+etannert Posted September 12, 2013 Author Share Posted September 12, 2013 I've been thinking all day about what I wanted to say about this, but I think CT hit the nail on the head. We're all here because we love and want to care for these amazing animals. All of us have been guilty of less-than-stellar husbandry at some point in our learning processes. All of us want a public aquarium in Austin, and want it to be an amazing advertisement for this hobby and the incredible creatures and habitats our world has to offer. It's hard, given the track record here, to believe that this will be provided in the current venture. I would think that anyone who is going to manage hundreds of species in dozens of habitats with varied environmental, health, and nutrition needs would either need a degree in marine biology/zoology or would need to have such on staff. Are there degreed and experienced marine biologists on staff, Makena? Also, not to be rude but to be honest - it's difficult to take your word that they are doing the right thing and the animals are being cared for the right way. I understand you do a lot of research, but you are new to keeping saltwater. How are we to know and trust that you recognize all the species that may be on site, their exact needs, and the daily care and maintenance of those animals, all based on your one visit? You attest that the owner really wants to do the right thing. That's fantastic! But wanting to do the right thing and having the skills, knowledge, and capability to do so are two different things, and without a proven track record of success, I'd be hesitant to trust that he has those. In my job, I spend a lot of time organizing people and events. I try to be smart enough to have people around me who know what I don't. If I were a broker-turned-businessman, especially one with prior legal and PR problems, and I was trying to win over the trust and business of a new community (in the internet age, where all history is instantly accessible), I would ensure that I had a lawyer well versed in local, state, and federal law in regards my plan, and I'd make sure I had an experienced biologist/zoologist on staff. And probably, to be honest, a local PR whiz as well. None of that seems to exist here. Mistakes can happen and be corrected, but at some point one has to connect the dots and recognize the pattern of, at best, laziness in regards to paying attention to details. (And keeping saltwater tanks is all about details...) Yes, a disgruntled former employee is not the best source. Yes, journalists can color their words, quote selectively, and even make mistakes. (I do not and will not believe that a majority of professional journalists, and I'm making a distinction between journalists and people with websites, intentionally lie; and I say that not only having written on my HS paper, but having graduated from a top journalism school and having written professionally for awhile.) But when a preponderance of reported information contains credible doubts about the abilities and willingness of the parties involved to care for the many, many lives for which they are taking legal and ethical responsibility, it is difficult at best to discount it. I hope - for the animals' sake - that I am wrong. But as allllllll the old sayings go: where there's smoke, there's a fire; once bitten, twice shy; fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me; doing things the same way over and over again and expecting different results is the definition of insanity... Again, I hope - for the animals' sake - we are all wrong. Regardless, it's hard to see any way we can stop it moving forward and opening. Only time can tell whether it will be a success both financially and in terms of animal husbandry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+brian.srock Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 09/12/2013 First look inside AA http://www.kvue.com/news/Inside-the-Austin-Aquarium-223394221.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+brian.srock Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 Taken from the official Austin Aquarium Facebook page Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victoly Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 Fire PR firm, acquire nachos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
(Bio)³ Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 There is a sign-able petition on change.org to have the AA become AZA certified. Surely everyone here can agree they need to be AZA certified. Weather your in the boycott camp or the AA camp, AZA can only HELP the animals. A link to the petition to sign is here https://www.change.org/petitions/the-austin-aquarium-obtain-an-accreditation-from-the-association-of-zoos-and-aquariums I encourage everyone to sign it, regardless of how you feel about the aquarium. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lenver Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 I'm not really in any camp, and I do not agree that they have to be, if they want to that's fine but I don't like to tell a business how it's supposed to run, let the market and economics dictate that. There is enough regulations in the books, we don't need to add more red tape, personally once they mature as a business they can make that decision. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victoly Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 I'm not really in any camp, and I do not agree that they have to be, if they want to that's fine but I don't like to tell a business how it's supposed to run, let the market and economics dictate that. There is enough regulations in the books, we don't need to add more red tape, personally once they mature as a business they can make that decision. Its definitely not a requirement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Makena95GT Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 I'm so happy. Things seems to be finally getting going. I know Vince said he'd like for his aquariums to be AZA certified but it'll take a couple of years. So I have no doubt that it'll get done at some point. That was one of the better news reports I've seen. Not so negative. Haha, typically Vince is the one who does all of the updates on the Facebook page. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+brian.srock Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 09/09/2013 Idaho Aquarium management stealing from nonprofit http://www.ktvb.com/news/Idaho-Aquarium-Director-defends-against-accusations-of-mismanagement-223067831.