The document summarizes the case for ending Hawaii's reef wildlife trade. It discusses the history of the trade and increasing concerns about its impacts on fish populations and coral reef ecosystems. While the aquarium trade provides some economic benefits, it employs fewer than 100 collectors and generates only $1.2 million annually compared to the billions in value provided by reef wildlife viewing. Overcollection has led to population declines and local extinctions of many targeted species, especially endemic species. The document calls for supporting efforts to ban the reef wildlife trade in Hawaii to protect these vital ecosystems.

1. The Case for
Ending Hawaii‟s
Reef Wildlife Trade
A Review of the Impacts
“…fish left on the reef benefit the reef,
as well as Hawaii’s economy.”
-March 2008 Legislative findings by the
Hawai`i State Senate in SB 3225
ForTheFishes.org
October 2011

2. In Hawaii, it’s illegal to take rocks from the ocean.
Corals are fully protected, too.
But coral reef wildlife is taken in limitless numbers.
Their populations are collapsing.
2

3. History
1953:
Aquarium collecting permits required
(trade focused on Oahu)
1973:
Concerns about impacts prompts
administration to issue a moratorium
on collecting.
Moratorium lifted two days prior to
commencement to allow for studies.
1977:
Environmental Quality Commission
and DLNR asked if EIS required.
EQC: EIS may be appropriate
DLNR: not necessary 3

4. History
1980‟s – ‟90‟s Oahu:
3 major storms + over-collecting lead
to commercial collapse;
collection shifts to West Hawaii
Late 1990‟s West Hawaii:
Studies show detrimental effects;
thousands call for a ban;
Compromise leads to 35% area
closure beginning Jan. 1, 2000.
2000 – 2010 West Hawaii:
Yellow tangs increase in FRA‟s but
decrease further in open areas;
common species become rare 4

5. Harm to Fish Populations – Pre FRA‟s
38% 43%
39%
56%
97%
49%
55%
42%
Tissot, Walsh, Hallacher (2004)
5

6. Healthy coral reefs are essential
to the socio-economic well-being
of Hawaii‟s residents
Benefits:
 Educational  Physical (protect
coastal areas; food..)
 Social, Recreational
 For future generations
 Cultural & Spiritual
 Economic
 Biological, Ecological
6
HCRI, NOAA – Economic Value of Hawaii’s Nearshore Reef

7. Annual Added Value – Statewide
 Reef Wildlife Viewing (Snorkeling/Diving)
 $306 million
 Thousands employed
 Property/Amenity Value
 $40 million
 Aquarium trade
 $1.2 million
 <100 full time collectors
6

8. Total Economic Value
 Americans place the value of Hawaii‟s coral reefs at
$34 billion annually.
 Equal to the market value of ESPN and the Bill & Melinda
Gates Foundation (according to Forbes magazine).
 People believe Hawaii‟s coral reefs
are worth protecting and restoring
for future generations.
6

9. Healthy coral reefs are imperative
to the socio-economic well-being
of Hawaii‟s residents
According to a 1998 DLNR report, the aquarium trade
is a major source of coral reef degradation in Hawaii*
 Significantly alters the ecosystem
 Takes essential algae & parasite eating fish
 Damages and breaks coral
 Focuses on Hawaii‟s most beautiful & unique species
 Depletes populations of targeted species
* DLNR 1998 State of the Reefs Report
9

10. Aquarium trade a main cause of
coral reef degradation.
Major impacts on Hawaii Island
and Oahu.
10

11. Aquarium Trade Threats to Ecosystem
 Disrupts food webs
 Interferes with complex ecosystem
 Cleaner wrasse removes parasites
 High biodiversity key to stability
 Herbivores keep algae in check
11

12. What happens to reefs that lose too
many herbivores?
80% of fish collected are herbivores.
“…[herbivore ] removal can result
in algal overgrowth of coral and
catastrophic shifts in the ecosystem.”
-2007 U.S. Coral Reef Task Force Working Group
12

13. Harm to Reef Structure
Coral is broken and damaged when:
• Nets entangle it when set or retrieved
• Material is laid over it to block access to refuge
• Sticks are hit against it to herd fish into nets or out of hiding
• Collectors kneel, kick, and lay equipment on it
• Collectors break it apart to get at hiding fish
Collection vessel
anchored in Kohala
coast coral 2/15/11.
Collector‟s bucket
and scooter in the
coral 2/15/11.
(DLNR, 1998; Stevenson, 2011) 13

