The global trade in marine ornamental species

Conservation efforts
habitats have been divided into zones for different uses,
which include no-take areas 74 . Selected collection areas,
representing less than 1 per cent of the reefs in a region,
have been established for licensed collectors to harvest
coral for the aquarium trade 74 . Government statistics show
that despite collectors harvesting 45-50 tonnes of coral
per year for 20 years, no noticeable impact on the resource
has been observed 74 .
Reef fish assemblages and patterns of distribution
of fish are influenced by the associated reef habitat, which
provides food and shelter to a large number of organisms.
The greater the complexity of the reef structure the greater
the available fish biomass and the more diverse fish
assemblages will be 233 . Therefore, in order to be effective at
protecting the wide range of fish species of interest to the
marine aquarium trade, marine reserves need to include a
great diversity of habitats, i.e. have structural complexity 18 .
The limited home range size and high level of habitat
specificity associated with marine ornamental fish seem to
indicate that marine reserves should be effective tools at
managing ornamental fish populations.
Management decisions (e.g. location for reserves)
should involve participation by all stakeholders, with
appropriate consultation with scientists and fishers at
the local and national levels, so as to minimize conflict
and optimize benefits 55, 234, 235 . Marine reserves are likely
to be most successful at ensuring the sustainable use of
local resources as well as increasing awareness and
understanding of conservation and management issues if
implemented by the collectors and relevant members of
the community themselves, a process often referred to as
community-based management. By giving community
members a sense of ownership of their resources, they
will more likely guard these against destructive uses 17, 30 .
Traditional management under customary marine
tenure (CMT) presents a unique set of conditions for the
successful implementation of marine reserves. CMT plays a
key role in the overall social, economic and cultural aspects
of societies in the Pacific Islands 222 . In the Pacific basin,
although CMT comes under a range of different organizational
concepts, and has in part been eroded because of
colonialism, the local community is often the exclusive
owner of marine resources, managing coastal fisheries and
habitats 222 . The essence of CMT structures is based on the
idea that the more responsibility is left to local communities
for the control of local resources, the less governments will
have to be implicated in legal, conservation and social
issues, and the greater the sense of responsibility members
will have towards the sustainable use and conservation of
marine resources and habitats. However, their effectiveness
is likely to be dependent on how such systems adapt to
changing socio-economic conditions.
Temporary closures
Temporary closures are often cited as an alternative to the
implementation of reserves. This approach is commonly
used to protect species during reproductive phases to
ensure there is sufficient recruitment to sustain the
population. Although not in operation specifically for the
aquarium trade at present, such closed seasons could
allow juvenile fish to grow to a size unsuitable for
aquarium collection thus making sure that a healthy stock
of adult fish is maintained on the reefs 6 . These adults in
turn would contribute recruits and help maintain healthy
population levels despite irregular and stochastic
recruitment events. It is important to note that temporary
closures are only likely to be effective if implemented at
the right time and at the right location 224 .
Holding tanks at a marine aquarium wholesaler.
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