Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-mkpzs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-23T19:14:59.170Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Environmental Implications of Aquarium-fish Collection in the Maldives, with Proposals for Regulation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 August 2009

Alasdair J. Edwards  and
Alec Dawson Shepherd
Alasdair J. Edwards
Affiliation:
Centre for Tropical Coastal Management Studies, Department of Marine Sciences and Coastal Management, The University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, England, UK
Alec Dawson Shepherd
Affiliation:
Marine Research Section, Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture, Malé, Republic of Maldives.
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

Export of aquarium-fish from the Maldives began in 1980 and in 1989 almost 54,000 marine fishes, worth approximately US$ 130,000, were exported. The collection of aquarium species is confined to a relatively small area around the capital island, Malé. Estimates of annual exports of 95 species were obtained by examining packing-lists held by Maldivian Customs. In parallel, the population densities of about 70 aquarium-fish species were estimated by visual assessment. Using a number of assumptions, potential (maximum sustainable) yields for 65 of these species — those for which export data were available — were estimated for the area (530 km2) within a 13-km radius (one hour's journey by local boat) of Malé.

For 27 species there were some reasons for concern about the levels of exploitation, although only 12 of these species appeared to be ‘at risk’ in 1986 (the year of highest exploitation). If the assumptions made in estimating potential sustainable yields were valid, these 12 aquarium-fish species were being overexploited or exploited at levels close to maximum sustainable yields. Should the trade expand threefold, a further 12 species are considered to be potentially at risk of overexploitation. Two species of butterflyfish, Chaetodon meyeri and C. triangulum, which feed exclusively on coral polyps and generally die in captivity after a short time, were being exported in significant numbers. Both clownfishes (Amphiprion spp.) and their host sea-anemones were being heavily exploited. Because of the symbiotic relationship between these fishes and their anemone homes, this group may be particularly susceptible to overexploitation.

Damage to branching corals may result from the collection of specimens of Dascyllus aruanus, which shelter within them. With many thousands of individuals of this species being exported each year, this could represent considerable collateral coral damage. Although levels of exploitation of ‘cleaner wrasses’ (Labroides bicolor and L. dimidiatus) appear well below potentially sustainable ones, it is unclear whether the health of reef fishes might locally be adversely affected in heavily exploited areas.

Monitoring and regulation of the aquarium-fish trade is discussed, together with the need for collection of catch statistics by those involved in the trade. The importance of regulation of collection techniques, of standards of facilities, and of satisfactory packaging of fish for export, is stressed. If more accurate estimates of sustainable yields are to be obtained, there needs to be monitoring of populations of key aquarium-fish species in designated collecting areas where exploitation levels are known. Until such estimates become available, the cautious approach adopted in the Maldives to estimate yields and set species-based quotas will, it is hoped, prevent local overexploitation.

Type
Main Papers
Information
Environmental Conservation , Volume 19 , Issue 1 , Spring 1992 , pp. 61 - 72
Copyright
Copyright © Foundation for Environmental Conservation 1992

