Brooks

I had already sent in a similar note based on a campaign that coral magazine suggested.

The survival of corals is in enough danger. I think it is a fantastic survival mechanism for certain species to form a symbiotic relationship with humans who would keep them in environments that they would never be able to reach otherwise and then help to propagate them at that. Smart little polyps.

I would fully support a simple ban on certain wild caught coral but stopping hobbyist propagation is just stupid lawmaking without doing proper research and having an understanding of the issue.

Amen!! Thanks for posting!

Saw this a bit ago on another forum, if they're endangered I don't see anything wrong with banning or further restricting their wild collection, but putting limitations on aquaculture - especially when it's not done in the ocean - doesn't really make any sense to me. Why ban it when it doesn't impact the wild population, especially when it could actually improve the wild population if they were captive raised and put into the ocean.

Well, this is why there is controversy. There isn't much positive evidence to support that these corals are endangered. If they can gather the evidence necessary to prove that these corals are, in fact, endangered, then I will absolutely support their bill to keep them protected.

What the statement I quoted in the 1st post is proposing, is that NMFS reconsider the fact that stony corals are both asexual, and sexual. This makes them different from most species on the endangered species list. "Population size and structure across the world's oceans is nearly impossible to determine with any accuracy for ESA standards, and corals are furthermore not restricted to coral reefs, colonizing any suitable substrate where chemical and physical conditions allow them to survive."

Make sure you send your comments. It takes less than 5 minutes and can help save one of the largest aspects in our hobby.

A post from a few different reef forums... this is very important!

"Julian Sprung and I have been working together to come up with a 'form letter' in response to the potential ESA listing of 82 coral species (see below). We wrote it such that other coral aquaculturists/hobbyists can attach their name and hit 'send'. Here is where people need to go to submit their comments: Regulations.gov

It is really important that all reef aquarists get behind this (even those that don't support wild coral harvest), as it may inadvertently criminalize nearly all ornamental stony coral aquaculture. We are entirely supportive of any effort that protects coral reefs, but this ruling may have some terrible unintended consequences for our hobby.

Please send this along to as many people as possible (or at least remind them to submit their comments ASAP).

Please keep in mind...

The comment form is limited to 2000 characters or less. This letter is more than 2000 characters, so in order to submit it all, you will need to copy and paste the text into a word processing program and save it as a .doc/.txt file on your computer. Or you can download the documents that I have attached. Then use the 'attachment ' function to upload it from your computer to the regulations.gov website. You should write, "Please see attachment for my comment against the petition to list 82 species of corals" in the 'comment' field.

Deadline is April 12, but I don't know if that includes all of April 12, or whether they will cut off submissions earlier in the day, so encourage people to submit ASAP! Encourage people to personalize the message (fill in the blank about the number of years keeping corals, etc). The more unique responses they get the more impact there will be. Please forward on to as many people, forum moderators, industry insiders, etc. I hope that this makes a difference....

Cheers,

Colin

Coral Morphologic

Morphologic Studios

Morphologic Blog

Feel free to cut and paste this letter, or use it as a starting point to write your own response...

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To Whom it May Concern,

I am a home-based coral aquaculturist writing to submit my misgivings about the proposed ESA listing of 82 species of coral. I have been growing and propagating corals in my home for _______ years. I pursue this hobby as an engaging educational activity that has provided me with a much more comprehensive understanding of coral reef ecology. Through a social network of other aquaculturists, I am growing, selling, and trading dozens of aquacultured coral species with my fellow coral growers in order to increase my coral aquaculture program.

My concern is that by listing any species of corals as endangered, our otherwise scientifically-rewarding hobby will be made criminal, and further advancements in coral aquaculture and understanding will come to a halt. I am but one of many thousands of coral aquaculturists in the US that are enthusiastically engaged in this activity. Over the past 20 years, the secrets of coral husbandry have been unraveled. What scientists once considered impossible (keeping corals alive in an aquarium) is now commonplace. Groundbreaking discoveries by home aquarists, and technological advances in lighting and filtration from the private sector have paved the way for public aquariums and universities to follow in our footsteps. This proposed legislation has the potential to end new innovations in live coral science and aquaculture research.

It should be considered by the NMFS that stony coral population structure and reproduction is different from most other animals that are ESA listed. The primary mode of reproduction is via asexual reproduction of individual coral polyps that create colonies of clones. Population size and structure across the world's oceans is nearly impossible to determine with any accuracy for ESA standards, and corals are furthermore not restricted to coral reefs, colonizing any suitable substrate where chemical and physical conditions allow them to survive. Coral aquaculturists like myself propagate these clones via asexual fragmentation to form new colonies in multiple aquariums around the world. Corals are quite literally capable of perpetual life through this constant cloning.

A major hindrance to the proposed legislation is that it singles out species that can look indistinguishable from other species in the same genus without expert microscopic or post-mortem examination. Few scientists, let alone FWS inspectors, will have this level of expertise to determine one species from another. Species of Acropora, Montipora, Porites are some of the fastest growing and most abundant corals on the reef, and are popularly cultured here in the US.

