Thoughts on "captive raised?"

[MandarinFish]

Not captive bred fish mind you, but I would like your thoughts on fish that are caught small / young and imported.

Please tell me about this policy and your opinions. Everyone please chime in.

 

[MaryHM]

Here's some info to get you all started on this:

http://www.spc.org.nc/coastfish/News/lrf/6/05-Bell.htm

 

[MandarinFish]

Naesco?
Farmer?
Fishaholic?

Please.... your thoughts on the impact of this activity...

 

[MaryHM]

Since I think this is a very important topic, I guess I'll try to get the discussion going...

I think collecting post-larval fish has tremendous potential...both for reducing the amount of wild collection and benefiting aquaculture. The vast majority of larval fish die in the ocean. If we could take them out and figure out how to raise them from larval stage to marketable size, we'll not only be reducing the amount of juvenile/adult fish being taken from the reef, but learning how to raise larval stages of various species. Since this is usually the most difficult step in aquaculture, research in this area could really help aquaculture facilities who are able to breed certain fish, but can't raise them up. Personally, I think it's a great idea and am definitely willing to support this type of collection.

 

[Chucker]

My biggest concern with with captive-raised fish is how they collect the larvae. If they do it by netting, I'd have to wonder what happens to all of the by-catch.

 

[Bill2]

This would be a great leap in sustainability for us. When I discussed it with Dave Palmer at MACNA X he talked about the great opportunity it had. The biggest plus on a program like this is that he stated the fish could be dictated to what they eat. They did not have a wild population to learn from and they had some physoligical changes. Their gut differed from their wild caught brothers. I do not know how true this is but I'm just passing on information that was told to me.