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Peter Rubec Farming and Sustainable Harvest of Coral Reef Species For The Aquarium Trade: #reefs Programs of the International Marine life Alliance (IMA). Peter Rubec has been an aquarium hobbyist since 1958. He obtained an Hons. B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees from the University of Ottawa, in biology and a Ph.D. in zoology from Texas A&M University. He presently works for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission as a Fisheries Research Scientist. He helped found the International Marine life Alliance (IMA) in the U.S.A,, Philippines, and Canada. The IMA was one of the first organizations to sound the alarm about the impact of destructive fishing on coral reefs. He has written papers in scientific journals and aquarium magazines about the harmful effects of cyanide collecting on marine fish and coral reefs. He has made presentations at MACNA and at other conferences, testified before a congressional subcommittee, and helped to organize the Trade Advisory Group (TAG) which was the precursor to the the Marine Aquarium Council (MAC). IMA Activities: By promoting harvesting methods that are not harmful to coral reefs, the IMA supports a sustainable marine aquarium trade and hobby. The IMA is actively involved with working with governments and other NGOs to deal with the problems of destructive fishing in order to conserve marine biodiversity, protect marine habitats, and promote the sustainable use of marine resources by local people. Two main points that IMA has long maintained is that the aquarium trade by supporting cyanide fishing is contributing to the destruction of coral reefs, and that the cyanide contributes to high delayed moralities of cyanide caught fish. Recent research by James Cervino for IMA has conclusively demonstrated that one application of cyanide at concentrations ranging from 50-600 ppm kills coral heads. There are recent scientific studies that also demonstrate that cyanide collecting contributes to high mortality of fish in the trade. Cyanide testing by IMA has helped to curb cyanide fishing in the Philippines. The proportion of fish found with cyanide found present in their tissues dropped from 44% in 1996 to 18% of fish tested in 1998. But, the problem has grown due to the spread of cyanide fishing to other countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Papua New Guinea. The IMA initiated the Destructive Fishing Reform Initiative (DFRI) and now has staff in the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Vanuatu, and the USA. The DFRI is intended to first evaluate existing conditions, then help governments develop policies and legal strategies to deal with destructive fishing and the aquarium trade. We plan to expand the training programs to these other countries. Right now, IMA-South Pacific is developing a management plan for the aquarium trade in Vanuatu. It conducts cyanide testing in six laboratories under contract with the Philippine Bureau of Fisheries (BFAR), conducts coastal cleanups, and conducts village level education programs for both adults and children in coastal villages. The IMA has obtained funding for alternatives to cyanide fishing such as barrier net collection (BNC) training and hook-and-line deflation (HALD) training in the Philippines and Indonesia. Food fish caught using cyanide are sold to supply restaurants in Hong Kong and mainland China. Research at the University of Guam and in Manila Philippines is focused on reef assessments, grouper age and growth, and life histories. The research is intended to help governments better manage their marine resources, and to improve the livelihood of local fishermen. The IMA has gained recognition for its activities in a very short time. It is now on a preferential funding liot with USAID and an number of other agencies. This is largely due to our affiliation with the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the help of Marine Policy Analyst Dr Chales (Chip) Barber. Chip Barber helped Dr. Vaughan Pratt raise about $3 million dollars over the past two years. Hence, IMA can now fund research, initiate new programs, and hire an extensive staff (there are about 150 Philippines staff. The IMA through Dr. Pratt is also a member of the Marine Aquarium Council, which is establishing certification programs for the aquarium trade. IMA supports this, but also wishes to see the cyanide testing tied to this. Indonesia is just now requesting that IMA establish cyanide testing Detection(CDT) labs. The data IMA has gathered indicates that cyanide use is very high (>80%) at the present time. The government of Indonesia has moved quickly since the resignation of Suharto to reorganize its department of Fisheries (Now called the Ministry of Sea Exploration and Fisheries). Hence, there is some hope that they will now start to deal with the problems of destructive fishing and the cyanide problem. Coral reefs in both Indonesia and the Philippines are already seriously degraded with about 40% in poor to fair condition, 40% in good condition, and <5% in excellent condition. Hence, the trade and hobby cannot expect the exports of aquarium fish, corals, and other invertebrates to continue with this rate of rapid reef degredation. Management measures are urgently needed to for a sustainable trade in marine organisms for the aquarium trade. As part of the Coastal Communities Empowerment Project sponsored by USAID, the IMA is in the process of implementing Territorial Use Rights in Fisheries (TURF) management. Local communities are being assisted