AQUARIUM FISH BLACK LIST AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF AQUARIUM FISH COLLECTION IN FRENCH POLYNESIA Prepared by Secretariat of the Paci�ic Community (SPC) for Direction des Ressources Marines et Minières de Polynésie Française Neocirrhites armatus Centropyge boylei Tony Nahacky IndepeCnodleenttt eco Wnsaublntaintzt Fisheries Of�icer (Aquarium trade), SPC June 2014 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The authors would like to thank Luciano Perino of Ethiopian Live Fish Export Company, Aquarium Fish Fiji Ltd., and Chip Boyle of Cook Island Aquarium Fish, for their help with this project. Genicanthus bellus ‐ Discovered in Tahiti, French Polynesia; described in 1975 The information contained herein is copyright. No part of it may be reproduced without prior written permission of SPC. This study was made possible with the financial assistance of AusAID. The views expressed herein are those of the authors and do not reflect the official opinion of AusAID. In as far as any reference in this report is or may be taken to be for potential commercial returns upon an investment in any existing, contemplated or future project, no responsibility is undertaken to any person, including SPC. Page 2 of 26 TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ......................................................................................................................... 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS .......................................................................................................................... 3 LIST OF FIGURES .................................................................................................................................. 3 LIST OF ACRONYMS ............................................................................................................................. 4 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ........................................................................................................................ 5 CONTEXT ............................................................................................................................................... 8 OBJECTIVES .......................................................................................................................................... 9 HISTORY OF AQUARIUM FISH BLACK LISTS & WHITE LISTS ....................................................... 10 APPROACH UTILIZED AND KEY CONSIDERATIONS ...................................................................... 11 DATA AND CRITERIA ............................................................................................................................... 12 ASSUMPTIONS ....................................................................................................................................... 13 FRENCH POLYNESIA BLACK LIST .................................................................................................... 14 AQUARIUM FISHERY REGULATIONS ............................................................................................... 16 SPECIES OF CONCERN ..................................................................................................................... 18 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR AQUARIUM FISH REGULATIONS ....................................................... 19 SHORT TERM ......................................................................................................................................... 19 LONG TERM .......................................................................................................................................... 20 SUMMARY AND KEY POINTS ............................................................................................................ 21 REFERENCES ...................................................................................................................................... 21 ANNEX I - FRENCH POLYNESIA WHITE LIST ................................................................................... 22 ANNEX II - WHITE LIST SPECIES RANKED FOR TAC DEVELOPMENT ......................................... 24 ANNEX III – HAWAI’I AQUARIUM PERMIT CONDITIONS AND WHITE LIST ................................... 25 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1 – Centropyge boylei ................................................................................................................................................. 8 Figure 2 ‐‐ An aquarium in Tahiti holding Centropyge loricula and Nemateleotris magnifica. ........ 10 Figure 3 ‐ Photo of Neocirrhites armatus in the Pocillopora coral it inhabits. .......................................... 18 Figure 4 ‐Coral‐feeding butterfly (Chaetodon ornatissimus) on the Black List ......................................... 