Just a bit more info before everyone thinks its all going down the drain. CuzzA I couldnt agree with you more. but for everyone else take a little time and read this
Re: Some progress on listing endangered corals.
Last week NOAA Fisheries announced they will list 20 coral species as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Fifteen of the newly listed species occur in the Indo-Pacific and five in the Caribbean. None in Hawaii. No species were listed as endangered.
The announcement reflects changes from the rule to list 66 species proposed in November 2012.
Since that time, many new scientific papers on climate change and coral habitat, distribution, and abundance were published that NOAA was able to consider and incorporate into the final decision. NOAA also considered extensive public comments as part of the final rule making. The new information, provided after the proposed rule was published, strengthened the basis of the final determinations set out in the final regulation.
Useful websites for the listed coral species:
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/stories/201...s_listing.html
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/species/...tes/corals.htm
Materials and Resources
Final Rule (as delivered)—08/27/14
Final Corals Listing Fact Sheet (PDF)
Final Corals Press Release (PDF)
November 2012 Proposed Corals Listing
Corals Listed Under the ESA
Scientific Permit Information for Corals
So, what does this mean for us who have these corals?
I talked to people at NOAA and this is what I found out:
At this point we are allowed to have all corals, except for those related to the two previously listed elkhorn and staghorn corals from the Caribbean, which have been protected in 2006. So, at this point nothing has changed for us from what it has been.
In the future, NOAA may identify specific regulations for the conservation of these threatened species, because ESA prohibitions against “take” are not automatically applied as they are for species listed as endangered. These corals are listed as threatened, not endangered. So, that means restrictions on harvest and keeping them does not automatically apply. More work on NOAA’s part will have to be done to determine if additional restrictions need to be enforced.
Again, at this point nothing has changed for us from what it has been. You can continue to buy and keep all corals, except for the two acros that were listed in 2006 from the Caribbean. Which aren’t available to buy in the U.S. anyway.
1) Please note: All of this that I just posted corresponds to #1 in my previous post above (1.11.2014 post).
2) We are still waiting on the results of #2 in my previous post above (1.11.2014 post).
3) And here is #3: And there is a new petition... here. NOAA was asked to evaluate fish species as threatened or endangered under ESA. NOAA will move forward evaluating if the orange clownfish (Amphiprion percula) will be listed next, but the remaining six petitioned Indo-Pacific species: The Hawaiian dascyllus (Dascyllus albisella), reticulated damselfish (Dascyllus reticulatus), blue-eyed damselfish (Plectroglyphidodon johnstonianus), black-axil chromis (Chromis atripectoralis), blue-green damselfish (Chromis viridis), and blackbar devil or Dick's damselfish (Plectroglyphidodon dickii) will not be. . To clarify, out of all these fish species, only the percula will undergo more research to determine if it needs protection, all the other fish are off the hook. BTW - this federal register notice is open for public comments if you would like to do so. Deadline to submit public comments is: 11/03/2014.
