Senate Bill 931 offers a compromise in the long-fought battle to protect Hawaii’s marine life from the aquarium trade.

The 2024 effective date allows aquarium collectors to transition into other fields, including the growing aquaculture industry (“Yellow tang project holds promise for Hawaii’s popular, iconic fish,” Star-Advertiser, March 4).

Aquaculture lessens the pressure on wild reef fish populations, taken by the hundreds of thousands every year for the pet trade outside Hawaii. These fish are herbivores, which are essential to combating algal overgrowth that can decimate reefs stressed from climate change.

With 70 percent of Hawaii’s reefs expected to die over the next 30 years, we must begin now to build fish abundance and coral reef resilience.

Claims that the aquarium trade is “sustainable” are based on outdated principles that allow fish populations to be depleted by up to 80 percent and yet still be considered viable. We can no longer allow our reefs to be impacted for the benefit of those outside Hawaii, especially now that aquacultured fish from Hawaii are available.

Rene Umberger

Kihei, Maui

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