20 Page 3 of 26 LIST OF ACRONYMS UBA Underwater Breathing Apparatus SCUBA Self‐Contained Underwater breathing Apparatus TAC Total Allowable Catch SPC Secretariat of the Pacific Community DRMM Direction des Ressources Marines et Minières TMA Tahiti Marine Aquaculture WHRFMA West Hawai’i Regional Fishery Management Area Page 4 of 26 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The marine aquarium trade has been active in French Polynesia since the early 1970s. According to the law, the use of an Underwater Breathing Apparatus (UBA) to collect fish for the aquarium trade is strictly prohibited. However, information provided in recent online articles and obtained from reliable sources within the trade indicates that deep‐water species have been collected in French Polynesia and exported to the U.S.A. and Japan for sale. The main goal of this study was to develop a fish species “Black List” for French Polynesia; in other words to establish a list of fish species, which based on their depth distribution are banned from collection and/or export. This list was to include species known to occur in the Society Islands, Austral Islands and Tuamotu‐Gambier Archipelago of French Polynesia that are of interest in the marine aquarium trade and for which sufficient information/data were available to develop such a list1. The Black List was developed based on communications with well‐established and reputable aquarium trade fish collectors and exporters in the region, published and online data, and a detailed analysis of all gathered and available information which took into account the following key considerations: 1. information available on species depth distribution, with further consideration being given to the depth distribution of a given species’ targeted size; 2. ease of collecting the species while free diving; 3. depth an experienced collector can be expected to reach to collect a given species; and 4. likelihood of habitat damage during collection. Fish that are generally not traded by reputable exporters/importers because of very poor adaptability to captive conditions and food (i.e., they typically die) have been included in this Black List. Their inclusion is seen as contributing to French Polynesia maintaining a high standard in the aquarium trade. While the development of the Black List constituted the primary output of this report, a White List was developed in parallel2 (i.e., species allowed for collection). Species on the White List were also ranked on a scale from 0‐5 (with 0=low and 5=high priority) to inform and prioritise the development of a species‐specific TAC system. In addition to the immediate implementation of the Black List it is recommended that over the short term the following regulations be developed: 1. All collectors to apply for an annual license to fish for aquarium fish allowing the use of any size mesh for the collection of aquarium fish only. To obtain such a license a collector would have to sign a document agreeing to: ‐ Provide Daily Catch Reports by species collected and by collection area as well as time spent underwater (i.e., provide information pertaining to day person went fishing; free diving location(s); number of fish for each species caught at each location; means used for collection; time spent free diving at each location); 1 While some species in the Marquesas may also be of interest to the aquarium trade, the study did not extend to these islands due to the length of time and effort that would be required to gather relevant and available data to make informed recommendations (i.e., outside of the scope of the present study). 2 Species not listed on the Black List or White List can still be collected Page 5 of 26 ‐ Not collect fish in any way that may harm the environment, especially coral colonies and the reef framework, the target species, or surrounding fauna and flora (i.e., ban on any destructive collection means and the use of toxic chemicals of either natural or synthetic form); ‐ Not use UBA for the collection of aquarium fish; ‐ Not collect any fish species listed on the Black List; ‐ Maintain fish in good health at all times (i.e., handle fish according to best practices from the point of collection free diving to drop‐off at the exporter’s facility); ‐ Adhere to a size and bag (i.e., number) limit for fish species that are also a common food source that will be determined and communicated by DRMM; and ‐ Adhere to location specific annual TAC rates for species of concern (e.g., flame hawkfish, Neocirrhites armatus) that will be determined and communicated by DRMM; 2. DRMM to develop location and exporter‐specific annual TAC rates for species of concern (e.g., flame hawkfish, Neocirrhites armatus); and 3. All exporters to apply for an annual license to export aquarium fish. To obtain such a license the exporter would have to sign a document agreeing to the following: ‐ Have a facility that maintains all fish in good health from arrival from the sea to the point of export; ‐ Allow facility inspections without prior notice; and ‐ Submit to the DRMM: i. Number of fish by species and collector after each collecting trip and upon arrival at the facility (to be submitted on a monthly basis); ii. Number of fish by species for each shipment, with a record of export destination and airway bill number. A copy of the same document will need to be affixed to the shipment itself and checked by customs at export; and iii. Annual statistics: number of fish, by species and collector, that arrived at the facility; and number of fish by species