to the marine aquarium fishery in West Hawai‘i, which is the largest aquarium fishery in the State. Walsh and his colleagues, as well as independent researchers, believe there is no credible scientific data showing a total ban on Hawai‘i’s marine aquarium fishery is warranted at this time.
• Surveys show populations of the two most commonly targeted marine aquarium fishes— the Yellow Tang (Zebrasoma flavescens) and the Kole Tang (Ctenochaetus strigosus)—have increased even as collection has increased. The Yellow Tang population has increased by over 300,000, and the Kole Tang population has increased by over one million since 1999.
• DLNR and DAR consider Hawai‘i’s marine aquarium fishery sustainable based on current data.
• There are no species of fishes currently collected for the marine aquarium trade in Hawai‘i that are designated as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Likewise, there are no species of fish currently collected for the marine aquarium trade in Hawai‘i that are listed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species.
• While the marine aquarium fishery continues to be targeted for closure, other stressors—such as recreational fishing and commercial harvest—are receiving little, if any, attention despite their significant impact on the environment.
• In 2010 and 2011, the recreational catch for reef fishes exceeded the aquarium catch in West Hawai‘i, where most Hawaiian marine aquarium fishes are collected. No recreational fishing license is required to fish for reef fishes in Hawai‘i, and, unlike the marine aquarium fishery, the recreational fishery is virtually unregulated and understudied despite its impact.
APPROVED BY THE MASNA BOARD FEB. 2012
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Position Statement on Sustainable Marine Aquarium Fisheries
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The Marine Aquarium Societies of North America (MASNA) represents a community of aquarium organizations and thousands of individual aquarists passionate about marine animals and saltwater aquarium keeping. MASNA believes a robust and sustainable marine aquarium trade based on a combination of aquaculture, mariculture and wild collection from sustainable marine aquarium fisheries can be a positive force for reef conservation, education and socioeconomic benefit both at home and abroad. MASNA promotes the understanding that a sustainable marine aquarium fishery can be managed in much the same way a sustainable food fishery is managed, using science-based adaptive management and supply chain transparency in order to demonstrate sustainability.
MASNA understands the myriad threats to the reef ecosystems after which aquarists frequently model their aquaria, including, but not limited to pollution, development, tourism, global climate change, ocean acidification, and various fisheries activities. While the global impacts of marine aquarium fisheries are comparatively less than most of these other stressors, for example, the annual bycatch from food fisheries is much larger than the entire global harvest for the marine aquarium trade, MASNA believes actively promoting sustainable marine aquarium fisheries is in the best interest of the aquarium trade, the ecosystems and the fishers on which the trade depends.
MASNA seeks to mitigate the aquarium trade’s impact and promote positive environmental and socioeconomic outcomes by endorsing sustainability. Owing to the reproductive biology of many popular marine aquarium animals, a well-managed marine aquarium fishery, like a well-managed food fishery, may be fished sustainably over time without compromising the population as a whole. Based on these facts, MASNA actively supports science-based fisheries management through its education and outreach efforts. MASNA strongly urges that all marine aquarium fisheries seek out scientific advice where and when available, and if not available, to seek assistance to make scientific advice available. Further, MASNA supports fishers and fisheries managers who adopt precautionary, long-term adaptive management plans resulting from a multi-stakeholder process in which all sides work collaboratively toward long-term ecosystem-based sustainability.
Access to sustainably collected marine aquarium animals is essential to the trade given that more than 90 percent of the species commonly kept in aquaria have not yet been bred successfully in captivity. Even in an aquarium trade where many more animals can be bred in captivity, access to sustainably collected aquarium animals from well-managed marine aquarium fisheries will be necessary for the purposes of acquiring broodstock essential to aquaculture and species survival programs. Beyond providing broodstock, MASNA believes supporting sustainable aquarium fisheries, especially in developing island nations, provides real economic incentive to conserve reef ecosystems and employ sustainable fisheries management tools. The marine aquarium trade is also uniquely poised to foster environmentally responsible socio-economic development in remote coastal fishing villages just entering global markets.
In summary, MASNA believes all fisheries, aquarium and otherwise, can be managed sustainably. Along with supporting aquaculture and mariculture activities, MASNA also supports well-managed, sustainable wild marine aquarium fisheries because a robust marine aquarium trade plays a vital role in conservation, education, economic growth, and research.
APPROVED BY THE MASNA BOARD FEB. 2012
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Frequently Asked Questions:
Are Hawaii’s marine reef fish “being devastated by collection for aquarium purposes”?
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In a word, no.
The marine aquarium fishery in Hawaii, especially the West Hawaii fishery, is one of the best-studied and best-managed marine aquarium fisheries in the world. The amount of fisheries data available rivals any food fishery in the State, and fisheries managers have stated that if they cannot successfully manage the aquarium fishery, there is little hope for Hawaii’s other fisheries. As such, MASNA supports the Hawaii marine aquarium fishery and the science-based management that makes it one of the most verifiably sustainable marine aquarium fisheries in the world.
Most of the bills and resolutions seeking to close the marine aquarium fishery in Hawaii are based on claims the marine aquarium fishery is “devastating” Hawaii’s reefs. The data simply do not support these claims.
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What do Hawaii state officials and biologists say about this issue?
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The Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) and its Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR) consider Hawaii’s marine aquarium fishery sustainable based on current data.
DLNR Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR) aquatic biologist Dr. William Walsh stated in testimony last October responding to the allegations of devastation, “This is not devastation.” Walsh was speaking specifically to the marine aquarium fishery in West Hawaii, which is by far the largest aquarium fishery in the State. It is also one of the most studied fisheries statewide. Walsh and his colleagues, as well as independent researchers, believe there is no credible scientific data showing a total ban on Hawaii’s marine aquarium fishery is warranted at this time.
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What about the Yellow Tang and other popular fishes?
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Surveys show populations of the two most commonly targeted marine aquarium fishes—the Yellow Tang (Zebrasoma flavescens) and the Kole Tang (Ctenochaetus strigosus)—have increased even as collection rates have increased. The Yellow Tang population has increased by over 300,000 and the Kole Tang population has increased by over one million since 1999.
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How does the marine aquarium fishery compare to Hawaii’s other fisheries, like recreational fishing?
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While the marine aquarium fishery continues to be targeted for closure, other stressors fisheries—such as recreational fishing and commercial harvest—are receiving little, if any, attention despite their impact.
In 2010 and 2011, the recreational catch for reef fishes exceeded the aquarium catch in West Hawaii where most Hawaiian marine aquarium fishes are collected.
No recreational fishing license is required to fish for reef fishes in Hawaii, and, unlike the marine aquarium fishery, the recreational fishery is virtually unregulated and understudied despite its impact.
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How can I help?
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The most important thing to do is to educate yourself about the issues surrounding Hawaii’s marine aquarium fishery. To support HawaiiBanFactCheck.org, please consider supporting MASNA through membership or sponsorship. For more, click here