14. Where Have All The Fish Gone?
“Severe overfishing for the aquarium trade exists
even in the United States.*”
The equivalent of 1 reef animal every 23 seconds is taken by the trade.
That‟s about ~6.3 million animals since 2007.
To the
*What Do We Know About Coral Reefs, International Trade in Coral Reef Animals and mainland…
the Urgent Need for Action?, U.S. Coral Reef Task Force. 12

15. 2010 Statewide Aquarium Harvest
Catch Report Graph 1,500,000+
2,000,000
702,564
1,000,000 Estimated
Actual: 2X - 5X …
0 Reported Catch
Historically ~ 47% of Required Catch Reports Not Filed
Reports Never Verified w/ Actual
Catch may be 2 – 5 times higher than reported.*
* Dan Polhemus, former DAR State Administrator, Dec. 09
15

16. Problems Managing Coral Reef Wildlife Trade as a Fishery
Fishery:
 Achieve maximum sustainable yield
 All animals considered dead, once taken
 Ecosystem roles & socio-economic values ignored
Wildlife as Pets:
• Universally discouraged/prohibited
• Carries legal and ethical responsibilities
• Provide life sustaining care
• No harm, injury, killing without need
Coral Reef Animals:
• Play essential & fundamental roles in ecosystem
• Have high aesthetic, recreational, cultural values
16

17. 45% Top 20 Collected Species are Endemic
Endemism: the ecological state of being unique to a place
At 23 percent, Hawaii‟s reefs have the highest rate of endemism on Earth.
Precious natural legacy 17

18. Most Collected Hawai`i Endemics
1. Potter‟s Angelfish
2. Multiband Butterflyfish
3. Milletseed Butterflyfish
4. Hawaiian White-Spotted Toby
5. Psychedelic Wrasse
6. Saddle Wrasse
7. Hawaiian Cleaner Wrasse
8. Blue-Striped Butterflyfish
9. Hawaiian Dascyllus
“… there is no replacement pool for many of the
targeted species, should over collection or a
habitat shift occur, as a result of the marine
ornamental trade.”
Hawaii Audubon Society. 2004. “The Marine Aquarium Trade in the Western Hemisphere and the Indo-pacific Region.” 32pp
18

19. Targeted Endemic Species Once Common,
Now Rare in West Hawaii
Blue-Striped Butterflyfish Bandit Angelfish
Now being
Hawaiian Lionfish being taken
from Kaua‟i
19

20. Some Species Taken from Kauai Since 2007
Others:
Potters Angelfish
Bandit Angelfish
Bicolor Anthias
Yellow Tang
Crosshatch Humu
Longnose Hawkfish
Pufferfishes
Black Durgon
Zebra Moray
Masked Angelfish: one of the
rarest fish in the world.
Wholesale value: $6,500 ea.
Hawaiian Lionfish
20

21. Negative Impacts of Marine Aquarium Trade
 Threatens Survival of Wild Populations
 Especially the Targeted Endemic Species
 Selective Harvest of Juveniles
“Trade in ornamental marine fishes
tends to be characterized by
extreme selective harvesting.
For all species, juveniles are
preferentially targeted by aquarium
fish collectors…”
From Ocean to Aquarium –
The Global Trade in Marine Ornamental Species;
United Nations Environmental Program
21

22. Negative Impacts of Marine Aquarium Trade
 Threatens Survival of Wild Populations
 Especially the Targeted Endemic Species
 Selective Harvest of Juveniles
 Removal of Pre-reproductive Fish
 Interrupts Food Chains
 Causes Reproductive Failure
 Alters Habitat
 Fisheries use Minimum Size Limits
 This Standard is Absent from Hawaii Collection Rules
22

23. Examples of Species & Family Depletion on West Hawaii Reefs
1999 Since 1999 Butterflyfish Abundance*
75%
49%
55%
97%
56%
*Puako and Honaunau 21

24. The First Sighting in Years…
Captured!
A fish collector takes a Teardrop
Butterflyfish from Black Point
Caves on Feb. 15, 2011.
24

25. Yellow Tang Population Impact
Gap caused
by ~30
collectors
Collectors have
decreased the
population by
additional 45%
Green line represents the 65% of West Hawaii
since closures
coastline open to collecting
25

26. What Drives Collection Rates?
• Premature Deaths
• Up to 40% of Hawaii‟s wildlife
dies before reaching the hobbyist.
• 50% of Hawaii‟s Top 20 fish
ARE NOT guaranteed to arrive alive
when purchased through online
retailers.
• Hobbyist Drop Out
• The average hobbyist drops out within
a year.
• Deaths caused by beginner hobbyists
are “astronomical”.
26

