Reefs.org Forums

[SPC]

Thank you Charles for the very imformative reviews in the April issue.
What is your opinion on the progress that has been made sense the first Marine Ornamentals Conference in relation to the goals that were laid out at this conference?
Thanks,
Steve

[delbeek]

Steve: I think by far the most significant movement in the last two years has been those made by the Marine Aquarium Council towards certification. They are ready to implement and have a list of vendors on their website who have applied for certification. The other goals are less tangible simply because MO is not an organisation as such, so can't put any effort into making the rest happen, MAC is and can.

Aloha!
JCD

[dizzy]

Charles,

I'm afraid your are over simplifying the issue.

Dizzy

[delbeek]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>I'm afraid your are over simplifying the issue.

Dizzy
<hr></blockquote>

Umm ... would you care to elaborate ... which issue am I over simplifying?

JCD

[dizzy]

Charles,

While most of us will agree industry reform is needed, IMO the MAC Certification process has some major hurdles to overcome. The MAC insistance on a 1%DOA/DAA standard has a lot of responsible dealers wondering how they can support a program that sets unrealistic goals. I personally would much prefer to see MAC put the bulk of their efforts into stopping destructive fishing practices, especially sodium cyanide.

[delbeek]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote

The MAC insistance on a 1%DOA/DAA standard has a lot of responsible dealers wondering how they can support a program that sets unrealistic goals.

I am not sure which dealers you are refering to but you seem to be under the impression that MAC set the 1% DOA figure. That figure was arrived at via input from collectors, shippers, wholesalers and retailers. It is not a number that MAC just pulled out of the air, it was a figure that the industry representatives on the MAC advisory board said was attainable and that they could easily do it. I can assure you not only is it attainable, it has been achieved by responsible entities for years, if not decades. I would suggest that you contact Paul Holthus EMAIL]paul.holthus@aquariumcouncil.org[/EMAIL] directly and let him explain to you how that figure was arrived at.

I know there have been several attempts on the Internet chat boards to derail what MAC is trying to accomplish, by spreading misinformation. I urge ANYONE who has questions or concerns about what MAC is proposing to contact them DIRECTLY instead of relying on heresay and conspiracy theories.

JCD

[cortez marine]

Wow,
Charles,
Whats your opinion of the MAC project now?
Now that 4 years have past with MAC having its say over the way they ran the thing, spent the treasure and mismanaged the campaign...
Kudos to Mitches minority report, for sticking to it and for trying to educate the naive early on.
Steve
PS.
The 1 % nonsense was not ever a consensus among stakeholders....it was a contrived figure from a frag shipper that said he was perfect, this was seconded by a retailer who said he was perfect and despite other industry folks pointing out the silliness of this, they were ignored by Holthus and his marketing co.