Marine Fish on Endangered Species List

[leebca]

From: Hindu News Service

Overfishing continues to put pressure on many fish species, as does demand from the aquarium trade. The Banggai Cardinalfish (Pterapogon kauderni), which is highly prized in the aquarium industry, is entering the IUCN Red List for the first time in the Endangered category. The fish, which is only found in the Banggai Archipelago, near Sulawesi, Indonesia, has been heavily exploited, with approximately 900,000 extracted every year. Conservationists are calling for the fish to be reared in captivity for the aquarium trade, so the wild populations can be left to recover.

And what is the IUCN Red List :evil: you ask:
Red List Info
also
Red List Defined

Ocean corals have, for the first time, also made this list. Ocean plants are on the list, although many in both these categories belong to the Galapagos Island area.

The Red List carries no regulatory authority with it. That is to say, it is up to the government(s) to decide whether to ban, restrict, etc. any particular species on the List.

According to: UN Environment Programme
The US delegation to the UN CITES asked (a few months ago) that this species of marine fish be put onto the UN list of endangered species, but Indonesia won their argument that rather than do this, Indonesia will regulate the collection and export of these fish. The US petition to the UN was withdrawn by the US, based on the discussion.

No news yet as to what action, if any, the US government will take.

 

[Carl]

Lee are you really expecting any action? USFWS has its handsfull dropping species from protection not adding them.

Carl

 

[leebca]

No. I personally don't foresee any action at this time. Since the US advanced yet withdrew its own UN petition voluntarily, I'd say it would be politically difficult (not impossible) to rationalize taking any unilateral action.

 

[Carl]

Trying to get something listed under CITES is even harder the second time around. The big problem with CITES is protection for the species is only as effective as the goverment that is issueing the permits and keeping the export records. In third world and under developed countries it doesn't cost much to get fake export permits or have someone issue "legal" permits when the export quota has already been reached. Then comes the issue of poorly trained inspection officers at ports of entry.

A much simplier and more effective way would be to convince the exporters to stop buying the species from the collectors.

Carl

 

[leebca]

I don't know the details, but I think that was a part of the Indonesian plan.

 

[moortim]

How difficult are the Banggai Cardinalfish to breed in captivity? Can the aquarium industry take over and help keep these fish from being caught wild?

 

[leebca]

These Cardinal fish are relatively easy to breed in captivity. The tank bred ones are available today.

But it is a matter of economics to some buyers. The wild caught ones are less expensive than the tank bred ones.

 

[moortim]

These Cardinal fish are relatively easy to breed in captivity. The tank bred ones are available today.

But it is a matter of economics to some buyers. The wild caught ones are less expensive than the tank bred ones.

Is there a trade off where the tank bred ones are more hardy than wild ones?

 

[leebca]

"Hardy" probably isn't the most descriptive term. Tank bred fishes bred into captivity don't have to acclimate to captivity. This gives them a 'head start' on adjusting to captive life. Fewer perish in acclimation stress. Almost all are eating right off and don't need that training, so don't die of starvation, but all remain about the same hardiness.

There are distinct advantages to tank bred marine fishes, other than ecological and ethic issues.

One could argue that the wild fish has been exposed to a greater variety of pathogens and microbes than the captive bred fish, and thus the wild ones have a better immune system and are 'hardier' in this respect.