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jestep Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 I think this one reads like a bad lawsuit. Upon information and belief from some anonymous person none of which will be substantiated later, they're doing bad things... Definitely sounds like a disgruntled ex employee at this point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mFrame Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 I'm so happy. Things seems to be finally getting going. I know Vince said he'd like for his aquariums to be AZA certified but it'll take a couple of years. So I have no doubt that it'll get done at some point. That was one of the better news reports I've seen. Not so negative. Haha, typically Vince is the one who does all of the updates on the Facebook page. Please feel free to discuss but do not "speak" for Vince or AA unless you are a designated public representative. Thanks Note, if you're just restating what is printed in news reports or articles that is fine but let's stick to what's on the public record. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Makena95GT Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 Oh yes.. He had it up on the Facebook page. I believe it's also in the FAQ on the Austin Aquarium Website. I'll hunt it down and quote it for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Makena95GT Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 "Q: Will you be applying for certification with the AZA (Association of Zoos and Aquariums) or ZAA (Zoological Association of America)? Why do you not yet have these certifications? A: We are taking the steps necessary to become AZA and ZAA accredited. This is a long and difficult process but we are working on the requirements to apply for these associations. Not all aquariums are AZA members and many did not open as AZA members. It can take years before an aquarium can achieve the requirements." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+brian.srock Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 According to the AZA info it takes several months to evaluate not years but besides that this is the 3rd aquarium so if they were really getting accredited from the start wouldn't their 1st aquarium pass by now? http://www.aza.org/becoming-accredited/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robb in Austin Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 Well, it says "many months to complete and 6 months to study and evaluate" so years may not be out of line once an aquarium actually gets around to submitting the application. The part that scares me for this group is the 'governing body' that is reviewed as part of the process. Based on what we know thus far, I doubt they will meet the requirements. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Makena95GT Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 Well nobody stated that they were getting accredited from the start. So who knows how long it will take. With all of the negative press, I'm not sure if they could get accredited. I haven't read the AZA site, but I will do so tonight to further educate myself on the matter. We will just have to wait and see what happens with this aquarium. I can just hope that enough people like myself will want to work there and do right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Jakedoza Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+brian.srock Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 Taken from the Idaho Aquarium Boycott page "I challenge every past employee and current employee of the aquarium to explain this picture. Is this not animal mistreatment? This animal was poisoned by its own feces not its natural life cycle. How can an aquarium stand and say they want to educate and inspire the community to conserve oceanic life when they can't even accomplish it themselves? Things do die but was this of natural causes or did we the aquarium allow it? A simple question that requires a simple answer." We may never truly know what happened to Mortimer the Octopus but regardless it's sad this happened and just another grain of salt to add to the pile of information regarding these aquariums. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+brian.srock Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 09/13/2013 Austin Aquarium issued 'Stop Work Order' http://www.kxan.com/news/local/austin/aquarium-issued-stop-work-order Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victoly Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 http://www.idahostatesman.com/2013/09/13/2758790/osha-puts-idaho-aquarium-on-notice.htmlIdaho aquarium cited for OSHA violations Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Planeden Posted September 14, 2013 Share Posted September 14, 2013 One interesting thing I found in one of the many articles, likely posted by Brian, for an aquarium to get Texas certification for state restricted animals they have to be AZA accredited. Of course, that only applies if they try to get animals that are protected by the state. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Euphoric Eulogy Posted September 14, 2013 Share Posted September 14, 2013 I can't wait for this aquarium to open. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
(Bio)³ Posted September 14, 2013 Share Posted September 14, 2013 One interesting thing I found in one of the many articles, likely posted by Brian, for an aquarium to get Texas certification for state restricted animals they have to be AZA accredited. Of course, that only applies if they try to get animals that are protected by the state. Only applies if they try and get them legally and with permits/certificates lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+brian.srock Posted September 14, 2013 Share Posted September 14, 2013 One interesting thing I found in one of the many articles, likely posted by Brian, for an aquarium to get Texas certification for state restricted animals they have to be AZA accredited. Of course, that only applies if they try to get animals that are protected by the state. Only applies if they try and get them legally and with permits/certificates lol And here are the consequences if you don't have a permit. 09/10/2013 Federal Agency seizes puffins from Idaho Aquarium http://austin.ynn.co...-idaho-aquarium Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ckyuv Posted September 14, 2013 Share Posted September 14, 2013 Nice i noticed they had the big sign up yesterday! Does anyone know when it's supposed to be open? Every time I look i find something different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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