would this be uneathical?

I think the ethics are more specific than just "wild capture"

There are species in the world that are so common that a small amount of "private" harvest shouldn't harm them. Commercial fishing and transportation can and do harm ecosystems tho.

There are species so exceedingly rare that their locations should be guarded secrets to protect them from people who would take them strictly for profit or intent to harm the planet.

There are essentially no species on Earth that should be entirely exempt from keeping by well intended, informed, authorized efforts, i.e. captive breeding programs, conservation efforts, etc

I say that in general of species, marine or not.

To the OP, I saw you're asking about live rock and sand - not corals and fish.

I see no problem at all with taking sand. If every single person who lived in and ever visited Venezuela took 20-30# of sand that could become a problem, but let's not get caught up on hyperbole. Reality: if everyone in Venezuela who had the desire and means to keep a reef tank took sand it still wouldn't compare to what comes home in shoes, hair, and clothes from days at the beach for the entire population, let alone what's moved around in storm surges.

Rock: If you can replace what you take then on rock there would be very little environmental impact. "Live rock" is mostly made up of coral skeletons, precipitated calcium, and sedimentation of silt. Since you're involved in artificial reef building I think you can collect from LR with a pretty clear conscience. If it makes you feel better take out some terrestrial rocks and replace what you take. In 5 years you probably won't be able to find it, and in 100 years no one would be able to tell it was placed artificially. Remember, the Earth operates on a geological time scale, not our pitifully short life span.


As for corals and fish, if you're paying attention to what you harvest, and follow good practices you can minimize your impact to a very ethical and responsible level. I'd say first make an effort to find local stores that do sell captive cultured specimens for a fair price. If you can't build your live stock from that source than some collection can work. Make sure you know exactly what you want and that it is in no way threatened. Then find out where it lives in abundance and go get 'em. For corals find small colonies off a larger mother or frag a main colony a tiny bit. Don't smash up a giant brain to get some "prime" polyp, just take what you can easily frag without any extra damage to the colony. For fish use a net or suck gun to catch it. Never use chemicals or electricity to stun fish. A small barb-less hook works as well, just make sure the fish doesn't get an infection. Make sure you can care for the fish. If you keep it alive then very little harm has been done in the grand scheme of things. If you collect it and it dies on the way home...well... if you can eat it, do so... if not... it's some loss. If it's not a super rare fish you can safely assume more die every day as by-catch from commercial fishing, not to say it's alright, just saying. Some fish may require a trap which is more complex, but probably just stick to the easy ones.

As for inverts.... same as fish really. Many inverts that thrive on a reef in nature will wreak havoc in a captive system, so only collect species you know are reef safe.

Ask here for advice on every species you're thinking about collecting. The knowledge of some of these guys astounds me. I'm sure someone can tell you the status of a fish you want.

-Doug

 

"most of the LR you find there is actually placed there to become alive"

The only problem I see, is you said this is a rock farm. Where a business takes base rock, lets it soak in the ocean to become live. They might not like you taking there product. I watched a show on one of these, why the do not own that area of ocean, they usually have permits to use it. But the rock is there product, and they can charge you with theft.

 

If your content to go and collect corals then its not realy any concern weather I or anyone else thinks its ethical or unethical, its you who has to sleep at night!
I do however hope which ever way you choose to go you choose to educate yourself as to the proper care and husbandry required to create somethink that will grow and thrive in your aquarium.
remember GO SLOW AND LET IT GROW!
good luck

 

Well I would have no problem at all sleeping at night, actually I think after building my own tank, stand, fuge, lighting system, wiring and pipes, gathering LS, LR and corals would be the logical thing to do.

Regarding the theft thing, rocks are noone's neither is the sea, there's no such company just some guys who stumbled in a way of making easy money. If they don't pay taxes why should I for their "product"? besides i could easily add the same amount of rock as i take out. Yes LR in here is a non formal business, that happens a lot here actually most of the clownfish and mandarin dragonets you find here are tank bred by private aquarists who do not own any fish breeding companies. in that way stores pay less than for imported or wild caught specimens and so does the final buyer (tank bred true perculas here go for 350 Bolivares each, wild caught go for 600. Wild dragonets go for 800, tank bred go for 500).

 

I missed that people are putting rock out there to mariculture it. Just take natural live rock that no one placed there (unless you have their permission).

I would guess that MOST of us have no way to collect live specimens for our tanks, the impact of those who not only can but DO is so minimal that unless you're taking more than you can handle you'll probably never have a measurable impact on the reefs.

You can say "but if everyone did it" but I say reality is more important that ifs.

 

If you aren't going to get shot for taking some one else's rock, and it's within the law to take coral, rock and sand from that location, then I say go for it. I think everyone else here is just jealous that you can dive and live right by that reef and hand pick whatever corals you want. Hell, you're only taking a frag from each, not the whole coral, so it's not like you are endangering the species.
I'd just put the coral you collect in a quarantine tank for a bit after you give them an iodine dip. That should knock out 99% of the flat worms, parasites, etc, and allow you to observe the coral for any other signs of disease before you put it in you display reef tank. You'll see certain corals have certain parasites commonly found on them. Those are the ones to do a bit of research and reading on and look out for when they are in your quarantine tank. Have fun!