Here's a quick rundown:
AMDA- The American Marinelife Dealers Association- www.amdareef.com
This organization is a trade organization consisting of businesses within the United States that deal in marinelife. The bulk of the membership is retailers, with a few wholesalers. AMDA has many programs in the wings, but frankly is in need of more funding to get any of them off the ground. Although AMDA is open to membership from any dealer, the board of directors consists of people who are very interested in industry reform issues and want to insure that retailers have the education to operate their stores in the most ethical manner possible.
MAC- The Marine Aquarium Council- www.aquariumcouncil.org
MAC is a non-profit organization made up of many "stakeholders", including industry and conservation interests. The main goal of MAC is to certify the entire chain of collection, which begins at the collector and ends at the retailer. This certification is meant to help hobbyists determine where their animals are coming from and that they were collected and handled in the most ethical way possible. The program was launched recently, and companies can now begin applying for certification.
AMDA- The American Marinelife Dealers Association- www.amdareef.com
This organization is a trade organization consisting of businesses within the United States that deal in marinelife. The bulk of the membership is retailers, with a few wholesalers. AMDA has many programs in the wings, but frankly is in need of more funding to get any of them off the ground. Although AMDA is open to membership from any dealer, the board of directors consists of people who are very interested in industry reform issues and want to insure that retailers have the education to operate their stores in the most ethical manner possible.
MAC- The Marine Aquarium Council- www.aquariumcouncil.org
MAC is a non-profit organization made up of many "stakeholders", including industry and conservation interests. The main goal of MAC is to certify the entire chain of collection, which begins at the collector and ends at the retailer. This certification is meant to help hobbyists determine where their animals are coming from and that they were collected and handled in the most ethical way possible. The program was launched recently, and companies can now begin applying for certification.