IMPACTS OF THE MARINE AQUARIUM TRADE ON SOME PHILIPPINE REEFS: ECOLOGICAL BASIS FOR MANAGEMENT

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IMPACTS OF THE MARINE AQUARIUM TRADE ON SOME
PHILIPPINE REEFS ECOLOGICAL BASIS FOR MANAGEMENT
Ochavillo D, Hodgson G, Shuman C, Ruz R,
Mohajerani L, Liebeler J, and Vasquez J
Institute of the Environment University of
California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA U.S.A.
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Facts on the Aquarium Trade

• Highly selective coral reef fishery
• Targets valued for their aesthetic appeal and
  rarity
• High value-to-volume ratio
• Involves 386 fish species from 79 families
• Most of targets are from 7 families
• Trades 15 to 36 million annually fish valued
  between 90 to 300 million

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Facts on the Aquarium Trade

• Relatively recent fisheries
• Indonesia and Philippines are major sources (85
  of supply)
• U.S. and Europe are major markets
• Hobbyists account for 99 of imports

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Means of Transport
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CAPTURE METHODS IN THE ORNAMENTAL TRADE
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Fish holding and transport practices
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Issues

• Trade volumes of target species and collection
  effort unknown
• Hidden mortality rates
• Impact on reef ecosystem unknown
• No monitoring protocol

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Mortality Records

• 35 out of 80 target species showed mortality
  rates from 14 to 100 average of 30 during
  transport
• More than a third of collected target categories
  have rejection rates from 10 to 100
• Mortality during transport may be related to
  packing practices. Medium to large size targets
  more probable to die.

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Species with Highest Mortality Rates

• Dascyllus reticulatus
• Dragon ghost pipefish
• Heniochus varius
• Echeneis naucrates
• Some seahorses
• Blue ring octopus
• Harlequin filefish
• Moorish Idol
• Banded cat shark

• Banded pipefish
• Black seahorse
• Cleaner wrasse
• Dascyllus trimaculatus
• Chaetodon octofasciatus
• Green mandarin
• Green wrasse
• Cromileptes altiveles
• Chelmon rostratus

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Marine Aquarium Trade Coral Reef Monitoring
Protocol Research Areas.( )

• Olango Island and nearby islets,
• Batasan and nearby islands in Bohol
• Calamianes Island Group, Palawan
• Puerto Princesa, Palawan
• A total of 200 dives

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Comparisons of Densities Between Collection and
Non-Collection Sites

• In Cebu-Bohol area 12 target fish species (out
  of 13 significant cases) were more abundant in
  non-collection sites
• In an earlier Coron survey 7 target fish species
  (out of 10 significant cases) were more abundant
  in non-collection sites
• In Batasan and nearby islands 17 target fish
  species (out of 19 found significant cases) were
  more abundant in non-collection sites
• In Calamianes Island Group and other parts of
  Palawan 36 target fish species (out of 60
  significant cases) were more abundant in
  non-collection sites.
• In general, Linkia laevigata was more abundant in
  non-collection sites.
• In general, there were significant differences in
  the size class distribution of target
  invertebrates.

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Analysis of Fish Community Composition Affinities
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Conclusions

• Significant differences in abundance and size
  class distribution of target species between
  collection and non-collection sites.
• Protocol can see differences it works.
• It is difficult how much can be ascribed to
  aquarium trade collection.
• There is a need to develop fishery-dependent
  protocols.

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Management Recommendations

• Need to manage the trade
• Need to understand biology of target species
• Need to collect trade and fishing effort data
• Need to impose size, catch and species limits
  closed seasons
• Need to improve capture, holding and transport
  practices
• Need to establish no-take zones restocking
  mechanisms
• MAC and the best practices

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When I grow up, I want to collect more
clownfishes!
Me too!
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