and destination that were shipped. It is recommended that over the long term an aquarium fish‐specific set of regulations be developed giving strong consideration to allowing UBA for the collection of aquarium fish. Specific regulation recommendations may include: 1. UBA exemption for certified divers that hold a collection license; 2. A Black List that would only include species that are not suitable to be kept in aquaria or are in need of protection; 3. Use of nets by collectors that are no larger than 10 meters long, 2 meter high, and with mesh no larger than 20 mm stretched eye; 4. Support the establishment of a series of closed areas to protect target populations and reduce stakeholder conflicts; 5. No collection of fish between sun rise and sun set. This regulation should be reviewed for possible benefits and negatives only if an exemption is put in place for use of UBA. While UBA is banned this regulation should not be considered. Page 6 of 26 Should French Polynesia choose to re‐develop Post‐larval Capture and Collection (PCC) methods (e.g., crest nets, hoa nets, light traps for the collection of reef fish) with the objective to develop reef‐eco tourism opportunities, and potentially some rare exports, specific regulations will need to be developed on a case by case basis to exempt relevant species from the developed “Black List”. A sustainable and well managed aquarium fishery could be successfully developed in French Polynesia. Due to the excellent resources in the region, the aquarium fishery has the potential to provide economic and employment benefits ‐ in many cases to those who preserve a traditional lifestyle. Page 7 of 26 CONTEXT The marine aquarium trade is a global multi‐million dollar industry, worth an estimated US$200‐330 million annually, and operating throughout the tropics (Wabnitz et al. 2003). A total of around 1,500 species of fish are traded worldwide with the best estimate of annual global trade ranging between 20 and 24 million individuals (Wabnitz et al. 2003). The marine aquarium trade has been active in French Polynesia since the early 1970s. In 2013, French Polynesia exported a total of 14,598 fish for a total value of 9.7 million XPF (~US$97 000), while in 2003 local statistics show that a total 83,300 specimens were exported for a total value of 26.6 million CFP (Cedric Ponsonnet, DRMM, 2014, pers. comm.). The trade started with the wild collection of aquarium fish and has evolved more recently to include exports of wild giant clams (Tridacna maxima), with expansion in 2013 to exporting giant clams from spat collection3. Currently there are two operators that trade in aquarium fish: Te Hotu Miti who only exports fish and currently focuses collection activities around the main island of Tahiti; and Tahiti Marine Aquaculture whose businesses has centred around the exports of clams sourced from the wild and grown from spat collection in the Tuamotu Archipelago, and only recently has branched out to also export fish collected around Reao and Tatakoto. Tahiti Tropical Fish, another company currently exporting clams sourced from the wild and grown from spat collection in the Tuamotu Archipelago, has expressed interest in training local fishermen as collectors to export fish. According to the law, the use of an Underwater Breathing Apparatus (UBA) to collect fish for the aquarium trade is strictly prohibited (Delibération n°88‐183 AT du 8 décembre 1988 modifiée4 ‐ see particularly Art. 9). However, information provided in recent online articles and obtained from reliable sources within the trade indicates that deep‐water species, for example Centropyge boylei (Figure 1)5, have been collected in French Polynesia and exported to the U.S.A. and Japan for sale. ©CWabnitz Figure 1 – Centropyge boylei 3 http://www.spc.int/DigitalLibrary/Doc/FAME/InfoBull/FishNews/139/FishNews139_16_Remoissenet.pdf 4 http://www.peche.pf/IMG/pdf/Deliberation_no_88‐183_AT_du_08_12_1988_consolide.pdf “Art. 9 ‐ Est interdit d’utiliser pour l’exercice de la pêche sous‐marine, tout équipement autonome ou non permettant à une personne immergée de respirer sans revenir à la surface, excepté pour la destruction de la «Taramea» Acanthaster planci. 5 “In Rarotonga in the Cook Islands the peppermint angelfish lives well beyond 300 feet deep where the water frequently approaches 70F degrees or less. Luckily, these new peppermint angelfish treasures were collected by Rufus Kimura at a similar South Pacific location where the water was much warmer at depth.” Read more: http://reefbuilders.com/2013/02/12/live‐peppermint‐angelfish‐blue‐harbor‐japan/#ixzz2tFgsO2zB (note that while the articles do not specify where these fish come from, reliable sources within the industry indicate that the fish were caught in French Polynesia) Page 8 of 26 The species involved have not been recorded in depths of less than 50 meters and are usually found deeper. There are no records of the species involved being collected with standard SCUBA air; all reports indicate they have been collected with trimix gas or re‐breather. Therefore, all information points to the fact that these species were collected illegally with the use of UBA. It is suspected that in most instances foreign divers came