Hawaii fish ban update

[vetteguy53081]

Posted by Reef builders:

Hawaii aquarium fish update: renewed request for a ban​

JEREMY GAY
9 SECONDS AGO
0

The Hawaiian ornamental fishery saga continues as we have just watched a State of Hawaii public hearing once again calling for a total ban on aquarium fish collection, just as we thought we might be getting our beloved Yellow Tangs and friends back, so what’s happened? Here’s the story so far:
In January 2021 a ruling came in that completely banned the collection of ornamental fish in the entire state of Hawaii, immediately invalidating any existing permits for commercial aquarium fishing. Since then a group of aquarium industry advocates backed up by 30 years of peer-reviewed scientific data have been trying to get that ban reversed, and in October last year, a court ruled to lift the injunction that was preventing fishing permits from being issued.

Potters angelfish feature on the revised quota list.

Catch quotas​

To get that through, the aquarium industry and their fisher-people went for even tighter self-regulation (Hawaii is already one of the most regulated fisheries in the world,) restricting the possible permits to just seven, the number of fish species allowed to just eight, while also limiting potential catch and individual catch across those seven potential fishing permits. It’s not fair, but at least we may get Yellow tangs, Kole tangs, and Potters angelfish back.
But as we predicted, as soon as the injunction preventing permits was lifted (and no permits have been granted so far,) advocates for banning the collection of ornamental fish started legal proceedings again, and once again there are calls for a bill to ban all saltwater aquarium fish collection in Hawaii. It’s a vicious circle.
Those requesting a ban include multi-generational indigenous Hawaiians who want to protect their native fauna while also having the right to fish them for food, and Earth Justice, an environmental group that wants to ban the trade in wild-caught aquarium fish in its entirety. Those fighting to reopen the ornamental trade in Hawaiian fish include aquatic livestock importers and wholesalers, aquatic companies, and those who make their living from catching fish like Yellow tangs for the aquarium trade, some of whom are also multi-generational indigenous Hawaiians.
See also Super Scopas is the Australian Version of a Yellow Tang

The species available for catch have already been decided.
The argument for the ban is the environmental impact. The argument against the ban is that 30 years of scientific data has proved unequivocally that there is no environmental impact. None of the collected fish are on any threatened or endangered lists, they are still there after 30 years of sustainable collection, and some experts opposing the latest call for a ban have told the State of Hawaii on the record that there are more fish after 30 years of collection than there were before.
Lengthy court cases are very expensive and we must point out that the case for lifting any collection ban has been paid for by a select few aquatic companies who are paying on behalf of the whole saltwater industry. They will remain unnamed at this point but if we ever get wild Yellow tangs back it will be due to their funding and huge effort, and that should not go unacknowledged.
There is talk online about which species we want back, which we would like etc, but one stakeholder told Reef Builders that due to the process if any fish ever come back, the species selected and their numbers are already set in stone. The eight species will be; Yellow tang, Black surgeonfish, Orangespine unicornfish, Kole tang, Bird wrasse, Potters angel, Thomson’s surgeonfish, and Brown surgeonfish. No more, no less, with quotas capped too. It’s based on a 1500-page Environmental Impact Statement.
See also Japan is Sourcing Some Big Juicy Yellow Tangs from Ogasawara

We weren’t desperate for the Birdmouth wrasse but it too could return to aquariums in the future.

When are Yellow tangs coming back?​

Where we should be right now is that with the injunction on permits being lifted, fishers can request a permit from the Department of Land and Natural Resources. It should be one final hurdle to clear to get wild-caught Hawaiian yellow tangs back into stores and our aquariums. Where we are actually at is back in court opposing a new proposal to ban them all again. So once again advocates for the collection of ornamental fish from Hawaii need your support and are asking for you to go to the following link, register and state something as simple as “I oppose banning marine aquarium ornamental fisheries in West Hawaii.” Your City, State, or Country is not necessary.
https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=505&year=2023

Key points on the Hawaii ban​

• Licenses still aren’t available and it isn’t ok to fish at the moment.
• The decision to issue licenses is reserved for the DLNR and this needs to be respected.
• There are groups now trying to ban the fishery…. again. After the recent win
• It’s important to show support for the fishery by visiting the link

 

[jsker]

Thank you.

