The following are letters from the World Wildlife Fund that were sent to MAC for distribution:
Explanation of letters from MAC The President of World Wildlife Fund US, Kathryn Fuller, has written an
open letter to the marine aquarium industry (attached) indicating WWF's
continued support for industry efforts to achieve a sustainable future for
reefs and the businesses they support.
WWF has requested MAC to assist in ensuring that these documents are well
distributed among the marine aquarium industry around the world. Please
feel free to distribute them to your colleagues in the industry.
The letter of March 1st, 2002 refers to the speech by WWF Vice President
Bruce Bunting at Marine Ornamentals 2001 and a 1999 letter from WWF to the
US Coral Reef Task Force. These documents are also attached.
Thank you,
Paul Holthus
Paul Holthus
Executive Director, Marine Aquarium Council
923 Nu'uanu Ave., Honolulu, Hawaii USA 96817
Phone: (+1 808) 550-8217 Fax: (+1 808) 550-8317
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.aquariumcouncil.org
Letter from WWF President
March 2, 2002
MEMORANDUM
TO: Marine Aquarium Industry Leaders
FROM: Kathryn S. Fuller
SUBJECT: Marine Aquarium Council
I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate those of you who have
been working closely with the Marine Aquarium Council (MAC) over the past
few years to develop standards and certification for quality and
sustainability in the marine ornamentals trade. We especially applaud those
companies that have signed the MAC Statement of Commitment, signaling your
intent to certify your operations as environmentally sound and responsible
as soon as possible. We understand that the American Marinelife Dealers
Association and other trade groups around the world have also indicated
their support for MAC certification in writing.
As many of you know, WWF, industry representatives, public aquariums,
hobbyist groups, and others came together to form MAC several years ago with
the intent of securing a healthy future for marine ornamental fish and
corals. This market mechanism holds real promise environmentally and
economically, we believe, creating incentives for coral reef conservation
and management, ensuring trade supply, and supporting local economies. In
the Philippines alone, for example, there are an estimated 7,000 collectors
benefiting from this high value trade in which aquarium fish sell for almost
$250 per pound compared to food fish at $3 per pound, and live coral for
$3.50 per pound compared to crushed coral at 3 cents per pound.
The keynote speech at the International Marine Ornamentals Conference this
past November by WWF Vice President Dr. Bruce Bunting outlined our concerns
and hopes for conserving coral reefs by supporting an environmentally sound
marine aquarium industry -- and there is substance behind these words.
Through the Marine Aquarium Council, WWF and the Pet Industry Joint Advisory
Council (PIJAC) have supported the case for sustainable industry in the face
of government calls for a trade ban and sought to address criticisms of the
marine aquarium trade by the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force. As a member of the
MAC board from its inception, we also know that the development of industry
requires discussion, compromise, and ongoing review and refinement.
We encourage the marine aquarium industry to continue its work with MAC to
develop and implement standards and certification that achieve our shared
goal of a sustainable future for reefs and the businesses they support.
Letter from Bruce Bunting, VP of WWF, to Don Barry of the Department of the Interior
June 10, 1999
Mr. Don Barry
Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks
U.S. Department of Interior
Main Interior Building
18th and C Streets, NW
Mail Stop 3156
Washington, DC 20240
Dear Don,
WWF is pleased to learn that your office is expanding its coral reef
conservation and sustainable use efforts, particularly through its
participation in the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force (US CRTF). We applaud the
increased U.S. Government attention to coral reefs and would like to
reiterate WWF's interest in working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
and the US CRTF to conserve these important ecosystems.
In particular, we understand that the US CRTF is considering a range of
options to address the harvest and trade in reef resources. We share your
concerns about the need to conserve coral reef species and ensure that their
harvest and trade do not threaten the long-term sustainability of the
world¹s reef systems. We would like to take this opportunity to provide some
insights on effective approaches to this trade based on the extensive marine
conservation work we have, and continue to undertake in coral reef
countries.
Coral reefs support critically important biodiversity and resources that
provide a wide range of direct and indirect benefits to the developing
country coastal and island areas where most reefs are located. These areas
have limited resources and economic options and the future of reef
resources, as with so many other living natural resources, largely rests in
the stewardship provided by the communities most dependent on them. We have
found that by working with these communities to develop and implement
conservation and management linked to ecologically sound use, it is possible
to create viable economic opportunities that do not compromise the health of
the ecosystems.
As a consequence, WWF is working with communities, industry and a range of
other constituents to ensure that existing consumer demand supports the
conservation and sustainable use of species, resources and habitat. We are
proving that this is possible through participation in the multi-stakeholder
processes to establish certification via the Forest Stewardship Council, the
Marine Stewardship Council and now the Marine Aquarium Council.
WWF believes that these mechanisms provide the means to work with a range of
stakeholders to achieve a "win-win" balance between biodiversity
conservation, ecosystem health, economic opportunity, and community
benefits. We feel that this approach is well suited to the commerce in coral
reef species and that strict controls such as trade bans may encourage
illegal, and often more damaging, harvest and trade. Ensuring effective
implementation of CITES with regard to coral reef species, such as the
recently issued Notification of the Parties No. 1999/41 regarding trade in
stony corals, seems to be a logical first step before stricter measures are
pursued. Further, approaches that remove the sustainable income-generating
activity of a responsible coral trade may quite possibly contribute to the
poverty-driven use of destructive fishing practices for food and
out-migration from rural areas.
As you and the US CRTF continue to develop your plans to address coral reef
species conservation and use, we would like to offer our expertise in this
area. We suggest that a group of conservation and industry representatives
be convened to discuss these issues with the government agencies involved
and identify ways to ensure long-term sustainable use of the world¹s coral
reef species. We would be happy to discuss this issue further at a time
that is convenient to you.
