STATISTICS

The aquarium trade reports ½ to 1 million fish exported annually. State Division of Aquatic Resources Chief Dan Polhemus put the actual catch at 2 to 10 times that number of reef fish. Dan Polhemus was fired in early 2010 for speaking out.

The aquarium trade reports annual revenue in Hawaii of about $2 million. Reef based tourism generates 400 times that amount—$800 million annually. The State of Hawaii calls aquarium collecting “our most lucrative inshore fishery.” One of the most frequent questions asked by Snorkel Bob customers is: Where are all the fish?


Many species of butterflyfish are coralivores—they will starve to death in 30 days without live coral to graze—yet they ship out daily from Hawaii with a 15-day live guarantee.

60-80% of the entire aquarium catch are yellow tangs—herbivores that graze on coral algae from dawn to dusk. Algae suffocation now threatens many Hawaii reefs.

Coral and live rock extraction is 100% illegal on Hawaii reefs, yet anyone can get a commercial fishing license and an aquarium permit for $50 and take every fish from any reef, except for Marine Protected Areas comprising less than 2% of all Hawaii shoreline.

Aquarium keeping is a new status hobby in China, with emphasis on 3-wall, floor to ceiling tanks and adult (brood) fish. Chinese aquarists now want big eels—caught in mere minutes in a short length of PVC pipe closed and baited at one end. Hawaii brood morays, dragon eels, yellow margin, white mouth and many other species are shipping out with no limits. Eels require no license or permit.

The Hawaiian cleaner wrasse is considered charismatic and in demand by the aquarium trade, though he’ll starve in 30 days without 30-40 other fish to clean daily. Hawaiian cleaner wrasses protect a reef community from parasite infestation, yet they ship out daily by the hundreds with no limit, no constraint.

Over 100 species of fish are collected in Hawaii – 7 of those species comprise 90% of the harvest:
yellow tang, Kole, Achilles tang, orangespine unicornfish, longnose butterflyfish, multi-band butterflyfish, and moorish idols.

Skyhorse Publishing; October, 2010; $25; hardcover; 300 color photos on 200 pages in 8-12 x 11 format; http://www.snorkelbob.com/some_fishes/