would this be uneathical?

Hey all, i have been doing scuba diving for some years now wich is the main reason i am putting my marine tank together, just can't wait between dives, i was talking to a friend who owns a scuba school about the whole aquarium set up and he told me we could go and get all my LS and LR straight from the sea.

The LR and LS would be taken from the place that is actually used by the people who collect those things as a job in here so no harm to any other parts of the sea is necesary BUT.

He told me about even going in a coral dive and i have been thinking about how "ethical" it would be to go down with some tubes and a wire cutter to get some frags, never a whole coral but just a litle frag instead, do you guys think it would be enviromentally all right?.

 

check the harvesting laws where you are before getting anything some states strictly prohibit unliscensed collecting

 

I would really advise that you look into collection laws in your area (not sure where you live). Most LR and corals are protected from collection

J

 

I do think it would be unethical. There are a ton of us that are working hard to promote aquaculturing corals rather than snatching them off of our reefs. Now I'm no greenie because lets face it, this is probably one of the least green hobbies a person can partake in, but there are some things we can do to help out a little. If you want free frags, join a local reef club. someone's always giving something away.

 

dang those two beat me to it

 

No collection laws outside protected marine areas (more than half of my country both inland and sea is protected but there are areas where you can take out whatever you want) actually the reef we want to go to take the corals is a artificial reef my friends scuba school built some years ago no plans on going to wild reefs.

This has nothing to do with "free frags" . A dive is never free and when you have to rent some scuba gear and pay for the boat to take you to the diving place and other expenses generated for the diving day it actually ends up being more costly than buying a lot of medium size corals in stores.

 

Where are you? Sounds like some sweet diving

J

 

I take it you live in the Carribbean? The reefs there are so hurt already why add to the damage? Even if its one frag here one frag there.... Ok, now your buddy does it and his buddy and his buddy, soon everyone is taking "just one" frag, and it turns out to be thousands... Also, do you really want to parasites and hitchhikers that way?
I can tell you trading frags between clubs or buddies can lead to the introduction of parasites, wild caught is WAY worse.... I hate ordering wild caught pieces and only do maybe 2-3 times a year.

Not only that most Carribbean SPS no offense are no where as spectacular as the Indo or Pacific counterparts are.....

And you seriously can collect what you want without a permit? Sounds awfully shady to me? You must be in a very unpoliced third world nation then.....

If the dive session will end up costing more than a bunch of colonies then what is the point of doing it?

 

I agree with Frag, man. I wouldn't do it. I try to go aquacultured myself. I love this hobby of ours, but often times wrestle with the fact that some of the corals I have in my tank are ripped from the ocean. I don't like that. I would like it even less if I were the one doing the deed. It's not about money. Scuba is great. But, IMHO, it is a live and let live kind of outing when looking around.

 

Man, I am huge diver and if I see someone even touching corals they get an earful from me top side – this past year in Hawaii it almost came to blows. People that touch, take and down right molest our already shrinking reef’s are scum in my book.

Now, with that being said…..If you are in your legal right than no, its not unethical – I would view it no differently than a hunter going after a deer in season. I have never come across an unprotected area in my life, please make sure your accurate in your understanding.

Further, do your frag justice and frag him in time and share with other reefers to further protect our reefs.