Sincerely,
Bruce W. Bunting
Explanation of letters from MAC The President of World Wildlife Fund US, Kathryn Fuller, has written an
open letter to the marine aquarium industry (attached) indicating WWF's
continued support for industry efforts to achieve a sustainable future for
reefs and the businesses they support.
WWF has requested MAC to assist in ensuring that these documents are well
distributed among the marine aquarium industry around the world. Please
feel free to distribute them to your colleagues in the industry.
The letter of March 1st, 2002 refers to the speech by WWF Vice President
Bruce Bunting at Marine Ornamentals 2001 and a 1999 letter from WWF to the
US Coral Reef Task Force. These documents are also attached.
Thank you,
Paul Holthus
Paul Holthus
Executive Director, Marine Aquarium Council
923 Nu'uanu Ave., Honolulu, Hawaii USA 96817
Phone: (+1 808) 550-8217 Fax: (+1 808) 550-8317
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.aquariumcouncil.org
Letter from WWF President
March 2, 2002
MEMORANDUM
TO: Marine Aquarium Industry Leaders
FROM: Kathryn S. Fuller
SUBJECT: Marine Aquarium Council
I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate those of you who have
been working closely with the Marine Aquarium Council (MAC) over the past
few years to develop standards and certification for quality and
sustainability in the marine ornamentals trade. We especially applaud those
companies that have signed the MAC Statement of Commitment, signaling your
intent to certify your operations as environmentally sound and responsible
as soon as possible. We understand that the American Marinelife Dealers
Association and other trade groups around the world have also indicated
their support for MAC certification in writing.
As many of you know, WWF, industry representatives, public aquariums,
hobbyist groups, and others came together to form MAC several years ago with
the intent of securing a healthy future for marine ornamental fish and
corals. This market mechanism holds real promise environmentally and
economically, we believe, creating incentives for coral reef conservation
and management, ensuring trade supply, and supporting local economies. In
the Philippines alone, for example, there are an estimated 7,000 collectors
benefiting from this high value trade in which aquarium fish sell for almost
$250 per pound compared to food fish at $3 per pound, and live coral for
$3.50 per pound compared to crushed coral at 3 cents per pound.
The keynote speech at the International Marine Ornamentals Conference this
past November by WWF Vice President Dr. Bruce Bunting outlined our concerns
and hopes for conserving coral reefs by supporting an environmentally sound
marine aquarium industry -- and there is substance behind these words.
Through the Marine Aquarium Council, WWF and the Pet Industry Joint Advisory
Council (PIJAC) have supported the case for sustainable industry in the face
of government calls for a trade ban and sought to address criticisms of the
marine aquarium trade by the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force. As a member of the
MAC board from its inception, we also know that the development of industry
requires discussion, compromise, and ongoing review and refinement.
We encourage the marine aquarium industry to continue its work with MAC to
develop and implement standards and certification that achieve our shared
goal of a sustainable future for reefs and the businesses they support.
Letter from Bruce Bunting, VP of WWF, to Don Barry of the Department of the Interior
June 10, 1999
Mr. Don Barry
Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks
U.S. Department of Interior
Main Interior Building
18th and C Streets, NW
Mail Stop 3156
Washington, DC 20240
Dear Don,
WWF is pleased to learn that your office is expanding its coral reef
conservation and sustainable use efforts, particularly through its
participation in the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force (US CRTF). We applaud the
increased U.S. Government attention to coral reefs and would like to
reiterate WWF's interest in working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
and the US CRTF to conserve these important ecosystems.
In particular, we understand that the US CRTF is considering a range of
options to address the harvest and trade in reef resources. We share your
concerns about the need to conserve coral reef species and ensure that their
harvest and trade do not threaten the long-term sustainability of the
world¹s reef systems. We would like to take this opportunity to provide some
insights on effective approaches to this trade based on the extensive marine
conservation work we have, and continue to undertake in coral reef
countries.
Coral reefs support critically important biodiversity and resources that
provide a wide range of direct and indirect benefits to the developing
country coastal and island areas where most reefs are located. These areas
have limited resources and economic options and the future of reef
resources, as with so many other living natural resources, largely rests in
the stewardship provided by the communities most dependent on them. We have
found that by working with these communities to develop and implement
conservation and management linked to ecologically sound use, it is possible
to create viable economic opportunities that do not compromise the health of
the ecosystems.
As a consequence, WWF is working with communities, industry and a range of
other constituents to ensure that existing consumer demand supports the
conservation and sustainable use of species, resources and habitat. We are
proving that this is possible through participation in the multi-stakeholder
processes to establish certification via the Forest Stewardship Council, the
Marine Stewardship Council and now the Marine Aquarium Council.
WWF believes that these mechanisms provide the means to work with a range of
stakeholders to achieve a "win-win" balance between biodiversity
conservation, ecosystem health, economic opportunity, and community
benefits. We feel that this approach is well suited to the commerce in coral
reef species and that strict controls such as trade bans may encourage
illegal, and often more damaging, harvest and trade. Ensuring effective
implementation of CITES with regard to coral reef species, such as the
recently issued Notification of the Parties No. 1999/41 regarding trade in
stony corals, seems to be a logical first step before stricter measures are
pursued. Further, approaches that remove the sustainable income-generating
activity of a responsible coral trade may quite possibly contribute to the
poverty-driven use of destructive fishing practices for food and
out-migration from rural areas.
As you and the US CRTF continue to develop your plans to address coral reef
species conservation and use, we would like to offer our expertise in this
area. We suggest that a group of conservation and industry representatives
be convened to discuss these issues with the government agencies involved
and identify ways to ensure long-term sustainable use of the world¹s coral
reef species. We would be happy to discuss this issue further at a time
that is convenient to you.
Sincerely,
Bruce W. Bunting
