Marine Ornamental Fish Trade Research Articles

An Updated Review of the Marine Ornamental Fish Trade in the European Union

Wild-caught fish from coral reefs, one of the most threatened ecosystems on the planet, continue to supply the marine aquarium trade. Despite customs and veterinary checks during imports, comprehensive data on this global industry remain scarce. This study provides consolidated data on the largest import market by value, the European Union (EU): a 24-million-euro annual trade value, detailing the main exporting and importing countries, as well as the species and families of the 26 million specimens imported between 2014 and 2021. A watchlist alert system based on the number of specimens traded, import trends, and vulnerability index according to FishBase and the IUCN Red List conservation status is presented, providing key information on which species should require closer scrutiny by authorities. While the European TRAde Control and Expert System (TRACES) electronically monitors the movement of live animals to respond quickly to biosecurity risks, one-third of marine ornamental fish imported lack species-level information. With minor adjustments, TRACES holds the potential to significantly enhance data granularity and the monitoring of wildlife trade, with marine ornamental fish being an interesting case study to validate this approach.

Designer clown fishes: Unraveling the ambiguities

The global marine ornamental fish trade is dominated by wild collected fishes, and the contribution from hatchery production is less than 10% of the total. Hatchery production is considered to be the only long-term sustainable option to reduce the fishing pressure on the wild population and also to safeguard the delicate coral reef ecosystem, which houses most of the marine ornamental species. Among the hatchery-produced fishes that are being traded, clown fishes form a dominant group, and a recent addition to this list is the designer clown fishes, which are costlier than other clown fishes due to their rare and attractive color patterns. However, ambiguities about designer clown fish such as its production (wild caught, captive bred, or genetically modified) and taxonomic identity still exist among the general public and hobbyists, as scientific reports on these aspects have not yet been published, even though few aquaculture companies display the photos of designer clown fishes in their websites. The common names for designer clown fishes (such as Platinum, Picasso, and snowflake) have been given by the aquaculture companies/traders solely based on the color patterns or designs on the fish body. The paper describes in detail the production of designer clown fish through captive breeding, followed by elucidating the taxonomic identity of two easily distinguishable designer clown fishes, viz., Picasso and Platinum. Both classical taxonomic tools and molecular methods were employed to elucidate the taxonomic identity. The morpho-merisitic characteristics of Picasso and Platinum were similar to those of Amphiprion percula. The partial cytochrome c-oxidase subunit I (COI) sequences of Picasso and Platinum clown fishes were submitted to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) GenBank with accession numbers MT947238 and MT947239, respectively, which had maximum similarity to sequences of A. percula already deposited in the NCBI GenBank. The designer clown fishes exhibited protandrous hermaphroditism with monogamous mating behavior. Their egg incubation period ranged from 7 to 8 days, and the larval rearing was carried out with live feeds such as rotifers and Artemia under the greenwater technique using microalgae, Nannochloropsis oculata. This paper can thus unravel the ambiguities related to the production of designer clown fishes as well as their taxonomy.

Plastic Filtration and Decomposition According to Ricochet Filtering Mechanism Using Ideonella sakaiensis

Our oceans have been under immense stress due to the deposition and accumulation of marine debris, of which 80% are plastics. Of these, microplastics which are small plastic fragments measuring less than five mm, have been a real bane to the marine fauna, especially the ornamental fishes inhabiting coral reef regions. The multibillion-dollar marine ornamental fish trade depends on these fishes caught from coral reefs. It has often been found that these small fishes are severely affected due to the choking of their gills with microplastics as they are natural filter feeders. To curb the load of plastics in the oceans, and especially in the waters around coral reefs, this study aims to develop a small-scale solution, which could later be scaled up by increasing the size and number of each unit as required. The system has been inspired by the filter-feeding mechanism of manta rays as a basic model for the filtration module. The use of a bacteria named Ideonella sakaiensis, which has been known to decompose plastics inherently is the second level of ideation that has gone into the design. The whole system has been envisaged as a floating system, where the filtration units would be submerged under water and the design of the platform over water would have a provision for self-sustenance, apart from the obvious role in maintaining buoyancy. Each filtration unit has been designed to possess multiple layers of sieving, vortexing and cross-flow filtration with a batch of I. sakaiensis at the end of the unit. To maintain a unidirectional flow of water, a fan would be placed at the end of these filtration units. This system can be a solution to the accumulation of plastics in a localized environment and can be scaled up in terms of size and the number of units to cover a greater area and volume to reduce the menace of plastic pollution. This could be a unique and cost-effective answer to the loss of marine fauna, more specifically ornamental fishes to the curse of microplastics.

