The global trade in marine ornamental species

Analysis of trade data
Table 7: The top ten most commonly traded genera of corals worldwide
Totals for number of pieces are derived from importers’ and exporters’ data in GMAD for years 1988 to 2002 and 1998 to 2003
respectively. Genera common to both datasets are in bold.
Genera No. of pieces Genera No. of pieces
(exporters’ data)
(importers’ data)
Scleractinia* 208,122 Trachyphyllia 37,082
Goniopora 192,697 Euphyllia 31,614
Euphyllia 191,670 Goniopora 27,322
Trachyphyllia 115,262 Acropora 26,451
Catalaphyllia 90,498 Plerogyra 13,878
Acropora 79,720 Lobophyllia 11,933
Heliofungia 77,924 Scleractinia* 11,035
Plerogyra 60,691 Catalaphyllia 10,907
Porites 48,889 Favia 9,531
Turbinaria 47,729 Turbinaria 8,955
Total 1,113,202 Total 188,708
* Unidentified stony corals
levels are sustainable and to agree a system under which
export statistics reflect true imports. A recent audit at one
of the largest Fijian export companies showed that the
actual export figure was approximately 9 per cent of the
recorded declared value 45 . Until this case has been
resolved and the CITES Secretariat has published agreed
quotas on the CITES website, Parties to the Convention
should not accept any export permits for specimens of
CITES-listed coral species from Fiji 66 .
For the years 1997 to 2001, CITES statistics show
the major importers of stony corals to be the United
States, Japan viii , Germany, France, China (including Hong
Kong), Canada ix , the Netherlands and the United
Kingdom, together importing more than 95 per cent of the
total number of live corals being traded worldwide. Taking
the EU as one statistical entity, 73 per cent of total live
coral imports are accounted for by the United States, 14
per cent by the EU, 7 per cent by Japan, 2 per cent by
China (including Hong Kong), 2 per cent by Canada and 1
per cent by the Republic of Korea x . (See Figure 3.)
Commonly traded coral genera, based on CITES
export and import data 1999-2001, include Acropora
(staghorn, cluster, bluetip, bush, cat’s paw or bottlebrush
coral), Catalaphyllia (elegance coral), Euphyllia (anchor
or hammer coral), Galaxea (galaxy coral), Goniopora
(flowerpot coral), Heliofungia (mushroom coral),
Lobophyllia (lobed brain coral), Plerogyra (bubble or
grape coral), Trachyphyllia (open brain coral), Turbinaria
(cup coral) and Scleractinia. However, the last is likely to
include a large proportion of traded live rock 67 . These
findings are corroborated by data within GMAD showing
the same genera as the top ten species in trade from both
Figure 3: Major importers of live and wild-sourced
coral (pieces)
The EU is taken as one ‘entity’. Totals are derived from
importers’ data except where otherwise stated.
Millions
1.5
73%
1.4
1997
3.9 million
1.3
1998
1.2
1.1
1.0
1999
2000
2001
Total
0.9
0.8
14%
0.7
0.6
0.5
0.4
7%
0.3
0.2
2% 2%
0.1
1%
0.0
USA EU Japan viii China * Canada ix Rep of
Korea x
* Including Hong Kong.
importers’ and exporters’ datasets, from 1988 to 2002 and
1998 to 2003 respectively. GMAD also lists Favia and
Porites as common in trade. With the exception of
Acropora, most of the genera listed are slow-growing and
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