HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0730.051 2008-2010Murashige, Laura CIO M M. 730.4-.'
From: Inga Gibson [igibson @humanesociety.org]
Sent: Monday, August 16, 2010 7:11 PM
To: counciltestimony @co.hawaii.hi.us
Cc: phoffmann @co.hawaii.hi.us
Subject: Testimony Reso 360 -10, 8 -18, 9:OOam
Attachments: Testimony HCC Reso 308 -10 Reef Fish Collection.pdf
Dear Sir /Madam,
Attached please find testimony in support of Resolution 360 -10, for council consideration on August 18 at
9:OOam.
Please contact me with any questions.
Mahalo, Inga
Inga Gibson
Hawaii State Director, Western Regional Office
igibson @humanesociety.org
t 808-922-9910 f 808-922-9911
The Humane Society of the United States
P.O. Box 89131, Honolulu, HI 96830
humanesociety.org
Join Our Email List Facebook Twitter
` '". ' THE HUMANE SOCIETY
OF THE UNITED STATES
Cewbraigig Animals i Corrfroriting C act)
Visit HSUS HAWAII on Facebook to stay up to date on news, events and happenings for Hawaii's Animals!
8/17/2010
Page 1 of 1
F'ICouw cn.
i;A AUG 17 PVI
f '�
coma. N 73 0. 0
Ref. To
Ref. Date
'' Gt
UG 18 201Q
r 4 I 11 r d "
THE HUMANE SOCIETY
OF THE UNITED STATES
To: Honorable Chair Yoshimoto
Hawaii County Council
Submitted via email: counciltestimony @a>co.hawaii.hi.us
oftir
„ •�r HUMANE SOCIETY
INTERNATIONAL
RE: Council Meeting August 18, 2010, 9:00 am
IN SUPPORT OF Resolution 308 -10, with amendments
A RESOLUTION URGING THE DLNR -DAR TO ADOPT RULES FOR
SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF HAWAII'S AQUARIUM REEF SPECIES;
INCLUDING SETTING BAG LIMITS AND SPECIES RESTRICTIONS
From: The Humane Society of the United States / Humane Society International
Inga Gibson, Hawaii State Director, Humane Society of the United States, P.O. Box
89131, Honolulu, HI 96830, igibson(a humanesociety.org or 808 - 922 -9910
Teresa Telecky, PhD, Wildlife Director, Humane Society International: 2100 L Street
NW, Washington, DC 20037 ttelecky(u)hsi.org or 301- 258 -1430
In Support: Resolution 308 - -10, with amendments
The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS/HSI), the nation's largest animal protection
organization, with more than 11 million members and constituents, including 49,770 in Hawaii,
and The HSUS/HSI's international arm, Humane Society International (HSI), thank
Councilmember Hoffman and the Council for their attempts to address this important matter;
affecting the lives of hundreds of thousands of animals per year.
While we understand that the County's authority is limited in regulating aquarium fish
collection, we believe that the state, specifically DLNR, is not adequately ensuring that
collection of reef fish for the pet trade is not causing a detriment to wild populations. We fully
support Councilman Greenwell's earlier resolution requesting that the DLNR disallow the
collection of reef for export from Hawaii County. However, we understand that the proposed
amendments are necessary in an attempt to address all stakeholder concerns. A moratorium on
the issuance of new collection permits, regulating or prohibiting the collection of certain fish
species and setting bag limits are also necessary steps to protect our precious reefs and their
dwindling fish inhabitants.
The wild - caught fish trade results in high fish mortality rates. The global trade in live wild
animals as pets — including live fish for display in home aquaria— involves billions of animals
every year. The trade threatens the survival of wild populations and causes unacceptable levels
of mortality for these animals.
1
The global trade in marine fish involves between 20 and 24 million individual animals, 99
percent of whom are wild- caught (Wabnitz et al. 2003). The means by which these wild fish
species are captured, held and transported to consumers causes unacceptable levels of injury and
often, mortality. Those animals who survive the journey from the wild to the living room may
fare no better. Many wild reef fish species are difficult to care for in a home environment. In
many cases, the husbandry needs are unknown or impossible to meet.
High levels of mortality of marine fish in the aquaria trade, associated with inadequate handling
and transport, have been widely recognized as a problem (Wabnitz et al 2003). Studies and
anecdotal reports estimate mortality rates of fish from Hawaii to mainland U.S. at 3 percent
during and immediately after collection, up to 5 percent during transit, and continuing mortalities
in holding and retail facilities.This means that tens of thousands of the fish collected die before
reaching the market. Once in a home aquarium, mortality rates continue to climb due to attempts
to keep inappropriate species, inadequate husbandry, and stress suffered on the journey from the
coral reef to the home aquarium. The industry treats fish like cut flowers to be displayed until
they die (often of starvation), then discarded and replaced. It should also be noted that the
majority of collectors do not accurately report mortality rates and may misrepresent species or
quantities since they are not verified by onsite inspections. Consequently, the numbers and
species reportedly collected may be a considerable underestimate.
Collection of animals from the wild for the pet trade is harmful to wild populations. Among
species whose survival is threatened by collection for the aquaria trade are marine fish from
Indonesia - Australia, Papua New Guinea and The Phillipines In Hawaii, researchers have raised
concerns about the collection of uncommon or rare species for the trade including Tinker's
butterflyfish (Chaetodon tinkeri), the Bandit Angelfish (Desmoholacanthus arcuatus), the
Hawaiian turkeyfish (Pterois sphex) and the flame angelfish (Centropyge loricula). The U.S.