Sounds like a good topic for discussion. Lets remember to keep on topic, not turn this thread into a hate debate

 

[KrisReef]

Thank you.

Sounds like a good topic for discussion. Lets remember to keep on topic, not turn this thread into a hate debate

Looks like nothing happened? Perhaps the only thing people have left is hate for Hawaii’s.

Boycott the state?!

 

[AydenLincoln]

Ugh this is so sad! I just want a yellow tang. I wasn’t in the hobby when they were wild. Also I get why they have the ban but I still believe the aquarium industry has very minimal effects on the ocean in the big picture compared to pollution and overfishing and most aren’t collecting endangered species. The Biota ones are so tiny, expensive, and see-through.

 

[Dave1993]

i just want a black tang

 

[albano]

Ugh this is so sad! I just want a yellow tang. I wasn’t in the hobby when they were wild. .
The Biota ones are so tiny, expensive, and see-through.

Don’t expect wild caught Yellows to be less $ than Biota…the exporters, wholesalers, and retailers all know that people will now pay more! The good old days are gone forever.
Was at a LFS 3 days ago and they had 1 YT, marked at $900!!!!!
Maybe I should sell some of my 10 YTs!

 

[14 foot reef]

My catch, one dive in Hawaii on the big island back in 1995.
Divers price per yellow tang was $2.25

 

[bnord]

My catch, one dive in Hawaii on the big island back in 1995.
Divers price per yellow tang was $2.25

out of curiosity, how were fish caught in this quantity back in the day? What was your collection method? Would love to buy you a beer and listen to stories, collection and transportation back in the day.

 

[bnord]

Ugh this is so sad! I just want a yellow tang. I wasn’t in the hobby when they were wild. Also I get why they have the ban but I still believe the aquarium industry has very minimal effects on the ocean in the big picture compared to pollution and overfishing and most aren’t collecting endangered species. The Biota ones are so tiny, expensive, and see-through.

I have a couple of Biota yellow tangs that were the silver dollar size when arrived, but got to be big, bright happy healthy fish in a remarkably short period of time.
And if you order direct, the price really isn’t too terribly bad.

 

[doubleshot00]

I get both sides. I just hate the peta mentality when it comes to animals. But Hawaii is on a different level.

 

[bnord]

I get both sides. I just hate the peta mentality when it comes to animals. But Hawaii is on a different level.

There is clearly more than one way to pull fish off of Hawaiian reefs.
I hope that they can get to the point where Hawaii is able to demonstrate to all other Pacific collecting regions that responsible controlled and measured collection for the aquarium trade is sustainable.

 

[areefer01]

Ugh this is so sad! I just want a yellow tang.

You can get one today. Biota sells captive bred / raised.

Also the article is a bit misleading when it says "When are Yellow tangs coming back?" or "just as we thought we might be getting our beloved Yellow Tangs"

Neither side can have a discussion which is why nothing is getting solved.

 

[KrisReef]

You can get one today. Biota sells captive bred / raised.

Also the article is a bit misleading when it says "When are Yellow tangs coming back?" or "just as we thought we might be getting our beloved Yellow Tangs"

Neither side can have a discussion which is why nothing is getting solved.

Not true. The wild fishing industry has been talking sense in court and had proven with science reviews that the fishing was sustainable. That conversation was distasteful to environmentalists who started a new legal challenge that is preventing the fishing of fish from Hawaii. The environmental groups seem to believe that every fish is sacred and must be allowed to swim unfished. The results are that the table fishing continues while the reef stores can not have any of the bounty of fish that are found on the reefs of Hawaii.
I believe that they will be coming for your dog, cat, and hamster next and I cannot agree with you or them that people cannot have pets.

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

Idk why they just don't import more from Indonesia...

You can get one today. Biota sells captive bred / raised.

