Gary Majchrzak
Team RC
online publication 'Sea Shepard' advocates tearing down aquariums in the name of conservation
here in this thread
here in this thread
yikes
- Thread starter Gary Majchrzak
- Start date
Capt_Cully
Active member
+2 Dave.
Zealots are scary and almost ALWAYS have an agenda.
Zealots are scary and almost ALWAYS have an agenda.
Gary Majchrzak
Team RC
I'll post this much for public record
I'll post this much for public record
if I had NEVER kept a reef aquarium there's a very good chance that I would be totally ignorant of coral reefs in the wild.
additionally, it's easier to sell an agenda to ignorant people than educated people.
I'll post this much for public record
if I had NEVER kept a reef aquarium there's a very good chance that I would be totally ignorant of coral reefs in the wild.
additionally, it's easier to sell an agenda to ignorant people than educated people.
I think the issue highlights our responsibility to assiduously manage the care of the creatures we keep and when asked to share knowledge and practices to help others to do so. Fortunately, RC offers a great starting point for gaining the extensive knowledge we need.
There is plenty of carnage in this hobby. Much of which is avoidable by acquiring knowledge of the care requirements for each specimen we keep and meeting them. It takes patience, a commitment to learning and consistently excellent husbandry practices as well as self discipline when it comes to choices of creatures that have little chance of survival in an aquarium.
I think the author of the article has an axe to grind since he makes money from snorkeling expeditions,etc, which are arguably quite harmful to the reefs he claims to wish to protect, but zealots who would tear down reef tanks will gain ground if the hobby and the industry supporting it fails to act responsibly.
There is plenty of carnage in this hobby. Much of which is avoidable by acquiring knowledge of the care requirements for each specimen we keep and meeting them. It takes patience, a commitment to learning and consistently excellent husbandry practices as well as self discipline when it comes to choices of creatures that have little chance of survival in an aquarium.
I think the author of the article has an axe to grind since he makes money from snorkeling expeditions,etc, which are arguably quite harmful to the reefs he claims to wish to protect, but zealots who would tear down reef tanks will gain ground if the hobby and the industry supporting it fails to act responsibly.
cardiffgiant
Active member
These guys are definitely operating with an extreme set of principles. While I don't think that what they do in the antarctic is safe for the whale fishermen or themselves, I agree with the objective. I like the show and I like the exposure that they bring to what is happening to whales, but i also think that their methods may do an equal amount of harm to their cause.
I don't like hearing it, but the truth is that keeping a reef tank is a pretty wasteful hobby:
-At least 20 fish have died in my systems in the 10 years that I've had salt water tanks
-I use at least 25 gallons of water per week for water changes and top off ( I used to use a lot more before I found a productive use for the waste line from my RO)
-I use about 350 KWH/month to run my pumps, lights, and heaters
Have I learned a lot more about the worlds reefs? Absolutely. But it's not like I'm actively doing something to benefit the environment or worlds reefs as a result of the environmental cost of my reef education.
I don't like hearing it, but the truth is that keeping a reef tank is a pretty wasteful hobby:
-At least 20 fish have died in my systems in the 10 years that I've had salt water tanks
-I use at least 25 gallons of water per week for water changes and top off ( I used to use a lot more before I found a productive use for the waste line from my RO)
-I use about 350 KWH/month to run my pumps, lights, and heaters
Have I learned a lot more about the worlds reefs? Absolutely. But it's not like I'm actively doing something to benefit the environment or worlds reefs as a result of the environmental cost of my reef education.
dreaminmel
New member
That's the impression I got of "Snorkel Bob" as well. He gained some face with the whole whale hunt episode and this seems to be his next mission. Kudos to him w/ the whales. With the hobby though... I think he'd best get more educated on the hobbyist level before passing judgement.
I do agree though, better regulations need to be in place if it's true that all of the fish could legally be harvested from Hawaii leaving none. I thought they already had limitations there but perhaps not.
Using Hawaii as an example wasn't the best idea. The vast majority of the people who harvest ornamental fish there are extremely knowledgeable and understand sustainable fishing. They know they can't take more than what nature can replace.
Also, Hawaii has a very large area where it is illegal to collect anything. I can't remember the name of the park offhand, but it is something like 35% of the reefs there or something.
If Bob really wanted to choose a spot, he should have chosen Indonesia or somewhere else. I'd really like to know where he got his facts as well. I don't trust them, especially without resources.
Also, Hawaii has a very large area where it is illegal to collect anything. I can't remember the name of the park offhand, but it is something like 35% of the reefs there or something.
If Bob really wanted to choose a spot, he should have chosen Indonesia or somewhere else. I'd really like to know where he got his facts as well. I don't trust them, especially without resources.
