Hawkfish horrors...

[AdidaKev]

Has anyone heard of how hawkfish are collected? Ever wonder why they're not usually cheap? I was informed recently that hawkfish are collected by certain people who wear large wooden boots into a reef and proceed to kick apart corals in order to scoop up the hawkfish. 100 year old (and older) formations are being destroyed for this purpose. I don't know about the rest of you, but I am boycotting hawkfish from now on for this reason.

[haid]

I have never heard of this. Why would they do that when they could sell the coral for more money?

[hyphen]

Originally posted by haid
I have never heard of this. Why would they do that when they could sell the coral for more money?

agreed. unless the collectors are just plain idiots, i don't see why they would waste corals that could sell for much more than a single fish.

[AdidaKev]

This information is absolutely true. Anthony Calfo has mentioned it as well. They destroy the corals because they collect the hawkfish for sale as well as for hunting purposes. The point I'm trying to make is that they are destroying 100 year old reefs that should NOT be collected from in the first place (some of these corals are over a foot wide). But these reefs are being depleted because the people hunt the hawkfish as well as sell them. Collecting corals from this area would be like logging an old growth forest...to me, especially as a marine biologist, this is completely unacceptable.

[haid]

Don't get me wrong if this is actually happening, that is crazy. I would think they could do the same by just controlled breaking and selling of the coral and fish if nothing else. I wouldn't think Hawkfish would make up enough money in the hobby to justify this. By hunting do you mean they also eat them(hawkfish)?

[Urabggr]

I think hawkfish are really interesting creatures because of there lack of swim bladder, and would love to keep one in my aquarium. However, if what you say is true (which I don't doubt it is), I may skip it. Is there anywhere I could find an aquacultured hawkfish (long nose specifically)? Or do you know exactly where this is practiced, so I could avoid purchasing animals collected from those regions? Thanks!

[onereefnotenuf]

Where did Anthony Calfo talk about this? is it in print or on a website?I would like to see his take on this practice.

[GreshamH]

Originally posted by AdidaKev
This information is absolutely true. Anthony Calfo has mentioned it as well. They destroy the corals because they collect the hawkfish for sale as well as for hunting purposes. The point I'm trying to make is that they are destroying 100 year old reefs that should NOT be collected from in the first place (some of these corals are over a foot wide). But these reefs are being depleted because the people hunt the hawkfish as well as sell them. Collecting corals from this area would be like logging an old growth forest...to me, especially as a marine biologist, this is completely unacceptable.

Working closely with collection stations around the world, and for a net trainer, I can say I have NEVER heard of this practice. None of any collection groups I have ever talked to, or have been in contact with, plactices this method. Our divers use nets and go shallow In Mexico, to collect Anthonies avatar (giant hawkfish) our divers wear a beat up wetsuit and nearly beach themselves with every wave trying to catch the juvi hawkfish.

[GreshamH]

BTW, hawkfish are very cheap on this coast Cheap from PI, cheap fro Mexico, cheap from the Atlantic. I'm sure in the sticks, they might fetch a pretty penny, but not out here, nor on any export list

[AdidaKev]

Anthony actually discussed this method of capture with one of my friends. It is a practice used in the Philippines.

[GreshamH]

I have major connections in PI, none of them use that method. PI hawkfish are utterly inexpensive on the export market. Long nose are a bit more expsenive, but, their deeper and are definitly not caught the way your talking about. A few non players may be using that method, but it's not widely practiced. I've been in wholesale(import/export/collections) for over 6 years now, never heard of that practice. BTW, my boss and I are two of the biggest net caught advocates on the planet. He's written over 60 articles in the last 30 years on the subject. Funny, he never once mentioned this method.

Encourage Anthony to post to this thread, I hate second hand info.

[Anthony Calfo]

The practice is uncommon and not supported by sensible and savvy station operators/owners.

Philippine fish collectors brought to Fiji and Tonga tried to collect flame hawks this way (wooden paddle on the feet used as fins and for leverage to break down thick branches of Poccillopopra to get at the flame hawks inside).

The Pocccillopora colonies fragmented were of a species and size that are unsalable on the hobby market (the species in fact requiring so much water flow that few aquarists could even keep this Poccilloproa if they wanted to)

The drama here re: this technique is indeed an example of second hand information and folks (albeit well-intended/empathetic) with little or no industry experience for perspective.

To focus on this uncommon and miniscule activity and disregard the overwhelming number of sensible collectors and sustainable harvesting/techniques would be a shame.

The last station that I heard such imported diver/collectors attempt this at promptly pulled the divers from the water and advised them to cease the technique or their jobs would be terminated.

Relax my friends... good collectors are taking care of their own business.

[AdidaKev]

I just want to thank Anthony for his reply and to apologize for the misinformation I reported. The person who told me made it seem that this practice was happening all the time and was not as rare as it actually is. I guess he misunderstood Anthony when he was told this. I'm glad to be assured this practice is very uncommon. Again, my apologies for the exaggerated info.

[Anthony Calfo]

no worries, my friend... we are all quite empathetic and passionate about reef life, conservation, etc.

Easily understood aside from the corruptions of the proverbial grapevine

[Ninja_Reefer]

Originally posted by AdidaKev
Anthony actually discussed this method of capture with one of my friends. It is a practice used in the Philippines.

more like cyanide

[GreshamH]

Originally posted by Anthony Calfo
The practice is uncommon and not supported by sensible and savvy station operators/owners.

Philippine fish collectors brought to Fiji and Tonga tried to collect flame hawks this way (wooden paddle on the feet used as fins and for leverage to break down thick branches of Poccillopopra to get at the flame hawks inside).

The Pocccillopora colonies fragmented were of a species and size that are unsalable on the hobby market (the species in fact requiring so much water flow that few aquarists could even keep this Poccilloproa if they wanted to)

The drama here re: this technique is indeed an example of second hand information and folks (albeit well-intended/empathetic) with little or no industry experience for perspective.

To focus on this uncommon and miniscule activity and disregard the overwhelming number of sensible collectors and sustainable harvesting/techniques would be a shame.

The last station that I heard such imported diver/collectors attempt this at promptly pulled the divers from the water and advised them to cease the technique or their jobs would be terminated.

Relax my friends... good collectors are taking care of their own business.

That makes a bit more sense, thanks Anthony Hmmm Tonga, Fiji, are you talking about, eh, never mind

Anthony, you should head down to Baja when our permits are reissued in a few months. You could get the ride of your life trying to catch the giant hawfish in 1' of water over the rocks in the surge zone It wouldn't be any Tonga trip, but you'd have the scars to show for it

[Anthony Calfo]

what a hoot, Gresham... those rivulatus hawks love(!) fierce currents and surge. It's like they are thrill-seeking to feel it in their faces They do the same in aquaria.

[GreshamH]

Yah, they sure do love the rush of air prior to carpet surfing, don't they Seriously though, when Baja is kicking again, you really should head down there and go out with those collectors. One of the villages has been collecting with Steve since the late seventies, multiple generations of net collectors

[Anthony Calfo]

wow... I would dearly love it! I hope to have the pleasure soon.

grazie ... er, gracias as it were.