Also the article is a bit misleading when it says "When are Yellow tangs coming back?" or "just as we thought we might be getting our beloved Yellow Tangs"

Neither side can have a discussion which is why nothing is getting solved.

 

[areefer01]

Not true. The wild fishing industry has been talking sense in court and had proven with science reviews that the fishing was sustainable. That conversation was distasteful to environmentalists who started a new legal challenge that is preventing the fishing of fish from Hawaii. The environmental groups seem to believe that every fish is sacred and must be allowed to swim unfished. The results are that the table fishing continues while the reef stores can not have any of the bounty of fish that are found on the reefs of Hawaii.
I believe that they will be coming for your dog, cat, and hamster next and I cannot agree with you or them that people cannot have pets.

What isn't true? I can buy a yellow tang today. I get the direction of the article and it is fine. However I felt it was a bit misleading with the parts in italics and bold. Other fish are not available.

Or is it the part that the discussion? Over generalization sure but the point is that neither side hears, it is full of emotion, activism, politics, and no compromise.

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

Posted by Reef builders:

Hawaii aquarium fish update: renewed request for a ban​

JEREMY GAY
9 SECONDS AGO
0

The Hawaiian ornamental fishery saga continues as we have just watched a State of Hawaii public hearing once again calling for a total ban on aquarium fish collection, just as we thought we might be getting our beloved Yellow Tangs and friends back, so what’s happened? Here’s the story so far:
In January 2021 a ruling came in that completely banned the collection of ornamental fish in the entire state of Hawaii, immediately invalidating any existing permits for commercial aquarium fishing. Since then a group of aquarium industry advocates backed up by 30 years of peer-reviewed scientific data have been trying to get that ban reversed, and in October last year, a court ruled to lift the injunction that was preventing fishing permits from being issued.

Potters angelfish feature on the revised quota list.

Catch quotas​

To get that through, the aquarium industry and their fisher-people went for even tighter self-regulation (Hawaii is already one of the most regulated fisheries in the world,) restricting the possible permits to just seven, the number of fish species allowed to just eight, while also limiting potential catch and individual catch across those seven potential fishing permits. It’s not fair, but at least we may get Yellow tangs, Kole tangs, and Potters angelfish back.
But as we predicted, as soon as the injunction preventing permits was lifted (and no permits have been granted so far,) advocates for banning the collection of ornamental fish started legal proceedings again, and once again there are calls for a bill to ban all saltwater aquarium fish collection in Hawaii. It’s a vicious circle.
Those requesting a ban include multi-generational indigenous Hawaiians who want to protect their native fauna while also having the right to fish them for food, and Earth Justice, an environmental group that wants to ban the trade in wild-caught aquarium fish in its entirety. Those fighting to reopen the ornamental trade in Hawaiian fish include aquatic livestock importers and wholesalers, aquatic companies, and those who make their living from catching fish like Yellow tangs for the aquarium trade, some of whom are also multi-generational indigenous Hawaiians.
See also Super Scopas is the Australian Version of a Yellow Tang

The species available for catch have already been decided.
The argument for the ban is the environmental impact. The argument against the ban is that 30 years of scientific data has proved unequivocally that there is no environmental impact. None of the collected fish are on any threatened or endangered lists, they are still there after 30 years of sustainable collection, and some experts opposing the latest call for a ban have told the State of Hawaii on the record that there are more fish after 30 years of collection than there were before.
Lengthy court cases are very expensive and we must point out that the case for lifting any collection ban has been paid for by a select few aquatic companies who are paying on behalf of the whole saltwater industry. They will remain unnamed at this point but if we ever get wild Yellow tangs back it will be due to their funding and huge effort, and that should not go unacknowledged.
There is talk online about which species we want back, which we would like etc, but one stakeholder told Reef Builders that due to the process if any fish ever come back, the species selected and their numbers are already set in stone. The eight species will be; Yellow tang, Black surgeonfish, Orangespine unicornfish, Kole tang, Bird wrasse, Potters angel, Thomson’s surgeonfish, and Brown surgeonfish. No more, no less, with quotas capped too. It’s based on a 1500-page Environmental Impact Statement.
See also Japan is Sourcing Some Big Juicy Yellow Tangs from Ogasawara

We weren’t desperate for the Birdmouth wrasse but it too could return to aquariums in the future.

