Reefkeepers poaching and selling livestock.

[nemo's janitor]

The SA government links below are of the necessary permits and requirements for most of the fisheries activities.

One needs a right to catch or operate a mariculture operation. Then you have to apply for permits to import, export, transport, research and catch for brood stock.
Over and above this there are biodiversity laws, provincial laws and CITES requirements. Health certificates, country of origin and environment impact studies have to be submitted before rights are awarded. All is welcome to sift through the maze of legality that would be necessary to be overcome to be legally able to export marine ornamentals from South Africa.

http://www.gov.za/services/export-permits/fish-commercial-basis
http://www.daff.gov.za/daffweb3/Bra...aculture-sustainable-management/Authorisation

 

[GreshamH]

Thanks for looking that up.



That would be the correct interpretation of endemic.

Looking at the currents and temperatures of that coast, I wouldn't expect an endemic population of the KwaZulu Natal are to finding it's way upcurrent, and into much warmer water, in substantial quantity (if at all) the distance required to reach waters of legal collecting/export...Kenya.

Yellow tang's show up in the Sea of Cortez at times. larval drift, and that one is quite the drift.

 

[nemo's janitor]

I should add that all the collecting needs to be done outside of a MPA of which KZN waters are a big contingent.

 

[billsreef]

Yellow tang's show up in the Sea of Cortez at times. larval drift, and that one is quite the drift.

Distance wise, yes it's quite the drift. However, there are some westerly currents that loop from HI to the west coast, and southerly currents along the coast, combined with some loop currents in the Sea Cortez that are supportive of that drift. Also the temperature along that belt of currents is agreeable to the tangs as well.

 

[Farkwar]

Why is it illegal to sell them?

Whats the reason?

 

[Farkwar]

And why is the website blacked out in the link?

 

[Vilas]

It would be strictly illegal without special permission from the minister. South Africa does not generally issue commercial collection permits, and these anthias are endemic.
Perhaps someone did jump through all of the hoops for twenty fish. The local reef keeping community hasn't heard of any permits being issued, but it is a possibility. I'd be surprised, given how rare commercial permits are, that whoever procured this permit hasn't been a bit more proactive in proving legal status.

 

[GreshamH]

And why is the website blacked out in the link?

Because RC has had prior issues with that website. Its not hard to figure out which reef building blog it might have come from

 

[mandarinfanatic]

in "Coral" magazine page 5 a kingi is shown with a value of 37 600 dollars yet it is illegal to collect and sell these South African fish. I spoke to the person responsible for sending this fish to interzoo. he told me he had the specific fish shipped back to South Africa after which it died and he has the frozen fish to prove it (if it is truly the same fish). he tried to justify his actions but it is still illegal. let's just say I warned him and we no longer associate. I voiced my opinions that he was the poacher or facilitator of the Anthias because it all went through dejongmarinelife but he denied this.