into the country and exported the fish via locally‐based exporters. These events prompted the French Polynesian Direction des Ressources Marines et Minières (DRMM) to seek SPC’s assistance in addressing the issue. French Polynesia currently does not require exporters to submit species‐specific packing lists, unlike most countries in the region, except for exports to the EU that require an animal’s health certificate at the species‐specific level. At the statistics level therefore, only the total number of fish exported in a given year is recorded for statistical purposes by Customs. While DRMM and SPC are working in partnership to fundamentally revisit the legal basis regulating the collection and export of aquarium species, recognizing that this is a long term solution, it was suggested that a "Black List" be drafted to address the issue of UBA‐use for the collection of aquarium fish over the short term. OBJECTIVES The main goal of this study was to develop a fish species “Black List” for French Polynesia; in other words to establish a list of fish species, which based on their depth distribution should be prohibited from collection and/or export, to assist in enforcing the ban on collection of aquarium fish using UBA. This list was to include species known to occur in the Society Islands, Austral Islands and Tuamotu Archipelago of French Polynesia and that are of interest in the marine aquarium trade. The Marquesas islands were not included as part of this study as data are too few to permit a thorough assessment and the islands harbor a large number of endemic species. The Black List was developed based on the following key considerations: 1. Information available on species depth distribution, with further consideration being given to the depth distribution of a given species’ targeted size; 2. Ease of collecting the species while free diving; 3. Depth an experienced collector can be expected to reach to collect a given species; and 4. Likelihood of habitat damage during collection. Fish that are generally not traded by reputable exporters/importers because of very poor adaptability to captive conditions and food (i.e., they typically die) have been included in this Black List. Their inclusion is seen as contributing to French Polynesia maintaining a high standard in the aquarium trade. In addition to addressing the main goal above, a review of aquarium fish collection regulations in various countries was also undertaken. The objective was to find which regulations may be applicable to the species and habitats found in French Polynesia to formulate a list of recommended regulations. Finally, a review of aquarium fish exported from French Polynesia was completed to identify species that had greater vulnerability to fishing pressure and should be carefully monitored. Page 9 of 26 Figure 2 ‐‐ An aquarium in Tahiti holding Centropyge loricula and Nemateleotris magnifica for export to the USA in 1973. HISTORY OF AQUARIUM FISH BLACK LISTS & WHITE LISTS In general, references to a “Black List” or “White List” are rarely seen in aquarium fisheries’ regulations. What is seen with some frequency is a list (not referred to as a Black List) that typically includes species that cannot be collected for sale in the aquarium trade as they are targeted by food fisheries. From an environmental and sustainability standpoint, a cost‐benefit analysis usually is not undertaken to compare impacts on reef ecosystem, and revenues derived, from removing a species for aquarium purposes compared to removal for food benefit. In addition, there is usually no analysis to substantiate if removing a species of fish at a small size, as is typically the case for the aquarium trade market, and in the numbers required for the aquarium fishery, has any effect on the population utilized for food (i.e., whether the conflict is real versus perceived). Hawai’i has the typical food fish restrictions alluded to above. However, the State wanted to also develop a Black List specifically targeting the aquarium fishery. In developing the Black List, the concept of a White List was proposed to protect biodiversity, listing only the species that could be collected for the aquarium trade (i.e., fishermen can only catch species on the White List). Developing a “list” also had the advantage of making reference to a small number of species; making it easier to target resources to efficiently monitor those species to determine effects of fishing pressure and overall sustainability of the fishery. The White List, developed for the Big Island of Hawai’i, does not include a number of fish species found in high abundance on the reef and collected only occasionally, based on the principle of protecting biodiversity (e.g., Chromis vanderbilti). With this in mind it is not unreasonable to protect fish that would rarely be found in water shallow enough to collect commercially in French Polynesia. In doing so, other stakeholders, such as snorkeling tourists for example, would be able to see a fish normally found in deeper water. While the original proposal of a Black List for the Big Island, Hawai’i, drew complaints from some aquarium fishermen, the White List resulted in grievances being filed by nearly all Page 10 of 26