The end of our hobby is among us! HELP!

Regulations are annoying, but reefs are heavily damaged from a number of causes. So if some need to be protected from harvesting to boost numbers then that's fine with me. Aquaculture is always an option anyway, particularly for any of the species that are commercially important. Also I conduct research with Georgia's DNR Coastal Resources Division and see a lot of data on our local fish stocks. Typically some fisherman get angry with the regulations that get imposed, but ultimately the regulations usually have good purpose and were implemented because significant change was seen in a particular fishery. So basically, go easy on the NOAA people, they probably have good data to warrant regulation.

 

Also, the actual peer-review research in case anyone wants to see how their monitoring this stuff. Its a little long.
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/stories/2012/05/docs/full_doc_corals_status_review_report.pdf

 

I guess people actully get/buy corals that did come straight from a reef somewhere.

I haven't yet bought any coral online, and very few at lfs's.
Even a few of my lfs bought coral I figured out the local reefer who sold the frag to the lfs!

My corals have all come from- someone elses tank- that one day obviously had come from a reef somewhere.

It seems to me that with the amount of fragging, aquaculturing going on, does anything still need to come from a reef, other than very exotic corals? And even than, does someone have to have that exotic, endangered coral straight off a reef?

? your thoughts
Are you in the business of buying 'wild' corals?

 

I can just see it now. What could have happened to me about two years ago.

My first real coral purchase, was from reefer that was moving back to my area from Minn. and was completely breaking down his tank.
We emailed a few times, and ended up meeting at night, in a parking lot of a closed business to do the sale/exchange.

Two vehicles pulled up in a dark parking lot, doing a 'deal'.

I had bought (and still have and have fragged all since then)
a closed brain
green pocillipora
blue CC
neon green CC
Tyree Monti flower

So instead of this going off well,

Sirens start flashing, cop car pulls up, guns drawn, 'Freeze and spread 'em' !!

You were caught dealing in corals that are the endangered species list!

You're going to fry for this one!

 

What irritates me is that they didn't put Gonipora on that list.....lol