27. How Long Can Fish Live?
On a reef: Waikiki Aquarium:
Yellow Tangs can live for 40+ years Potter‟s Angel: 14 years
(Bushnell & Claisse, 2007)
Sailfin Tang: 15 years
Bluespine unicornfish can achieve 58.
(HI Div. of Aquatic Resources)
Raccoon Butterflyfish: 22 years
Parrotfish: at least 33
(Choat & Robertson 2002) (Randall and Delbeek, Sept. 2009, from a list of species
that lived from 13 – 24 years at the Waikiki Aquarium.)
Wildlife taken for the hobby:
20 years ago: “Virtually none (<1%) live more than a year in captivity.” *
2009: “These numbers have improved slightly in the last several years...” **
* Fenner, 2011; ** Fenner, 2009 27

28. High Mortalities
 Short Captive Life-spans
 Unsuitable Species
50% of Hawaii‟s top 20 species are so
difficult to keep alive they appear on trade
lists of species unsuitable for the average
aquarist or the hobby, in general.
“The term „unsuitable species‟ means
species that are unlikely to survive
shipment or captivity for a considerable
proportion of their potential lifespan.”
(MAC 2001; Sadovy 2002) 28

29. High Mortality Species From Hawaii‟s Top 20 List
Achilles Tang Psychedelic Wrasse Chevron Tang Hawaiian Cleaner Wrasse
Multiband Butterflyfish Ornate Wrasse Fourspot Butterflyfish Moorish Idol
Teardrop Butterflyfish Potter‟s Angelfish Bluestripe Butterflyfish
27

30. Practices Contributing to Early Death
Fins and spines
are cut to avoid
packing in layers.
Swim bladders pierced for faster surfacing Handling removes
protective mucous coating
Fish starved for
2 – 10 days prior
to shipment.
Starvation
continues
throughout the Exposure to air for just a few seconds
chain of custody. takes 30 days for full recovery
30

31. Hawaii‟s Animal Cruelty Law
State law generally prohibits many
harmful trade practices.
Maui County‟s 2011 landmark law
expressly prohibits them:
31

32. Cultural and Ethical Conflicts
Malama aina:
“…asking permission prior to fishing, taking only what you need,
sharing your catch with your extended „ohana or community and
having respect for the sacredness of the process.”*
Needless deaths/waste justified by trade:
“…the livestock necessary to drive purchases of lucrative dry-goods.”**
* Brian Tissot, Washington State University,
Integral Marine Ecology: Community-Based Fishery Management in Hawaii, 2005
** Bob Fenner, trade expert/author defending the high mortalities on his website:
32
www.wetwebmedia.com/marlifeusebiz.htm (2009)

33. Public Benefit / Policy Conflicts
 High Cost / No Public Benefit:
 Numerous Harmful Impacts
 Employs ~30 Full time collectors
 Generates ~$30,000 in excise taxes
31

34. Environmental / Legal Conflicts
 Trade‟s environmental harm is well documented
 Trade‟s environmental impacts never assessed (per HEPA)
 2010 DLNR Sought HEPA Exemption
 EA is Cost Prohibitive
32

35. West Hawaii Attempted Solutions
 Limit Areas
 Protects Areas/Sacrifices species
 Limit Permits (nothing pending)
 Florida permits down by 50% but
take is up 10-fold.
 Limit Species (pending White List)
 Controversial
 Enforcement ?
33

36. 36 34

37. Protect Wildlife & Reefs: Progress Report
2007 – 2009: statewide legislative efforts blocked
2010 – 2011: Maui County passes two landmark laws
Feb. 2011: bill to ban the trade statewide is blocked
• Overwhelming community support for ban
• Call for a ban continues
Oct. 2011: Hawaii County Council Passes Resolution to Ban
Nov. 2011: Kauai County Council Passes Resolution to Ban
37

38. How Can You Help?
1) Donate to support our efforts.
2) Tell the Governor and state lawmakers that
you support a ban.
3) Spread the word – many people are unaware
of the trade and it‟s impacts.
4) Sign up for Action Alerts!
5) Ask aquarium owners to stop buying wild
caught animals. Learn more on our website
Please support efforts to keep Hawaii’s wildlife on Hawaii’s reefs.
Together we can make a difference! 38

39. Mahalo!
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