Richard Ross and Nathan Hill sat down to discuss the morality of the marine aquarium hobby. I imagine there were aquarists who wondered why any hobby needs “moral justification.” I often say that marine aquarium keeping has an original sin, we have removed an animal from their natural environment and placed them in captivity, for our own enjoyment. At a time when oceans around the world are experiencing untold pollution, loss and destruction, it would seem like trying to morally justify that action is impossible. 20 years ago, nobody was talking about morals, ethics or conservation being tied in with marine aquariums. Not many people kept reef aquariums, and the massive systems installed on shows like Tanked were a rarity. Today there are numerous vendors that specialize in the construction and installation of mega-aquariums, and wealthy fish collectors seek to have a specimen of every piscine jewel of the sea. The same can be said for coral, and a bevy of other marine species. Intelligent animals like octopus are relegated to the confines of an aquarist’s tank, likely one without a small fraction of the knowledge required to properly care for such an incredible animal. There is a strong argument from within the hobby and outside, that many of these animals should be left on the reef. Cleaner wrasse for example serve important roles in wild reef ecosystems, yet often meet an untimely death in the aquarium. Yet, each year thousands are plucked from the reef and sold to aquarists, leaving many wild fish without a cleaning station to rid them of parasites, or aid in washing wounds. Folks like Snorkel Bob, and now Sea Shepherd International brought the moral discussion to our doorstep. Films like Blackfish, and the public perception that marine aquariums of any kind are inherently bad, has propelled the topic right into the halls of congress, with various conservation groups pushing for enhanced regulations on the marine aquarium industry, while others would like to see the hobby dismantled. NOAA has gotten involved, citing aquarium collection as a contributor to threatened status among 20 species of corals. It’s a fair assessment that some form of regulation will be enacted, related to the 20 coral species cited by NOAA. A massive can of worms:
The argument that no animal should be removed from a natural habitat for humans to house and enjoy is an easy one to make.… More:
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