Clarion Angel experience?

Status
Not open for further replies.
I love some parts of this trade !
Fishes that are very common in their region can fetch amazing values due to their isolation and the logistical and political difficulty in producing supply.
Respendens are to Ascencion Island what pigmy argi angels and flies are to Cozumel.
They are super abundant...and yet, very valueable.
Its got nothing to do with biological scarcity and rarity...which is very cool.
Steve
 
MILITARY ISLAND

MILITARY ISLAND

BRITISH MILITARY PERSONEL have the right of way there.
I would love to do it but its not nearly so simple.
Steve
 
And to give you an idea how things have changed over time, a few years prior to when I imported them around '96, there was a fellow at our local flea market who sold them 3 for $50. The occasional St. Helena Butterflyfish would fetch a whopping $20.
 
Thanks Triggerfish. At that size though it's hard not to think they weren't aquacultured as it's actually pretty tough to find small resplendents at Ascension.
 
I would like to hear more about these wild caught respelndens and sea dragons. From my understanding, both are ILLEGAL to collect. Am I mistaken?
 
Resplendens are not illegal from my understanding they are just located on an isolated island. There is a military base on the island and back in the day military personel would bring them back on occasion and sell them. I am not sure if this was the case with the last batch or if a specific trip was made but several were collected and sold in Asia. There is a pic floating around somewhere of a tank filled with them and I am pretty sure it was of the last shipment that came in.


As far as the Sea Dragons go, they are illegal but a few are available in HK from time to time. Not sure if the are legally collected or not, my guess would be not.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11817628#post11817628 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by triggerfish1976
Resplendens are not illegal from my understanding they are just located on an isolated island. There is a military base on the island and back in the day military personel would bring them back on occasion and sell them. I am not sure if this was the case with the last batch or if a specific trip was made but several were collected and sold in Asia. There is a pic floating around somewhere of a tank filled with them and I am pretty sure it was of the last shipment that came in.


As far as the Sea Dragons go, they are illegal but a few are available in HK from time to time. Not sure if the are legally collected or not, my guess would be not.
Click to expand...


?????:(

Well, I looked up some information. Yes, Resplendens are geographically endemic to only Ascension Island, but I believe that the government there has taken the advice of the IUCN and has extraodrinarily limited collection. Perhaps I am wrong on that, but I am pretty sure that is correct. I know RCT bred these guys, and there may still be some wild ones out there from before the embargo, but I dont think it has been does recently at all. Perhaps someone like Copps or someone else can confirm this for me.

With the sea dragons, though, how can you say it is illegal to collect them, but these wild caught ones are not illegal? I know there is a company in Australia that does captive breed them (or did, at least), so it is not necessarily illegal to OWN them, but as far as collecting, I am also pretty sure this is a no no.

So, are these legally collected, or not? Right now, I am leaning towards not, and am disgusted that they are being promoted.
 
Amazing trip Trigger. You are quite lucky. I'm down in Florida away from the 14 degrees in NY. I've seen some incredible ricordia while diving. Hey Trigger I spoke with my contact down in Hawaii and says he has seen some small bandits around. I know your looking for them. Unfortunately no Rostratums though. I saw one black tang 3" on LA for $800. That is crazy. He says they just aren't around. I think I may get a bandit but have no expierence with their care and have heard they are quite difficult. Drop me a PM when you get back and I'll let Les know if you still want those bandits. Again enjoy the trip and keep the pictures coming. Do you think you could tuck that Conspic in your luggage for me? Regards, Tim
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11818302#post11818302 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jmaneyapanda
?????:(


So, are these legally collected, or not? Right now, I am leaning towards not, and am disgusted that they are being promoted.
Click to expand...

I wasn't promoting the collection of these fish if it is illegal. We will not see any in the US and I wouldn't promote their importation but based on what I saw this is just the tip of the iceberg in regards to the illegal collecting and importing that goes on outside of the US.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11818520#post11818520 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by myerst2
Amazing trip Trigger. You are quite lucky. I'm down in Florida away from the 14 degrees in NY. I've seen some incredible ricordia while diving. Hey Trigger I spoke with my contact down in Hawaii and says he has seen some small bandits around. I know your looking for them. Unfortunately no Rostratums though. I saw one black tang 3" on LA for $800. That is crazy. He says they just aren't around. I think I may get a bandit but have no expierence with their care and have heard they are quite difficult. Drop me a PM when you get back and I'll let Les know if you still want those bandits. Again enjoy the trip and keep the pictures coming. Do you think you could tuck that Conspic in your luggage for me? Regards, Tim
Click to expand...