International River Summit 2019—Part II

International River Summit 2019—Part II

Effect of different diets on reproductive performance of skunk clownfish, Amphiprion akallopisos (Bleeker 1853) and water policy from Andaman & Nicobar Islands

AbstractThe skunk clownfish, Amphiprion akallopisos was studied to access the effect of different wet feeds on reproductive performance such as no. of eggs, spawning frequency, fertilization rate, and hatchability etc. for the first time from Andaman & Nicobar Islands. The wet feeds such as cuttlefish meat, squid meat, fish meat, and prawn meat as control were used. The result from the present study showed that the number of eggs was significantly influenced by the given feed. The fishes served with cuttlefish meat provided the maximum number of eggs (448 ± 5.88) whereas, others are given fewer numbers in comparison with cuttlefish meat. However, fertilization and hatchability were not affected by the tested diets. There was no significant difference in egg length and tasted diets as the capsule had maximum width 1mm in cuttlefish fed group, whereas the highest larval length was observed with squid meat‐fed group. It is revealed that the maximum number of spawning was observed in the brooder fishes fed cuttlefish and showed higher reproductive efficiency than others. Hence results from the present study will be helpful for researchers to work on deeper aspects of broodstock nutrition, entrepreneurs, and hobbyists for captive spawning. The law and policy for conservation and management of corals such as tourism, mining, as well as over fishing have been studied for the sustainable production of this species for the marine ornamental fish trade.

Aquaculture of marine ornamental fish: overview of the production trends and the role of academia in research progress

AbstractThe marine ornamental fish trade is expanding and still largely relies on wild fish from tropical coral reef ecosystems. There are unknowns in the wild harvest so that the sustainability of marine ornamental fish trade can therefore be questioned with aquaculture being perceived as a responsible alternative for the procurement of these ornamental marine fish. However, there are still many technical constraints that hinder its development. These blocks require additional coordination with the outcome being an accelerated development of ornamental marine fish production. The main objective of this review was to better identify, understand and discuss the role and the impacts of academic research in the production of marine ornamental fish through qualitative and quantitative approaches. To do so, 222 selected scientific publications (including peer‐reviewed articles, conferences articles, thesis and reports) from the literature available to date were analysed and outcomes were framed in perspective of the total number of captive‐bred species. Results of the meta‐analyses indicate that academic research has led to significant advances in the breeding of some of the more difficult to breed species. While it has a leading role in conservation, its advance of techniques still lags behind private companies and hobbyists. Partnerships promoting synergistic activities between academic research institutes and the private sector (aquaculture farms and public aquariums) are important to optimize future ornamental marine fish production.

