Great,now there's multiple whackos joined together screaming more BS about something they really don't know about. Should make for good TV ratings. The reefs are in much more danger from the environmental condition and increased water tempature,and reduced salinity from glacial melting then they have ever been from this hobby. Hey Bob and Paul why don't you worry about the super fish freighters and massive kill off they create !! Why aren't you guy's crying at the Japanese fish markets that provide shark fins ! These POS people are some off the most ignorant people on the planet which makes them even more dangerous. Sorry this crap drives me nuts. I do believe that clubs like MASM and the forums do need to get active in educating the public and showing how most aquariums are stocked with aqua cultured coral and the gains that have been made in fish propagation. Whew that is enough ranting ! Thanks for link Tal .
Lets carry on a serious discussion, if we simply rant, we will give them more fodder for their cannons. Let us not take the emotional route and instead further a fact based discussion.
Lets carry on a serious discussion, if we simply rant, we will give them more fodder for their cannons. Let us not take the emotional route and instead further a fact based discussion.
When snorkel Bob starts to discuss instead of rant and twist the truth I will be more then glad to discuss the issue. The fact that you and I have an aquarium in our home makes us wrong to this group. If you goto the sea Shepard site and actually read it I feel you will see it differently also. There is no discussion with these people unless you conform to his opinions no matter how askew it is. I have spent a great deal of time in Hawaii and know people who collect from the reefs there to supply our hobby. The restrictions and extreme opinions of Bob and his group have truly hurt the ability for them to provide a living without havering to work in the dominate tourist industry. He even is claiming dive shops are part of his movement. I know the people I dive with in Hawaii have no positive comments to say about him. They actually believe the aquarium trade is first then next will be the dive shops. Snorkel Bob is an extremist who is yelling the loudest without truly yelling at the root cause of the depletion of the coral reefs. We as humans who consume tell there is no more to eat are doing more damage then those who have learned to admire and be informed responsible care takers. If snorkel Bob wants to do some good he should worry about getting big business out of the fishing trade and let it become a sustainable food source again.
Sea Shepherd Launches Operation Reef Defense Campaign in Hawaii
Unfortunately, many environmental claims are based on pure emotion and the transferring human feelings and emotions to animals. More unfortunate, it works on many. The faster we get to total aquaculturing the better off we will be. We need to openly and financially support those operations. The sad fact for the animals is we humans pretty much always screw up the real solutions favoring those with unintended consequences.
The good news, a yellow tang doesn't stir the emotions or the wallets like a whale. I'm all for setting up zones so breeding stock can continue. I'm for management practices that work. I'm even for having to get a license to keep none aquacultured species.
I also know this next statement isn't true for all but, my fish live longer and happier in my tank then on the reef. They eat well, have an environment as close to the reef as they can get, sleep at night without fear of predators so I have no remorse. Plus, I still believe drag nets and long liners do more long term damage to the environment then we ever could. I always laugh when I see Snorkel Bob yapping about protecting the reefs. I have seen his tourist clients standing on coral, breaking it off, leaving behind all kinds of pollution and inappropriate foods. He makes his living off of first time snorkelers who have no clue what they are doing.
The reefs are a natural resource, as such deserve to be managed for their continual survival. They can also be used to sustain islands and people. We will continue to come under attacks like this but as long as the opponents use emotion and feelings as their argument they will carry the day but not win any meaningful ground. We need to stick to facts and science and be vocal. Write your congressman/women and let them know you are responsible, provide a near natural environment and provide a better life then what the animal would have in the ocean. Remind them
of the inordinate amount of science that has come from the aquarium hobby. If you leave it to someone else, we will lose!