Article titled "Can Corals Be Harvested Sustainably?"

[Steven Pro]

Has anyone else read this report? It is by Dr. Vicki Harriott and was published in the journal AMBIO, volume 32, number 2, March 2003, pages 130-133. I thought overall it was fair and balanced, but I did have a few questions regarding some of the alledged facts in it. I got my copy through the library ILL, but you can subscribe and read it online here http://www.ambio.kva.se/

[BonsaiNut]

For $160 I guess this is one article I won't be reading.

Wonder how many coral aquaculture businesses in the developing 3rd world will pick up a copy?

[Steven Pro]

It's free from the library.

[PRC]

I plan to head to the library as soon as possible, but in the meantime can you share the general gist of the article. Does it lean towards yes or no?

[Steven Pro]

The paper leans towards yes with some suggested management options to improve the situation:

1.) Restrict the number of collectors and license them.
2.) Establish quotas for the annual catch.
3.) Designate no take areas.
4.) Encourage coral collection areas to be located away from areas used for recreational diving to avoid conflict between industries.
5.) Don't collect from areas that are suffering from other impacts; ravaged by storm, bleaching events, pollution/runoff.
6.) Collect accurate species level catch statistics.
7.) Collect information regarding the viability of each collected species, such as growth rate, size-frequency distribution, recruitment rates, to establish sustainable yields.
8.) Encourage self-regulation throgh MAC.
9.) And lastly, encourage captive culture of corals and fishes.

[Kevk]

It sounds like the wildlife management approch used for deer, ducks, bass and trout. If indigenious people can make a living from the reef in a sustainable manner everyone wins. They will protect the reef( their job) and we get higher quality specimins.

[pondscum]

Some of these practices are in force but by a small number of people.In my dealing`s it seem`s to only be the one`s that have lived in a different country than the one`s they collect in. CITIE`s is suppose to regulate what comes in the United States , But If you list it as another species then it will get thru because the people that check the list don`t know the difference in coral`s.I have seen this over and over again but can`t do anything to stop it.I have no idea if they run out of their cities or not on a certian species. I just know when it comes in and I recieve an invoice 2 or 3 day`s later that is what happened. I DO call and tell them not to do it or I won`t be doing business anymore,but how many others don`t care and order anyway.I say buy nothing but captiave corals and problem solved, right ? I wish.Sorry to rant and rave but it truly does upset me. :(