Many marine aquarists may not be aware, but Indonesia is the supplier of a large percentage of aquarium corals and fish. This southeast Asian country has a population of over 250 million people, and ranks as the world’s most populated Muslim majority country. Indonesia ranks number two of countries on Earth with the greatest bio-diversity, and is home to the infamous Coral Triangle, an area of rich reef, home to 500 documented coral species. By number of islands, Indonesia is the largest country in the world, with over 14,000 islands scattered throughout rich and diverse seas. For decades, Indonesia has struggled to protect the rich coral reefs that make it a legend in oceanic conservation. The countries’ story with conservation is a historic look at how modernization and changing economies effect precious natural resources. Today, Indonesia exists as an important supplier of both wild caught and aqua-cultured marine livestock and the rise of trade associations and CITES cooperation have changed the game, concerning collection of marine animals in Indonesia. However, there are a handful of sneaky and illegal tactics at play, which allow marine suppliers to get illegally collected corals into the hands of American aquarists. Indonesia’s conservation history:
Long ago, Indonesia was controlled by the Dutch, who quickly saw the need to preserve this precious island chain. The coral reefs surrounding the countries’ islands were rich, and the Dutch had the foresight to understand that someday, the world may take advantage of them. When the Dutch lost control of the country, and it became a sovereign island nation, the reefs around Indonesia began to suffer. Corals are a rich source of limestone, and the building industry harvested acres of reef to supply it. Tourism was bringing large boats and droves of people onto the reefs, and the expansion of development was washing sedimentation into the sea. In time, the budding marine aquarium industry was collecting corals from Indonesian reefs. The local population was hungry for economic stimulation, and gladly went along with any industry that promised a viable payday. With un-regulated use of the countries’ greatest natural resources running amok, Indonesian officials turned to the newly formed CITES (Convention in the trade of endangered species) for help. CITES is an international watchdog, which protects endangered animal and plant species by regulating their trade. Countries that agree to CITES rules, then take part in an extensive regulation system which is enforced by various international governments.… More:
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