Coral Reef Fish Bill

[jdirgo]

I'm not sure that I do oppose this. Maybe it needs some refining, but in general, the intent is good and right. There needs to be a provision for people like me that catch for my own aquarium (although my aquarium is stocked right now and I don't need any more). If I get the proper license from DLNR to capture for my aquarium (which I do whenever I plan to add to my fishies in the aquarium) and follow the seasonal, size and species restrictions, I should be able to do it. Of course, I'm definitely not catching 20 or more fish at a time. Yellow tangs, however, do not do well in aquariums in groups of less than 4 or so. They are a fish that, by nature, prefers and thrives better when in a small school in an aquarium.

I would agree that commercial capture for sale to the worldwide aquarium trade needs better controls -- especially for the yellow tangs that were pretty much decimated by the aquarium trade in Kapoho.

We only have to look at the well documented improvements in the fish stocks in places like Kapoho since it became a marine conservation district to see that more controls are needed (note to anyone thinking about fishing for dinner -- there are parts of Kapoho that were specifically designated for fishing for food and those fisherman follow the size restrictions, allowing the young fish to be unharmed and breed until they are large enough to be really tasty).

John Dirgo, R, ABR, e-PRO
Aloha Coast Realty, LLC
808-987-9243 cell
http://www.alohacoastrealty.com