Coral Reef Task Force has recognized that U.S. demand for aquarium species can indeed
threaten the sustainability of coral reef species and ecosystems (U.S. Coral Reef Task Force
2000).
There are many problems with the current management of collection of fish for export from
Hawaii. The number of fish exported from Hawaii annually is actually unknown. For example, in
1995 the official export figure was 422,823 according to DLNR. However, this figure was based
on reports filed by only 40 percent of people permitted or licensed to export fish, and therefore is
believed to significantly underestimate the actual number of fish exported (Boggiatto et al.
2004). The fact that 60 percent of permit and license holders disregard the requirement to
provide monthly catch reports to DLNR apparently without consequence is of concern. The lack
of such basic information as the number of fish exported on a species - specific basis does not
allow effective management.
Although allowed by law, DLNR has not adopted regulations that limit the number of fish
collected by each permit holder (a bag limit), size limits, open and closed seasons, or other
common management tools adopted by other jurisdictions that export marine fish for the aquaria
trade, such as Florida. DLNR requires collectors to have permits, and commercial collectors to
have licenses, but permit holders can collect any number of fish of any species. They can also
collect fish anywhere with the exception of Marine Life Conservation Districts and Fish
Replenishment Areas. As a result, although the industry is regulated in the sense that permits are
2
issued, except as noted in the previous sentence, there is no management system being applied
that would ensure that wild populations are not harmed by levels of collection. This is troubling
given the apparent high level of trade.
There is ample scientific and anecdotal evidence that the level of collection of marine fish for the
home aquaria trade has had significant detrimental impacts on wild fish populations in Hawaii.
The 2010 DLNR report to the legislature on the West Hawaii FMA confirms that in spite of
management efforts, collection of fish for the aquarium trade continues to be a major source of
over - fishing on the island of Hawaii; seven of the top ten fish species targeted by collectors were
found to be decreasing in abundance in both protected and areas open to collecting and today in
the open areas, yellow tang populations are 47% lower than they were prior to FRA
implementation 10 years ago. Anecdotally, independent divers and dive tour operators have been
reporting declines in fish abundance for at least the past two decades. Although every area where
collection occurs has not been studied in order to scientifically determine the impact of collection
on the abundance of species, this should not be used as an excuse for inaction. When it comes to
extractive wildlife use, precaution should be applied in cases of scientific uncertainty in order to
protect species from over - exploitation.
In addition to concerns about the sustainability of collection and the survival of collected species,
current aquarium collection practices in Hawaii raise significant concerns about the effects of
aquarium collection on Hawaii's valuable coral reef ecosystems. For example, collectors in
Hawaii have been observed breaking coral to capture fish and even using bleach, both of which
are illegal (Tissot and Hallacher 2003).
Among the top Hawaiian exports are the yellow tang (Zebrasoma flavescens), kole
(Ctenochaetus strigosus), chevron tang (Ctenochaetus hawaiiensis), Achilles tang (Acanthurus
achilles), and clown tang (Naso lituratus), all of which are important herbivorous species that
have experienced significant population declines in areas were fish are collected for export.
Herbivorous fish play a crucial role in reef ecosystems by preventing algae from completely
covering living corals. On other reefs around the world, overfishing of herbivores has resulted in
ecosystem shifts in which corals and other important reef - dwelling benthic invertebrates become
smothered by overabundant fleshy algae.
In conclusion, Hawaii's DLNR is not adequately ensuring that collection of reef fish for the pet
trade is not causing a detriment to wild populations. Thus, we fully support the need for stronger
regulations and if necessary, a moratorium on the collection of reef fish for export from the
Island of Hawaii.
Thank you for this opportunity to provide testimony.
References Cited:
Boggiatto, K, Rieser, A., Moffie, K. and L. Paul. 2004. The Marine Aquarium Trade in the
Western Hemisphere and the Indo - Pacific Region: Impacts on Coral Reef Ecosystems and a
Summary of Governing Legal Instruments and Policy Options. Hawaii Audubon Society,
Honolulu, Hawaii.
3
Tissot, B., 1999. Adaptive management of aquarium fish collection in Hawaii.
SPC Live Reef Fish Information Bulletin 6: 16 -19.
Tissot, B.N. and L.E. Hallacher. 2003 Effects of aquarium collectors on coral reef fishes in
Kona, Hawaii. Conservation Biology 17:1759 -1768
Tissot, B.N., Walsh, W. and L. E. Hallacher. 2004. Evaluating the effectiveness of a marine
reserve network in Hawaii to increase the productivity of an aquarium fishery. Pacific Science
58(2): 175 -188.
U.S. Coral Reef Task Force 2000. The National Action Plan to Conserve Coral Reefs.
Wabnitz, C., Taylor, M., Green, E. and T. Razak. 2003. From Ocean to Aquarium: The Global
Trade in Marine Ornamental Species. UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Center.
Walsh, W. J., B. N. Tissot and L. E. Hallacher. 2004. A report on the findings and
recommendations of effectiveness of the West Hawai 'i regional fishery management area. Report
to the 23rd Hawaii Legislature. 38 pp.
Wood, E. 1985. Exploitation of Coral Reef Fishes for the Aquarium Trade. Marine Conservation
Society, Ross -on -Wye, UK. (cited in Wabnitz 2003)
4