Petition to ban harvest of aquarium fish

[Rob Tucker]

I am in favor of this ban and forward this message:

Hello, all!

The LOST FISH Coalition is once again working to get the aquarium
industry banned in West Hawaii. Our website now has a petition form
that is easy to fill out.
PLEASE GO TO OUR WEBSITE

www.lostfishcoalition.org

AND ADD YOUR NAME! CHILDREN SHOULD ASK
THEIR PARENTS TO ADD THEIR NAMES AS WELL!

After you've signed, please send this petition to everyone you know!!
Especially everyone in West Hawaii. Last time we got 4,000
signatures in six months using shoe leather. This time should be a
lot easier! Please help!!

LOST FISH has been protecting West Hawaii's reefs for more than a decade

Hawaii's beautiful tropical reef fish are a joy to its residents and a thrill to visitors. Unfortunately, over-exploitation, especially in the form of live capture by the aquarium industry, has threatened to denude our reefs of the colorful fish for which they are famous. Additionally, other rare and important species such as manta rays and sharks are susceptible to being wiped out without adequate protections.

For more than ten years the LOST FISH Coalition (which stands for Leave Our Shallow Tropical Fish in their Sea Habitat) has worked with the Hawaii State Legislature to pass laws protecting the reef fish along the west coast of the Big Island of Hawaii. We have been instrumental in shaping public marine resource policy and have been unflagging advocates for the desires of the public to protect these resources.

The web site is a working site to keep our members informed of newly-emerging threats, what our plan of action is, and what they can do to keep our reef fish populations healthy. If you are interested in what we do, read on. If you decide to help us, please join!

[Kapohocat]

Our hanai son worked with the West Hawaii Fishery council & under Dr Kevin Hopkins at the PACRC in Hilo regarding this same issue 2005-2009.

Our legislature here will have world wide effects in the collection of reef fish in other countries . We need regulation but must tread carefully and look at world wide ramifications.

Also Robert Whitner from Snorkel Bob's is a big supporter of this - there seems to be a little self-serving here too.

Again we may have my Madonna plastic bottle theory. Madonna - plastic bottled water - pacific trash gyre - back to glass bottles.

Check out what the PACRC is doing on research http://pacrc.uhh.hawaii.edu/?page_id=23

Marine Ornamental Research Initiative

The capture of key reef species for ornamental use can have major impacts on reef fish populations. The PACRC, in collaboration with the private sector, is developing techniques to reduce impacts on coral reef ecosystems while increasing supply of ornamental fishes, corals, and tropical invertebrates to meet growing demands from hobbyists. We are currently expanding this research from pearl oysters to include marine ornamental fishes and corals. For more information on this program, please contact Kevin Hopkins at hopkins@hawaii.edu.