to establish TURFs that allocate space to fishermen for BNC harvest of aquarium fish and to farm reef invertebrates. The latter includes TURFs for rearing giant clams, live rock, and coral fragments. The farmed invertebrates are being used in restoration programs in the Philippines. The IMA now runs two coral farms and hopes to obtain CITES permits so that impoverished local communities can obtain more income through the sale of reef organisms to the marine aquarium trade. Would you say cyanide fishing has declined siginificantly in the past two years as a result of your training efforts? Yes, I think that IMA's CDT and the BNC training have been a instrumental in convincing the Philippine exporters to discourage cyanide distribution to collectors. how does the ima enforce it's policies? The IMA is not a regualatory agency. We do CDT testing for local goverments, the Philippine constabulary, and to educate exporters on whose fish are cyanide free. We may then be called to testify in court if collectors are prosecuted by the government officials. Is there some world certification that a inporter can trust when purchasing cynide free fish? Yes. The IMA issues CDT Clearance Certificates. If these become linked to exports, they would become a standard form of certification in a legal sense. Another way would be for the MAC to endorse the CDT testing. What do you think would happened to fish and coral prices if this certification became the norm? I think that fish and coral prices may increase, but I am optimistic that it would not be more than 10-20%. Another idea that IMA is currently evaluating is the use of Breathing Bags. These bags exchange oxygen and give off carbon dioxide. They may provide a means of reducing handling, while increasing survivalduring shipping. We tested some marine aquarium fish last August that survived in the bags for over 4 weeks without water changes. If the bags work, costs might actually come down.. After you initial evaluation of the conditions, did you find that populations of ornamentals had been placed under strain so as to make them far less common with in their range? Yes, I believe that overcollecting and habitat destruction (especially from cyanide) is reducing the abundance and even the presence of species in high demand by the trade. This is evident in what species are now available in exporter's price lists. The IMA does not presently do quantitative underwater surveys. We plan to do this with our new boat the RV Alliance. Peter- could you elaborate on the Coral farms? are they for the aquarium trade? The concept of coral farming using Territorial Use Rights In Fisheries (TURFs) is intended to empower local communities to manage and protect their local resources. In the Philippines it is presently illegal to export corals, giant clams,or live rock. The IMA is seeking changes to allow the communities to export invertebrates covered by CITES from coral farms.. Do you think non-destructive fishing methods will be able to sustain the demands of the growing marine ornamentals industry in the U.S.? At present the two coral farms are being used as teaching facilities, and to support coral reef restoration. Yes, I think that non-destructive fishing methods can sustain the aquarium trade. If fewer fish died in transit (some say >80% die) then more would survive to be sold at the retail level, with less pressure on the reefs. The reefs in turn will recover to support higher nunmbers of fish etc. The Philippines had developed such a terrible reputation which now belongs more to other areas. How will you combat this prejudice and how long do you think it will take? I agree that the Philippines has a bad reputation that it now does not deserve. There is a need to educate consumers. The MAC has issued a grant for about $300,000 and an group called SeaWatch in Washington DC has a grant of about $1 million to educate consumers. I hope that the Philippines gets a better reputation base on the fact that fish now survive better. Indonesia is now the bad guys concerning cyanide, reef destruction, and poor survival of fish in the aquarium trade. What is your take on Walt Smith and his coral collecting practices. Do you feel he "rapes" the reefs? I think that the situation can be turned around in about 1-2 years, if the industry, MAC and IMA work towards common goals. . I tend to think that Walt Smith's operation tends to overexploit reefs in Fiji. I wouldn't call it "raping the reef". His recent film shown at MACNA and at the Coral Reef Symposium shows that he is exploring alternatives like farming corals from fragments, creating artificial live rock from concrete and coral sand etc. Hopefully, Walt Smith will lead the way to better alternatives that do not harm the reefs. Peter, is it conceivable that the marine hobby as we know it today will cease to exist? And if so how much time do u think is left? I hope that the marine hobby will continue to exist. However, the widespread destruction of coral reefs from global warming puts pressure from conservationists to protect the remaining reefs. Hence, they may seek to ban the trade outright. The amount of time left is a good question. My guess is we have less than five years to reform the trade, or we will see bans by either the exporting or the importing countries (indeed that is what the US Coral Reef Task Force is threatening with draft legislation if the exporting countries do not impose controls, sustainable harvesting or mariculture as part of coral reef management plans). Thank You Peter for the great talk!

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