HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0140.079 2014-2016COUNTY CLERK
February 17, 2015 COUNTY OF HAWAIrl
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RE: Testimony in Opposition to Bill 318 RECEIVED
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Aloha County Council Members,
I am writing in opposition to Bill 318 regarding aquarium fish.
For my master's research at Washington State University, I studied the West Hawaii aquarium trade
from 2010-2012. My study focused on venting, decompression, holding, and transport of live Yellow
Tang in the West Hawaii aquarium fishery.
In addition, I would like to specifically address Section 4:
Section 4 — (b)(1) & (b)(2)
My research on fish holding and transport indicated that the practices implemented by Hawaiian fish
exporters do not cause mortality in yellow tang. In June of 2012, 1 collaborated with fishers and
exporters in Kona, and caught 60 yellow tang from the reef, held them in a working export facility, and
shipped them from Kona, HI to Portland, OR. The fish were then transported to the Hatfield Marine
Science Center in Newport, OR where they resided for 6 months. My study shows 100% survival rate of
these tangs during collection, holding in the export facility, air transport, and after a 6 -month holding
period. In fact, the fish have now become part of an exhibit at the Hatfield Marine Science Center about
sustainability in the aquarium trade and I have received no reports of mortality after 2.5 years.
In my study, fish were withheld food in the export facility and during transport. Withholding food serves
a very important purpose for fish transport. Withholding food prevents fish from fouling their bags. If
they are unable to "clean out" their system prior to transport, they will foul their bags, creating a
buildup of ammonia, which is toxic to fish. Therefore, withholding food is a best practice to be used prior
to shipping fish and any regulation prohibiting food withholding is uninformed and would be detrimental
to fish health.
In my study, aquarium exporters used the standard volume of water to transport the tang, and
discussed above, no mortality occurred. The requirement of a gallon of water for fish transport is
unnecessary and unfounded.
Thank you for hearing my testimony.
Sincerely,
Emily S. Munday, M.S.
Comm. No. % 0. 71?
Ref. To: I W — l
1tef. Date FEB 17 2015