Aquarium Bill

[reefsupply]

Just got this in from a supplier

Link to the bill is:



http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2008/bills/SB3225_.htm

Aloha all, The Hawaii Legislature is considering to pass a bill that will limit aquarium fish collection in Hawaii to 20 fish per collector per person with a maximum of 5 yellow tangs per day. The bill also will put a no take cap on angels, butterflies, boxfish, puffers,eels and many other species. The passage of this bill will essentially shut down the tropical fish industry in Hawaii which will include the transhipped items from Christmas Island and Marshall Islands. Please forward this to everyone in the industry because if we don't stop this bill, next year, yellow tangs may wholesale at $100 each.


Let's try this :

Regarding Senate Bill 3225 SB3225



Everyone including all businesses, employees, divers, parents, kids, brothers and sisters, friends, and everyone involved in this industry -



JAN. 28-29th FROM EARLY IN THE MORNING TO LATE AFTERNOON, CALL SEN. CLAYTON HEE'S OFFICE AT 808-586-7330 AND WHEN ASKED BY HIS OFFICE STAFF - LEAVE YOUR FULL NAME - ( FIRST AND LAST NAME ), AND PHONE NUMBER, AND VOICE YOUR OPPOSITION TO SB3225. IF WE CAN GET 500+ PHONE CALLS INTO HIS OFFICE, WE CAN SHOW THERE IS VERY STRONG OPPOSITION TO THIS BILL . IT'S POSSIBLE THAT HE MIGHT SHELVE THIS BILL. WE NEED TO TIE UP HIS PHONE WITH OUR CALLS. THEN TOMORROW NIGHT, FAX SENATOR HEE YOUR OPPOSITION TO THIS BILL ALSO. ( FAX NUMBER 808-586-7334 ) THIS WAY, WHEN HIS STAFF COMES IN ON TUESDAY MORNING, THERE WILL BE FAXES ALL OVER HIS OFFICE FLOOR.



WE NEED TO OVERWHELM HIM WITH CALLS AND FAXES VOICING OPPOSITION TO THIS BILL.

 

[NC2WA]

Are some of these fish near an endangered species classification? If not, what is the rationale of this bill??

 

[Scooterman]

We better start breeding our own, the yellow tangs have been on top of the charts for many years, can't believe that we didn't already impact them & their purpose on the reef as it is.

 

[jedimike]

Are yellow tangs really that desirable? I don't mind the bill... seems like a good compromise between income potential for harvesters and reef sustainability. Puts more pressure on the community to improve captive breeding techniques.

 

[surf_buddy]

Are yellow tangs really that desirable? I don't mind the bill... seems like a good compromise between income potential for harvesters and reef sustainability. Puts more pressure on the community to improve captive breeding techniques.

I'd have to agree with what Mike said...

 

[Red C Aquarium]

We should ask WPH about this topic.
Remember this is saying it will affect more than Yellow Tangs , next in line are the Flame Angels.
I feel there are a lot of new collectors that have popped up in the last couple years , maybe taking more fish than in the past ?
I got the e-mail from a wholesaler, not sure what to think about it ?

ROB - ARSA

 

[reefsupply]

Same Just about all of our wholesalers are MAC cert. I do think we need some oversight but if they do then the fed should put some funds into captive programs to get them started.

 

[Scooterman]

Are yellow tangs really that desirable? I don't mind the bill... seems like a good compromise between income potential for harvesters and reef sustainability. Puts more pressure on the community to improve captive breeding techniques.

I have to agree with this, even if it drives up the cost, It will make newbies consider what their doing before spending money on fish & not knowing what is going on, all of these fish. We should invest more into captive breeding.

 

[jamiehill]

I think this looks like a good bill. It sounds like the government is trying to step in and save some of these fish from dissapearing from their waters.

Looking at the bill, each person can still collect up to 20 fish per day (no more than 5 yellow tangs). This doesn't sound like it will cripple the hawaiian economy as some collectors are arguing.

Also, I don't see any verbage in this bill that affects transshipments. It only talks about local collection.

 

[ronj]

i love yellow tangs, but i don't want them to become endangered or extinct.. i saw this exact same thread on my local forum.. i don't think anyone liked the idea.. i think it actually got peoples' attention about what is going on.. it didn't have the effect it was supposed to.. i am against the idea of trying to stop this Bill!!

 

[NC2WA]

Along with RSA, I would be very interested in the local opinion on WPH.

