HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 1145.130 2012-2014P/AWESG
Cow AL1. I i 4-5
Regarding County of Hawai'i Bill 318
November 17, 2014
Dear Honorable Members of the Hawai'i County Council,
I would like to take this opportunity to express my serious concerns regarding County of Hawai'i Bill 318.
This bill would purportedly improve the welfare of aquarium life by prohibiting fasting of transported
animals and establishing an arbitrary water volume for transport purposes. Neither of these
recommendations has any scientific basis, and run counter to accepted knowledge and shipping practices
of proven success and veracity.
The Waikiki Aquarium is 110 years old, and is the second oldest public aquarium in the United States. A
part of the University of Hawaii at Manoa, its activities focus upon marine education and research, and
conservation of Pacific marine life. It is the State Aquarium of Hawaii and has an international reputation
for the quality of its exhibits and marine life husbandry, and for its research and conservation activities.
Annually, over 300,000 people, both Hawaii residents and tourists, the Aquarium, and over 30,000 Hawaii
schoolchildren take part in our education programs.
The Aquarium is at the forefront of marine life conservation in Hawaii, and bases its activities and efforts
upon sound scientific evidence, and not sentimentality or hearsay. In this regard, I have strong
reservations about the veracity of this bill, which has no scientific basis for its recommendations or
conclusions. Were it to be implemented, it would result in greater stress and mortality to shipped fishes.
First, as cold-blooded animals, almost all fish species can be safely fasted, often for several days, without
adverse health effects.
Second, fasting for one or two days is a routine procedure prior to fishes being shipped. This allows the
digestive canal to be cleared, and means that the water in which the fishes are transported will not
become fouled. The measure recommended in this bill, of shipping fishes which are not fasted, will
inevitable mean that they will foul their water, which will almost inevitably lead to severe stress or death.
Third, fishes which have been fasted have a lower metabolism, and thus a lower oxygen requirement,
which means that shipment is inevitably safer and less stressful than for non-fasted fishes.
Fourth, the Aquarium regularly ships and receives live fishes and corals using accepted water volumes
and packing densities, and has a success rate approaching 100% live arrival. I and my staff are
unaware of any reports or scientific studies that recommend the one -gallon for each 'aquarium life'
proposed in this bill. Indeed, it is hard to imagine why such a report would be needed when the existing
shipping system is clearly already almost perfect.
In conclusion, the first provision of this bill regarding fasting has no scientific or biological support, and will
actually lead to higher stress levels and to higher rates of mortality. The second provision, that of one
gallon per'aquarium life', is wholly without scientific basis, and does not merit serious consideration.
The Waikiki Aquarium will continue its work in conserving the marine life of Hawaii, and in educating the
public about the biological treasures found around Hawaii's shores. I respectfully recommend that this bill
is dismissed, and that attention is instead directed towards the real and substantial issues facing Hawaii's
reefs. o
Respectfully yours,
Andrew Rossiter (Dr)
Director, Waikiki Aquarium
Professor, Department of Biology
University of Hawaii at Manoa.
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V19 2014