Ancestral biogeography and ecology of marine angelfishes (F: Pomacanthidae)

Marine angelfishes (F: Pomacanthidae) are amongst the most conspicuous reef fish families inhabiting reefs on tropical and subtropical latitudes. While being disproportionately represented in the marine ornamental fish trade, only a handful of taxonomically restricted studies explored their biogeographic history and the evolution body size and trophic guilds. Here, we reconstruct the phylogenetic history for 70 pomacanthid species (85% of nominal species), based on previously published data for three nuclear and four mitochondrial markers. We use the resulting phylogenetic framework to explore the ancestral biogeography and ecological diversification of the family. Divergence times and ancestral range estimation highlight the origins of the family most likely lie in the Central Pacific region. Vicariance among ocean basins reflects the impact of the Terminal Tethyan Event and the closure of the Isthmus of Panama in the historical biogeography of Pomacanthus and Holacanthus genera. The reconstruction also uncovers ancestral colonization pathways via the Pacific Ocean into the western Atlantic waters for Holacanthus. We confirm the Indian Ocean invasion scenario previously proposed for the “acanthops” complex (genus: Centropyge). Finally, interspecific variation in body size among clades appeared to be correlated to some degree with trophic guilds, whereby 15% of variance in body size was explained by trophic modes. This suggests that the higher ecological diversification observed in the Centropyge clade might be promoted by smaller body sizes acting as an ecological novelty allowing the expansion of the genus within available niches.

THE IMPORTANCE OF CEARÁ STATE TO THE BRAZILIAN MARINE ORNAMENTAL FISH EXPORTS

O Brasil é um dos principais fornecedores mundiais de peixes ornamentais marinhos e Ceará é o estado exportador de maior relevância no país. Entretanto, existe uma carência de informações atualizadas sobre a atividade, o que é crucial para a explotação sustentável desses organismos. Assim, o presente trabalho fornece os dados mais recentes em relação às exportações brasileiras e, mais especificamente, cearenses de peixes ornamentais marinhos, por meio da análise de informações contidas em 420.871 autorizações de exportação emitidas pelas autoridades ambientais brasileiras nos últimos 10 anos. Os resultados corroboram a relevante paraticipação do estado do Ceará nas exportações nacionais de peixes ornamentais marinhos, mas também mostram um declínio substancial dessa atividade ao longo da última década. Dezesseis espécies foram as mais abundantes e frequentes tanto nas exportações brasileiras quanto nas cearenses. Não surpreendentemente, os pomacantídeos foram os peixes mais importantes comercializados, e provavelmente mais de 283.525 indivíduos foram capturados na natureza em um intervalo de aproximadamente 10 anos. Atualmente as exportações brasileiras são direcionadas principalmente para os países asiáticos e deslocamentos sazonais da Zona de Convergência Intertropical (ZCIT) parecem interferir na coleta de peixes ornamentais no Ceará, impactando

Marine ornamental fish imports in the European Union: an economic perspective

AbstractThe marine ornamental fish trade (MOFT) is a worldwide industry that targets a remarkable quantity and diversity of reef fish species and provides an important source of revenue for exporting countries, particularly developing nations in Southeast Asia. Here we provide, for the first time, an economic assessment of the MOFT to the European Union (EU), one of the key players of the marine aquarium trade, along with the USA and Japan. Data from EUROSTAT (the European Statistical System) was analysed for the MOFT between 2000 and 2011. Results show that this industry was not affected by the economic crisis and accounted for a total of 135 million Euros during the study period. Both the UK and Indonesia have been reinforcing their importance as leading importer and exporter countries, respectively. The long‐term temporal pattern of the MOFT by EU and non‐EU countries is described, as well as its diversity and evenness between importing and exporting countries. The present economic assessment also identifies the key players of this industry, and ultimately contributes to management and conservation practices that may enhance the sustainable use of world's coral reefs.

The importance of the marine ornamental reef fish trade in the wider Caribbean.