 

[WPH]

The bill does not target just yellow tang......it will put a no take cap on all Hawaiian puffer fish species, all hawaiian Eel species, hawaiian cleaner wrasses,All boxfish,and All Potters Angelfish along with anyother targeted species....That means they will become illegal to collect and the ornamental fish trade will no longer have these types of fish because they are indigenous to Hawaii only!!! This will also put regulation on Importing Christmas Island and Marshall Island fish...so all your Bartletts anthias, golden Rhoimboids, flame angels,lemon peel angels, and lets not forget Black Tangs because Christmas Island is the only part of the world that has Black Tangs....so the bill is not to regulate just YT...it is targeting a lot of fish in the aquarium trade.....mark my words if this bill is passed....All wholesale direct companies will be sure to go out ouf business and close shop. divers will start to selling whatever fish and inverts they can legally catch directly to the public at insane prices and your west coast and east coast wholesalers will also find it hard to obtain anything out of Hawaii...think about it....it will affect a lot of companies and jobs......I am all for trying to conserve on reef fish...though this bill will crash the Hawaii market and mainland suppliers market for Hawaiian fish period....this bill needs to be Bagged and there needs to ba another way to limit the amounts a diver can catch and wholesaler can sell. Problem with big companies they will go where the market will pay top dollar and most...I mean most of your Hawaiian fish goes to Forien markets. so whatever small amount that does go to the Us market will be dwindled and scarce.....how can companies in Hawaii and the mainland in the US who supply Hawaiian fish at a wholesale price level stay in Business...not possible....and more little companies with less overhead will come out of the woodworks and put the larger companies into even furthur turmoil.....

ASK YOURSELF WHY DO YOU SEE LITTLE TELLOW TANGS FOR SALE RATHER THAN LARGE ONES....THE ANSWER IS BECAUSE IF YOU ARE AN EXPERIENCED COLLECTOR YOU WILL KNOW THAT THE LARGE (BREEDER) YELLOW TANGS SHOULD BE LEFT IN THE OCEAN TO REPOPULATE IT....THERE SHOULD BE A SIZE BAN ON ALL MARINE FISH CAUGHT NOT A LIMIT BAN OF 20 FISH PER DIVER PER DAY INCLUDING A MAX OF 5 YT......ALOHA FROM A LITTLE ROCK IN THE PACIFIC OCEAN!!!

 

[Randy-S]

The problem with most saltwater fish is you cannot captive breed them, they mass spawn and there eggs join the plankton mass before the young fish actually change into fish and settle back down onto the reef.

So don't a lot expect captive raised fish any time soon.
there exceptions , like clowns, gobys, cardnals and more that dont mass spawn. But most angels, tangs and other fav's do mass spawn.

 

[WPH]

Furthur Investigation Shows That Out Of All The Hawaiian Islands.....maui Has Just One Commercial Diver.,kAUAI HAS NONE,MOLOKAI NONE,NIIHAU NONE,KAHOOLAWE NONE...just One Who Supply The Wholsalers On Oahu from Maui,Oahu and Kona are the two islands where fish are being collected and Kona (where 90% Of Yt Comes From) Is Reserved To Just A Few Dive Areas To Catch Yellow Tangs....the State Government Already Put A Ban On Collecting Fish Throughout The Island, There Are Only Two Pinnacles Areas In The Ocean Thet Divers In Kona Can Catch Yellow Tangs...all The Rest Are Now As We Speak Marine Sanctuaries. And On Oahu The Divers Are Raking Too Many Breeder Fishes. These Are Large Fish 5" And Above

There Should Be A Ban On This And Fish Should Only Be Caught For The Aquarium Trade At A Small Size Not Large Breeder Size So The Fish Can Repopulate There Also Should Be A Limit To The Amounts Of Fish Being Sold To Forien Markets, Therefore Making More Fish Available For The Us Markets. This Wil Illiminate The Amounts Of Fish Being Caught Because I Cannot Tell You Enough That More Than 75 Percent Of The Hawaiian Fish Caught Goes To A Forien Country Where They Pay More Money For The Fish....there Shouldnt Be A Ban On Eels,puffers,potters Angels,boxfishes And Other Targeted Fish Species Because They Are Not Dwindling In Species....there Is No...and I Mean No Scientific Evedence To Prove This....it Is Your Snorkle Dive Tour Companies And Ecologist Who Started This Bill In The First Place....not Scientist With Proof Of Hard Facts

And Yes The Government Should Put More Funds Into Aquaculturing A Lot Of Species To Furthur Affect The Amount Of Fish Being Caught...i Just Joined This Breeding Society And From What I Hear Not One......company Or Individual Has A Breeding Program Going For The Ornamental Fish Trade....not One....

 

[WPH]

here is the bill being proposed

Report Title:
Fishing; Ornamental Fish; Bag Limits; No Take Category; Appropriation
Description:
Imposes bag limits on certain ornamental fish; prohibits catching of certain ornamental fish; appropriation
THE SENATE
S.B. NO.3225
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2008
STATE OF HAWAII
A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FISHING.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1.* Chapter 188, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§188-* **Ornamental fish; bag limit; prohibition; yellow tang stock assessment.* (a)* There shall be a combined bag limit of twenty fish per person per day of ornamental fish, including but not limited to, yellow tang, flame angels, and butterfly; provided that the combined bag limit may include a maximum of only five yellow tang.* No person shall catch, net, or trap more than the bag limit.* The department of land and natural resources shall formulate an annual stock assessment of the yellow tang, beginning September 1, 2008, based upon data existing as of that date to provide an estimated inventory for preservation purposes; provided that the assessment shall be made publicly available.