I am back (just got in early yesterday morning) so please send me a PM with the info on the bandits. Its funny you mentioned the black tangs. I saw a few over in Thailand and they are only running around $400. Some of the local stores in FL have had them recently in the $400-$500 range. IMOP they don't do much for me and are really big ich magnets.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11818302#post11818302 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jmaneyapanda
?????:(

Well, I looked up some information. Yes, Resplendens are geographically endemic to only Ascension Island, but I believe that the government there has taken the advice of the IUCN and has extraodrinarily limited collection. Perhaps I am wrong on that, but I am pretty sure that is correct. I know RCT bred these guys, and there may still be some wild ones out there from before the embargo, but I dont think it has been does recently at all. Perhaps someone like Copps or someone else can confirm this for me.

With the sea dragons, though, how can you say it is illegal to collect them, but these wild caught ones are not illegal? I know there is a company in Australia that does captive breed them (or did, at least), so it is not necessarily illegal to OWN them, but as far as collecting, I am also pretty sure this is a no no.

So, are these legally collected, or not? Right now, I am leaning towards not, and am disgusted that they are being promoted.
Click to expand...

Sir,
Pls let me understand.
You are not SURE about the facts, but at the same time you are disgusted???
:rolleyes:
 
If all available information shows that this is an illegal and unscrupuklous act done for mere profit, yes I am disgutsed at my speculation. Should I be proven wrong, I will be more than happy to apologize. Unless that happens, I will continue to believe that these were unethically and illegaly taken so the collector and seller can make money. As trigger said, it is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of illegal animal trade in that area of the world. Would you not agree?
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11818556#post11818556 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by triggerfish1976
I wasn't promoting the collection of these fish if it is illegal. We will not see any in the US and I wouldn't promote their importation but based on what I saw this is just the tip of the iceberg in regards to the illegal collecting and importing that goes on outside of the US.
Click to expand...

Agreed. I simply wont "OOH" and "Aahh" over illegally collected fish, and find something not right about it.
 
Oddly enough, when I was delivering the three Clarion Angels i donated to the Steinhart Aquarium, Matt Weldon (marine biologist there) gave my family a behind the scenes tour. One of the things he was most exited about was their tank of Sea Dragons (note the tie in with the Clarion thread). Matt said that there is only one authorized collector in the world, and he is licensed to collect a single pregnant male from the wild each year, raise the offspring then keep up to 100, which he subsequently sells. Then he returns any extra offspring and the egg depleted male back to their native habitat. I'm sure there may be some illegally collected, but that covers the legal ones. Matt, correct me if i got the story wrong...By the way, the Sea Dragons were beautiful, and i think i even took a couple photos of them, I'll check tonight to see if they turned out.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11820969#post11820969 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tylorarm
Oddly enough, when I was delivering the three Clarion Angels i donated to the Steinhart Aquarium, Matt Weldon (marine biologist there) gave my family a behind the scenes tour. One of the things he was most exited about was their tank of Sea Dragons (note the tie in with the Clarion thread). Matt said that there is only one authorized collector in the world, and he is licensed to collect a single pregnant male from the wild each year, raise the offspring then keep up to 100, which he subsequently sells. Then he returns any extra offspring and the egg depleted male back to their native habitat. I'm sure there may be some illegally collected, but that covers the legal ones. Matt, correct me if i got the story wrong...By the way, the Sea Dragons were beautiful, and i think i even took a couple photos of them, I'll check tonight to see if they turned out.
Click to expand...
You were probably looking at the Leafy Sea Dragons, which the info you provided is correct (unless more licenses have been given out). For Weedy Sea Dragons, there are more licensed collectors and some have started breeding them. These are available quite regularly .... legally!

That Thai shop has some amazing fish. Didn't know he had resplendents again - last yr he had a batch or two as well. Sounds like they may be CB because of their size and also availability. Need to contact him:D Villi, have you checked?
 
...and just to add to marinebetta's statement, 10 weedys may be collected (generally) by each licensed collector each year.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11820969#post11820969 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tylorarm
Oddly enough, when I was delivering the three Clarion Angels i donated to the Steinhart Aquarium, Matt Weldon (marine biologist there)
Click to expand...

While I'm sure Matt uses a lot of Weld-On, his last name is Wandell :D
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

LJA
Fish addition order
Replies
2
Views
276
OrionN
OrionN
jay505
Is STARS still an active club
Replies
3
Views
382
griss
griss
DPauley
Bonnethead Shark Collection and Care in Home Aquaria
Replies
3
Views
523
Dr. Reef
Dr. Reef
mynd
I am so glad.
2 3
Replies
46
Views
3K
mynd
mynd
M
Return to Reefing
2 3
Replies
40
Views
5K
kelly_12
K
Back
Top