The marine ornamental fish trade began in the 1930s in Sri Lanka, spread to Hawaii and the Philippines in the 1950s, and expanded to a multi-million dollar industry in the 1970s with fisheries established throughout the tropical Pacific, Indian and Atlantic Oceans. Currently, 45 countries supply global markets an estimated 14-30 million fish annually, with an import value of US$28-44 million. The largest suppliers are Indonesia and the Philippines, followed by Brazil, Maldives, Vietnam, Sri Lanka and Hawaii. In the tropical Western Atlantic, 16 countries have export fisheries, including the U.S. (Florida and Puerto Rico). The U.S. is the world's largest buyer, followed by the European Union and Japan. The global trade consists of over 1400 species of reef fishes, of which only about 25 are captive bred on a commercial scale. Damselfish, anemonefish, and angelfish constitute over 50% of the global volume; butterflyfish, wrasses, blennies, gobies, triggerfish, filcfish, hawkfishes, groupers and basselets account for 31% of the trade, and the remaining 16% is represented by 33 families. The most important fishes from the Caribbean are angelfish (six species), seahorses (two species), royal gramma, jawfish, queen triggerfish, redlip blenny, puddingwife, bluehead wrasse, and blue chromis. The Caribbean currently supplies a small percentage of the global trade in marine ornamental species, but ornamental fisheries in this region represent important emerging industries. It is critical that effective ornamental fishery management plans and regulations are developed and enforced, and fishery-dependent and fishery-independent data are collected and utilized in decision making processes to ensure sustainable ornamental fisheries throughout the region.

Analysis of the marine ornamental fish trade at ´ Ceara State, northeast Brazil

Brazil is one of the leading exporters of ornamental fishes, mostly freshwater; however, monitoring of the trade is nearly non-existent in the country. This paper provides an initial assessment of ´ a new venture, the marine aquarium fish trade at Ceara State, northeast Brazil, aiming to document the species traded, to provide preliminary estimates of numbers of specimens traded, and to identify priorities in data collection and monitoring. A total of 143 species and 199 304 fishes were traded. From the total, 109 species were native and represented 84% of the fishes traded. Thirty-four exotic species figured on the permits and amounted to nearly 16% of the exports; however, most of them consist of misidentified native species. Nearly 90% of the fish trade was directed to the international market. Official figures represent an underestimation of the total number of captured specimens.

Cyanide-free Net-caught Fish for the Marine Aquarium Trade

The International Marinelife Alliance (IMA) has been training collectors in the Philippines and Indonesia to use barrier-nets rather than sodium cyanide to capture marine-aquarium fish. Despite the training, collectors have been slow to switch to using nets because they can earn more using cyanide. A new Philippine export company has agreed to pay the collectors more for net-caught fish and to adhere to standards being set by the USA-based Marine Aquarium Council. The IMA is monitoring the collectors and conducting cyanide testing to certify that the fish are net-caught and totally cyanide-free. Clearance certificates now accompany shipments of these marine-aquarium fish being shipped to wholesalers and retailers associated with the American Marine Dealers Association (AMDA) situated in the USA and Canada. AMDA members are being surveyed to assess whether the net-caught fish are more cost competitive compared to cyanide-caught fish for the marine ornamental fish trade because of reduced mortality through the chain from reef to retailer.

Essential fish habitat and the effective design of marine reserves: Application for marine ornamental fishes

Extensive and unregulated harvest of marine ornamental fishes can lead to localized depletion of target species and habitat degradation from inappropriate collecting techniques. One potential solution to these problems is the creation of marine reserves where fishing is prohibited. Marine reserves have been shown to increase fish abundance and protect ecosystems from habitat destruction associated with fishing. If protective areas are to be effective, they must include the diversity of habitats necessary to accommodate the wide range of fish species that are of interest to the marine ornamental fish trade. Fish assemblages with high diversity and abundance are often associated with habitats of high structural complexity. A relationship between fish size and reef complexity suggests the importance of shelter as a refuge for certain fishes in avoiding predation. Many species tend to aggregate to spawn in structurally complex habitats to reduce their risk of predation. Closing of spawning areas during aggregation periods has been shown to be a highly effective management strategy for these species. The limited home ranges and high degree of habitat specificity associated with many marine ornamental fishes should make marine reserves a highly effective strategy for managing these resources.