There is no question that our coral reefs are in serious decline, but the causes are manifold, and the impact of the aquarium fish trade is negligible. Pollution, invasive algae, overfishing and the introduced grouper roi — which feed mainly on reef fishes and are not fished because of risk of ciguatera fish poisoning — are the major concerns.
These were ignored in — and we therefore take issue with — Robert Wintner’s commentary (“Curtail isle aquarium fish collectors,” Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, Nov. 13). He wrote, “Multiple scientific studies call the aquarium trade a major cause of reef degradation” — but we know of no such scientific study.
There are 3,775 licensed commercial fishermen in Hawaii, but only 166 licensed aquarium fish collectors; another 203 have permits as recreational aquarium fish collectors, according to Alton K. Miyasaka of the state Department of Land and Natural Resources. Add to this the unknown number of sportfishermen and spearfishermen, and the negative impact on the fish populations is clear.
The most effective method to catch reef and shore fishes is with gill nets. These nets kill many fishes that are of no commercial importance. They are also known to drown sea turtles and monk seals. Hawaii should follow the lead of most maritime states and ban the use of lay gill nets.
Commercial fishermen seek the largest individuals of a species, the ones most important to maintain the population. By comparison, the aquarium fish collectors target juvenile and subadult fish, which have a much smaller effect on the fish populations overall.
When the larger fishes that feed on benthic algae, such as the larger surgeonfishes (pualu, kala, etc.), parrotfishes (uhu) and sea chubs (nenue) are overfished, the larger species of algae overgrow the reef and kill the coral.
The proven way to increase the populations of reef and shore fishes is the establishment of marine reserves, like Hanauma Bay and Kealakekua Bay, that prohibit fishing of any kind. We have far too few in the Hawaiian Islands, and what we have are often overcrowded.
Hanauma Bay gets an average of 1.2 million visitors a year, and frequently has to turn away visitors when the capacity for the park is exceeded. A minimum of
20 percent of the coastline of each island should be set aside as Marine Life Conservation Districts. The fishes in the reserve could then grow to full reproductive maturity, and their larvae settle onto the reefs of the remaining
80 percent where fishing is allowed. The number of eggs laid by a female fish at spawning time increases exponentially with growth. A 27-inch female omilu (Caranx melampgyus) doesn’t lay about twice the number of eggs as a 12-inch fish; she lays 84 times more eggs.
Fishermen strongly opposed these reserves, not realizing the long-term benefit. Two small marine reserves were established off the Mediterranean coast of France, despite opposition from fishermen. After a few years, the fishermen realized the best fishing was just outside the reserves and asked that they be enlarged.
The Hawaiian Islands have the highest percentage of native fishes of any warm-water locality in the world; an amazing 25 percent of the species are found nowhere else. Some, among the most beautiful of fishes, are exported around the world to public aquaria and home aquarists. This inspires many people to come to Hawaii to dive and snorkel on our reefs and to view marine life in our public aquaria, which in turn benefits our tourism industry.
The aquarium fish collectors deserve much credit by making the beauty of Hawaiian reef fishes known to the world.