Plasticity in morphology and hybridization often makes precise determination of species impossible. By ESA listing any coral species, the US government may inadvertently restrict or prohibit an otherwise legal commercial activity of culturing other coral species. Honest mistakes in the identity of the corals that we cultivate may result in extraordinary fines or incarceration. Furthermore, ESA listed corals that have been in cultivation for many years will suddenly become legal 'white elephants' in our aquariums. There are likely tens of thousands of aquacultured colonies of these corals happily growing in the US at this time. Simple fear of prosecution will damage the advancement of coral science and aquaculture, even of those species that will remain unlisted.

The coral aquaculture industry is a sector that has grown significantly in the past decade. The industry is so new that public data likely does not exist for your review. While much of the coral aquaculture takes place in the US in home-based labs, there is also an ever increasing amount of coral aquaculture taking place in tropical countries in the Indo-Pacific. This alternative to wild-harvest provides a valuable and sustainable fishery in these developing nations.

Simplified lagoon-based approaches have made coral aquaculture a source of income for island nations, providing a win-win trade incentive to promote reef conservation.

Already, all stony corals in US and territorial waters are protected from harassment and harvest. Extensive marine protected areas (MPA's) and restrictions on coastal development are already well established in these places. The level of unintended consequences from the listing of these coral species does not justify the benefits of listing. Sovereign, developing nations that are dependent on their coral reefs for subsistence have the most to lose, as it will eliminate one of the most sustainable fisheries they have to provide them with income. Lagoon-based coral aquaculture provides these countries with an economic reward to protect and manage their coral reef resources. It is this type of incentive that promotes real coral reef preservation in these countries.

Without offering any concrete conservation and recovery plan for each and every one of these species, ESA listing will only serve to hinder commerce, scientific understanding, and the general public's connection with the coral reef. Coral reef conservation, which I support whole-heartedly, is best achieved through education, outreach, and economic incentives for tropical marine countries. I also suggest that the US government make more funding available to coral biology and aquaculture research. The additional level of protection afforded by the ESA will have minimal positive impacts on these species in the wild, beyond those measures that are already in place. Rather, it will inflict severe economic damage to those of us (both in the US and abroad) who make some or all of our living from the aquaculture of these inspiring organisms.

To reiterate, I DO NOT think that there is enough evidence to support the listing of these 82 coral species to the endangered species list.

Respectfully submitted,

(YOUR NAME HERE)"

Brooks...did you snorkel? Do they have McDonalds there??????? or a Starbucks????

I did didn't really get the chance to do much snorkeling. I just grabbed my mask and fins and swam around the beach. I saw some cool fish, but I didn't get to see any reef.

When we were there it was advised to not go into deeper water. Well, the locals did. My dad was in a jewelry shop, and to entertain us, the people that worked there were talking to my brother and I and my mom was standing with us, we talked about how we were planning to snorkel later in the day, and check out the reefs. They didn't say why, but they were pretty straight forward in telling us not to go deep.

As far as McDonalds and Starbucks, I'm sure I saw a Starbucks but not a McDonalds. We really only ate local food.

I went about 4 years ago. It was SO much fun. It is mainly shopping, and people there are pretty crazy drivers, so don't take a cab... we tried to walk everywhere except longer trips to the beaches... The beaches are beautiful. We went to Sapphire Beach, and Magens Bay.

PICTURESSS!!!!! :D

I'd have to say no. If you can provide enough current for Nitrates not to build up, then I think you're good. Also, if you're not keeping fish that need a large amount of swimming room, then you're good.

Just started to drip acclimate the corals. The Golden Fleece looks so purty! As well as my freebie, though I have no idea what it is!

Thanks Will for doing the order and discount!

And thanks to Mark, too!

I'd like to see how much the Pohl's Xtra cost. Might be interested

Sweet. Thanks Will!

I know what I'm bringing!

I need t-shirts, can you do that?

Mr. Saltwater Tank TV t-shirts? I want one!

I'm adding one more to get my fix add to my collection.

PM replied Clint

I think this means that Brooks is bringing us all some of his awesome acans.

Still in growout.

Probably gonna sound dumb asking, but how are they with smaller fish? Would they hurt my fire fish pair?

Mine doesn't touch my Fire Fish. He's very peaceful.

Ahh! This'll be exciting. Count me in!

Gosh... I want #1 so badly.

Bump for an amazing deal!

Can't wait!

Thanks so much Will!

Looking great Dale! I need to swing by and see it again. Perhaps pick up more goodies... hah.

Over to Aquatek to deliver some frags to medi and pick up some plugs and disks. Then on to the Dome...

Picked up two new chalices:

I love those little green eyes in contrast to the body. Looks like some green blotching in there too.

...and a little unknown blenny that crawls with his pectorals. Too cool.

Is the 1st on the Orange Crush Chalice? Its so purdy!

Dang! Thats looking GREAT!

Each piece doesn't necessarily have to have a mouth. Its the same basic principle as fragging Chalices with no mouths... the will form one eventually.

Mushrooms can still produce their food via photosynthesis, making it unnecessary to have a mouth for a period of time..

Mark... what lighting do you run? Are you using any LEDs? I like the blooooo