[chrissreef]

"how about we just urge to educate people on the care and treatment of fragile coral life? is the government really necessary? I am not really a fan of the government dictating my life."

- people are urged about many things but look the other way if it hinders their irresponsibility. Rain forests/old growth forests are being cut down, STD's are spreading, the national debt and social security threaten future generations lifestyle/government, heck people hate the papparazi yet still buy magazines supporting it.

- I'm also not for "big brother" dictatorship but I am interested in some "guidelines" or a certification of some sort. This would ensure someone is committed and has some understanding of care (i.e. "I'll take that lion fish, 2 corals 7 clownfish/nemos, that yellow "thing"... oh, and that 20g tank with undergravel filter too). I work part time at a LFS and you wouldn't believe what we see.

Are the following industries with certifications too dictator like?
Automobile
Software
Medical
Food
Blue collar work

Another idea... look up Six Sigma green/black belts. This illustrates the level of training and sometimes understanding someone has gone through and can maybe serve as some base.

Dolphins, large sharks, zebras - you need permits for those. If you can accept those, then is there really a difference between requiring certifications for those or other tropicals? (that 10 yrs ago were very plentiful? i.e. look at price and availablility changes over the last 10-15 yrs? look at bangaii cardinals or marshal island/caribbean live rock)

The hobby is either intentionally or unintentionally (poor understanding/education) being treated as a disposable commodity industry by a majority of "hobbyists." I'm not so sure natural resources (like tropicals taken from the ocean, oil/coal, forests etc.) should be harvested without limitations by 6.6 billion people.