When are Yellow tangs coming back?​

Where we should be right now is that with the injunction on permits being lifted, fishers can request a permit from the Department of Land and Natural Resources. It should be one final hurdle to clear to get wild-caught Hawaiian yellow tangs back into stores and our aquariums. Where we are actually at is back in court opposing a new proposal to ban them all again. So once again advocates for the collection of ornamental fish from Hawaii need your support and are asking for you to go to the following link, register and state something as simple as “I oppose banning marine aquarium ornamental fisheries in West Hawaii.” Your City, State, or Country is not necessary.
https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=505&year=2023

Key points on the Hawaii ban​

• Licenses still aren’t available and it isn’t ok to fish at the moment.
• The decision to issue licenses is reserved for the DLNR and this needs to be respected.
• There are groups now trying to ban the fishery…. again. After the recent win
• It’s important to show support for the fishery by visiting the link

Why not talk to the importers and other affiliated companies and have them simply import yellow tangs from other parts of the world? Wouldn't that be easier?

 

[14 foot reef]

out of curiosity, how were fish caught in this quantity back in the day? What was your collection method? Would love to buy you a beer and listen to stories, collection and transportation back in the day.

100' long x 6' tall fence nets weighted on the bottom with floats on the top set up in the shape of the letter J with a rubber band in the J pocket to make a tube. Once net was set, you would swim as far down the reef as made sense to start corralling the fish with 2 - 6' yellow fiberglass pokers to steer the fish towards the J shaped fish net into the pocket. Once in the pocket then hand net them out of the tube pocket into laundry baskets zip tied together one on top another with a spring trap acrylic top flap door. The basket would have a 6' clothes line weighted down with a 2 lb. lead weight. Each dive would net about 100 yellow tangs, 20 Naso's, 30 koles, and then an assortment of random fish. We would do 5 dives per day. most days would yield 600 fish and everything was well documented with the DNLR of Hawaii. The fishery was very well managed, one of the best it the world. You could go back to that same dive spot 1 week later and repeat the same process and fish amount. it is impossible to delete the oceans fish with a hand net and a dive team of two.
Silly politicians are clueless.

 

[Tamberav]

Idk why they just don't import more from Indonesia...

Well for the states.. hawaii has healthier fish

Also idk if it is true but when indo tangs were available, people claimed the hawaii version were brighter.. who knows.. I never stopped to look close enough. It could be BS.

Just like how hawaii flame angels seem to be more in demand due to being brighter? Even though they are found elsewhere.

Other questions would be... are they found in great numbers? What depth are indo tangs found at?

What would the cost be? If high, are people willing to pay that for an indo tang? or will they romanticize about a hawaii version?

 

[AydenLincoln]

I wished BIOTA would grow them and sell them at different sizes. Who has a big BIOTA now? I’d love to see what they look grown up/are bigger.

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

Well for the states.. hawaii has healthier fish

Also idk if it is true but when indo tangs were available, people claimed the hawaii version were brighter.. who knows.. I never stopped to look close enough. It could be BS.

Just like how hawaii flame angels seem to be more in demand due to being brighter? Even though they are found elsewhere.

Other questions would be... are they found in great numbers? What depth are indo tangs found at?

What would the cost be? If high, are people willing to pay that for an indo tang? or will they romanticize about a hawaii version?

I'd definitely imagine the depth at which they're found would be out of reach (we get plenty of them imported from Indonesia here) and the cost couldn't possibly amount to what the CB ones cost (let alone the wild ones still in circulation)...in regards to your last comment though, yeah...i don't think people would be satisfied with anything less than a yellow Tang believed to be caught in Hawaii at this point. If you literally cloned them i highly doubt people would see them as equal.