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Allen, G.R. (1981). Pp. 149–352, illustr., in Butterfly and Angelfishes of the World, Vol. 2. Baensch, Melle, Germany: pagination of 2 vols continuous, this one containing 204 pp.Google Scholar
Allen, G.R. & Mariscal, R.N. (1971). A redescription of Amphiprion nigripes Regan, a valid species of anemonefish (family Pomacentridae) from the Indian Ocean. Fieldiana, 58(7), pp. 93–101, illustr.Google Scholar
Allen, G.R. & Randall, J.E. (1977). Review of the sharpnose pufferfishes (subfamily Canthigasterinae) of the Indo-Pacific. Records of the Australian Museum, 30(17), pp. 475–517.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Allen, G.R. & Steene, R.C. (1987). Reef Fishes of the Indian Ocean. TFH Publications, Neptune City, New Jersey, USA: 240 pp., illustr.Google Scholar
Anderson, C. & Hafiz, A. (1984). Livebait fishes of the Maldives. Rasain, 4, pp. 187–92, illustr.Google Scholar
Anderson, C. & Hafiz, A. (1987). Common Reef Fishes of the Maldives. Novelty, Malé, Maldives: 83 pp., illustr.Google Scholar
Anderson, C. & Hafiz, A. (1989). Common Reef Fishes of the Maldives, Part 2. Novelty, Malé, Maldives: 85 pp., illustr.Google Scholar
Beddington, J.R. & Cooke, J.G. (1983). The Potential Yield of Fish Stocks. FAO Fisheries Research Paper, 242, FAO, Rome, Italy: 47 pp., illustr.Google Scholar
Brown, B.E., Shepherd, A.D., Weir, I. & Edwards, A.J. (1989). Effects of Degradation of the Environment on Local Reef Fisheries in the Maldives. Summary of a Second Year Report to the Overseas Development Administration, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, Newcastle upon Tyne, England, UK: 7 pp., illustr., mimeogr.Google Scholar
Brown, B.E., Shepherd, A.D., Weir, I. & Edwards, A.J. (1990). Effects of Degradation of the Environment on Local Reef Fisheries in the Maldives. Final Report to the Overseas Development Administration, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, Newcastle upon Tyne, England, UK: 14 pp., illustr., mimeogr.Google Scholar
Caddy, J.F. & Csirke, J. (1983). Approximations to sustainable yield for exploited and unexploited stocks. Océanographie Tropicale, 18(1), pp. 3–15, illustr.Google Scholar
Conroy, D.A. (1975). An evaluation of the present state of world trade in ornamental fish. FAO Fisheries Technical Paper, (146), pp. i–vi, 1–128.Google Scholar
Debelius, H. (1986). Fishes for the Invertebrate Aquarium. Hobbing, Essen, Germany: 160 pp.Google Scholar
Edwards, A.J. (1988). Preliminary Report on the Aquarium Fish Export Trade of the Republic of Maldives. Report to Marine Research Section, Ministry of Fisheries, Republic of Maldives: 21 pp.Google Scholar
Edwards, A.J. & Sheppard, C.R.C. (1990). Biological surveillance of the reefs, corals and fishes. Maldives Coral Mining Study, Volume 3, Appendix K. Report to Ministry of Public Works and Labour, Government of Maldives (under assignment from the Overseas Development Administration) by Binnie & Partners: Redhill, Surrey, England, UK: 25 pp. + 6 appendices and 12 figures, mimeogr.Google Scholar
Gulland, J.A. (Comp.) (1971). The Fish Resources of the Ocean. Fishing News (Books) Ltd, West Byfleet, Surrey, England, UK: xi + 255 pp., illustr.Google Scholar
Lubbock, H.R. & Polunin, N.V.C. (1975). Conservation and the tropical marine aquarium trade. Environmental Conservation, 2(3), pp. 229–32.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mariscal, R.N. (1970). A field and laboratory study of the symbiotic behavior of fishes and sea anemones from the tropical Indo-Pacific. University of California Publications in Zoology, 91, pp. 1–33, 16 figs.Google Scholar
MFA (1981–1987). Basic Fisheries Statistics 1980–1986. Ministry of Fisheries, Malé, Maldives: 11 + 11 + 10 + 12 + 16 + 17 + 17 pp., illustr., mimeogr.Google Scholar
MPD (1986). Statistical Year Book of Maldives 1986. Ministry of Planning and Development, Male, Maldives: xiv + 141 pp., illustr.Google Scholar
MPD (1988). Statistical Year Book of Maldives 1988. Ministry of Planning and Development, Male, Maldives: xx + 186 pp., illustr.Google Scholar
MPE (1990). Statistical Year Book of Maldives 1990. Ministry of Planning and Environment, Male, Maldives: xvii +199 pp., illustr.Google Scholar
MRS (1986–1988). Catalogue of Fishes of the Maldives, Volumes 1–3. Marine Research Section, Malé, Maldives: 490 pp., illustr.Google Scholar
Pauly, D. (1980). On the interrelationships between natural mortality, growth parameters and mean environmental temperature in 175 fish stocks. Journal du Conseil, Conseil Permanent International pour l'Exploration de la Mer, 39(2), pp. 175–92.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pauly, D. (1983). Some simple methods for the assessment of tropical fish stocks. FAO Fisheries Technical Paper, 234, viii + 52 pp., illustr.Google Scholar
Randall, J.E. (1958). A review of the labrid fish genus Labroides, with descriptions of two new species and notes on ecology. Pacific Science, 12(4), pp. 327–47, illustr.Google Scholar
Randall, J.E. (1974). Notes and color illustrations of labrid fishes of the genus Anampses. UO, 21, pp. 10–16, illustr.Google Scholar
Randall, J.E. (1978). A revision of the Indo-Pacific labrid fish genus Macropharyngodon, with descriptions of five new species. Bulletin of Marine Science, 28(4), pp. 742–70, illustr.Google Scholar
Randall, J.E. (1983). Red Sea Reef Fishes. Immel, London, England, UK: 192 pp., illustr.Google Scholar
Randall, J.E. (1987). Collecting reef fishes for aquaria. Pp. 29–39 in Human Impacts on Coral Reefs: Facts and Recommendations (Ed. Salvat, B.). Antenne Museum EPHE, French Polynesia: 253 pp., illustr.Google Scholar
Randall, J.E. & Lubbock, H.R. (1981). A revision of the serranid fishes of the subgenus Mirolabrichthys (Anthiinae: Anthias) with descriptions of five new species. Contributions in Science, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, No. 333, pp. 1–27, illustr.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Smith, M.M. & Heemstra, P.C. (1986). Smith's Sea Fishes. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, Germany: xx + 1047 pp., illustr.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sparre, P., Ursin, E. & Venema, S.C. (1989). Introduction to tropical fish stock assessment, Part 1: Manual. FAO Fisheries Technical Paper, 306(1), xii + 337 pp., illustr.Google Scholar
Wood, E.M. (1985). Exploitation of Coral Reef Fishes for the Aquarium Trade. Marine Conservation Society, Ross on Wye, England, UK: 86 pp., illustr.Google Scholar