* (b)* No person shall catch, net, or trap certain ornamental fish in a no-take category, including but not limited to, all puffer fish, all box fish, potter's angel, cleaner wrasse, all coralvores, and all eels.

(c)* For purposes of this section, the term "ornamental fish" means salt water fish, usually found in or around reefs, that are commonly kept in aquariums.

(d)* The department of land and natural resources shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 91 for purposes of this section, including adding other types of ornamental fish."

SECTION 2. *There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $100,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2008-2009 for the yellow tang fish stock assessment as provided in section 1 of this Act.

**** The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of land and natural resources for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 3.* New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 4.* This Act shall take effect upon its approval; provided that section 2 shall take effect on July 1, 2008.

 

[WPH]

anyone who feels like they can be a part of this to help save the bill, put in comments or suggestions to the local councelmen can go to my forum and their drect office numbers and fax numbers are listed there.....they (the councilmen) need to know (be educated on this topic) before they pass a bill that will affect many of hawaii's jobs and companies

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Brings to mind debate we had here about various wild runs of salmon. Similar arguments against restrictions. Looking back now, the regulations were too little and too late. By the time anecdotal evidence on specie decline occurs, it is typically much worse than imagined. Better to be too strict and make prices go high for little reason than to ignore a potential problem until it is a tragedy. When it comes to fisheries or old growth, rain forests, coral reefs, or at risk biomes of any type, I lean towards protectionism, just to be on the safe side.

 

[jedimike]

It's like a swinging pendulum... politicians rarely get it right the first time and now it looks like it is swinging to the far left. Washington state is notorious for this. Washington has a Department of Fish and Wildlife that regulates the harvesting of our wildlife and they set limits each year. Some years are better than others and our fisherman have adjusted to the catch limits. Hawaii will have to do the same thing. Harvesters will have a catch record and every year Hawaii will have to analyze those results and determine what the limit will be for the following year. I'm confident that once the numbers are back up for ornamental fish, then the limits will increase.

I agree that it doesn't look like they are using the best method to regulate the trade. Size may be a better method. That is how we regulate our sturgeon fish. The fisherman in Hawaii can organize themselves to offer solutions for the government and also show that they can regulate themselves. It's difficult to get people who are in competition with eachother to become unified, but it has happened in Washington.

 

[veralteaquatics]

Everyone Please Read.....Tx V.A.

Link to the Aquarium Bill



Link to the bill is:



http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2008/bills/SB3225_.htm

Aloha all, The Hawaii Legislature is considering to pass a bill that will limit aquarium fish collection in Hawaii to 20 fish per collector per person with a maximum of 5 yellow tangs per day. The bill also will put a no take cap on angels, butterflies, boxfish, puffers,eels and many other species. The passage of this bill will essentially shut down the tropical fish industry in Hawaii which will include the transhipped items from Christmas Island and Marshall Islands. Please forward this to everyone in the industry because if we don't stop this bill, next year, yellow tangs may wholesale at $100 each.


Let's try this :

Regarding Senate Bill 3225 SB3225



Everyone including all businesses, employees, divers, parents, kids, brothers and sisters, friends, and everyone involved in this industry -



JAN. 28-29th FROM EARLY IN THE MORNING TO LATE AFTERNOON, CALL SEN. CLAYTON HEE'S OFFICE AT 808-586-7330 AND WHEN ASKED BY HIS OFFICE STAFF - LEAVE YOUR FULL NAME - ( FIRST AND LAST NAME ), AND PHONE NUMBER, AND VOICE YOUR OPPOSITION TO SB3225. IF WE CAN GET 500+ PHONE CALLS INTO HIS OFFICE, WE CAN SHOW THERE IS VERY STRONG OPPOSITION TO THIS BILL . IT'S POSSIBLE THAT HE MIGHT SHELVE THIS BILL. WE NEED TO TIE UP HIS PHONE WITH OUR CALLS. THEN TOMORROW NIGHT, FAX SENATOR HEE YOUR OPPOSITION TO THIS BILL ALSO. ( FAX NUMBER 808-586-7334 ) THIS WAY, WHEN HIS STAFF COMES IN ON TUESDAY MORNING, THERE WILL BE FAXES ALL OVER HIS OFFICE FLOOR.



WE NEED TO OVERWHELM HIM WITH CALLS AND FAXES VOICING OPPOSITION TO THIS BILL.

 

[jamiehill]

Where does it say anything in the bill about limiting anything in the Christmas & Marshall Islands? AFAIK, they are not under Hawaiian legislation.