inktomi
Aviator
I wanted to bring this up here for any of us who are in the United States, as this is something which will impact us all if it passes into law as written.
The NOAA and the National Marine Fisheries Service has proposed adding twenty corals to a list of threatened species, which would also apply something called "no take" rules. This means, if the proposed rules pass, we will be unable to import, trade, or sell any of the listed species across state lines (also banned would be any visually similar species).
This is being done in the name of conservation, something which we all agree is worthwhile and to be supported - however the aquarium trade is hardly the largest factor impacting coral reefs and this does nothing to impact anything else affecting reefs. I would encourage you to take a look at some of the factors that are leading to the worldwide decline of coral reefs on wikipedia. Furthermore, we don't get an exemption for maricultured specimens or frags that we grow in our own tanks even though they obviously don't hurt wild coral at all. That 20,000 Leagues Lokani frag you just cut is about to be illegal.
Here are the species which are being protected under this new proposed rule - though keep in mind anything that looks like one of these can also be denied entry into the country.
There is a period in which the public is able to comment on this proposed rule change, and we are in that period now. I would encourage each of you, if you live in the United States, to comment if you believe it's worth your time (which I do hope it is!).
You can read the entire proposed rule here, and you can add a comment on the proposed rule here.
The NOAA and the National Marine Fisheries Service has proposed adding twenty corals to a list of threatened species, which would also apply something called "no take" rules. This means, if the proposed rules pass, we will be unable to import, trade, or sell any of the listed species across state lines (also banned would be any visually similar species).
This is being done in the name of conservation, something which we all agree is worthwhile and to be supported - however the aquarium trade is hardly the largest factor impacting coral reefs and this does nothing to impact anything else affecting reefs. I would encourage you to take a look at some of the factors that are leading to the worldwide decline of coral reefs on wikipedia. Furthermore, we don't get an exemption for maricultured specimens or frags that we grow in our own tanks even though they obviously don't hurt wild coral at all. That 20,000 Leagues Lokani frag you just cut is about to be illegal.
Here are the species which are being protected under this new proposed rule - though keep in mind anything that looks like one of these can also be denied entry into the country.
- Acropora globiceps
- Acropora jacquelineae
- Acropora lokani
- Acropora pharaonis
- Acropora retusa
- Acropora rudis
- Acropora speciosa
- Acropora tenella
- Anacropora spinosa
- Isopora crateriformis
- Euphyllia paradivisa -- Frogspawn
- Montipora australiensis -- A commonly available encrusting montipora
- Porites napopora
- Pavona diffluens
- Seriatopora aculeata
- Dendrogyra cylindrus
- Orbicella annularis
- Orbicella faveolata
- Orbicella franksi
- Mycetophyllia ferox
There is a period in which the public is able to comment on this proposed rule change, and we are in that period now. I would encourage each of you, if you live in the United States, to comment if you believe it's worth your time (which I do hope it is!).
You can read the entire proposed rule here, and you can add a comment on the proposed rule here.
