Impact of Finding Nemo on number of clownfish imported/sold?

[Jaime Baquero]

Jaime
thanks for your infomation :wink:

recently, there is a debate in hk aquarist circle on the difference between fishstock from U.S. and Brazil.
the price from u.s. shipment is much higher than that from brazil.
since the fishes (mostly angelfish)all come from carribean sea.(i guess)
is there any reasons for the price difference, besides the cost the manpower? like the collecting methods?
just curious to know.

Aquasim,

I guess collectors in the states charge more for their fish than brazilian collectors , operation cost in the states are probably higher than in Brazil.
Someone with knowledge about collection methods/cost could give you a response.

 

[clarionreef]

Aquasim,
Florida collectors commonly sell on E-Bay and direct to hobbyists and retailers in America. They also export to the 'quality' market in Europe.
Therefore less product goes to bonafide wholesalers...and if it does, it is elevated because of the retail market maret price that collectors can bargain for and hold onto as a benchmark.
Brazil cannot sell one or two boxes direct so they must deal with real importers that must also pay frieght costs. Brazil also has much lower salary stuctures.
Florida has the Florida Marine Patrol to deal with...Brazilian divers have not had the pleasure. Florida has size limits and wilder seasonal variability.
Hong Kong retailers often make small imports directly and ruin the market values in the normal chain of production...forcing importers to bargain hard on nothing but price.
Hong Kong importers have an amazing reputation for preferring cheaper dying fish over better healthy fish. Cheapness, specials, skinny fish with white spot disease and slimey fish all find a home in Hong Kong.
Its simple math and there in are the answers you seek. To be sure there are hobbyists there who would love to have better fish. They must first support importers to do this. This will not happen so they get ultimately the reality that they helped create.
Steve
PS These points may help to understand the situation beyond the original question of "why does a country of many poor fisherman produce cheaper fish than a country full of richer ones."
High rent, quinaldine and alcohol...[ both as a cutting agent for quin and as an intoxicant for divers] all cost plenty in the Florida Keys.
Steve

 

[AquaSim]

thanks for the replies.
I think there are many factors affecting the fish price in Hong Kong.

Can we see this way:
1/Many sources of fishstock:hilipines, Indonesia, Brazil, U.S.(fewer),East Africa, Australia, mainland China and from local fishermen(cheapest)
2/Overhead : cheaper(compare with U.S.)
3/Staff salary : cheaper(compare with U.S.)
4/Large sales volume :larger bargaining power>cost: cheaper
5/Freight (from the S.E.Asia):cheaper
6/A very competitive market:
Most of the fish shops are located at “fish street”,where dozens of fish stores are just next door to each other.
Price have to be very cheap to attract buyers otherwise buyers just go to the shop next door to buy a fish that may be just one dollar cheaper.

Imo, cheap fish doesn’t mean not good or unhealthy.
It all depends on how the fishes are collected and handled during the fish dealers transportation journey and how they condition the fish at fish shop.

I have to say we are lucky to enjoy keeping cheap marine aquarium fish.
but I also say no to cheap fish that are collected with environmental destructive methods.
That’s why I would like to know more about the information in this aspect.
And I found this forum is very useful and informative, and members here are very responsive.
:wink:

 

[Mouse]

Went to the fish store this weekend for some cardonia Japonica's and all i could hear is the shrill shreking of little kids "theres Nemo, look ive found Nemo, Look, Look, Look" ad nausiem.

They were of course accompanied by the usual assortment of parents in their slobbing gear, standing arround scratching heads, making dumb remarks about the fish.

Its like anything in this world, you try to educate but it never works, you just end up creating interest in the wrong circles. The store clerk looked a little stressed. Must have had a skin full of dumb questions regarding clown fish that day, i bet theyd be glad if they never saw another nemo again.

 

[Asfur]

Sorry i a little bit late to join this topic, but anyway, if you know how cheap the fish in our country you will know that our beautifull coral reef is now in red alert reight now. I will give you a few description :
The clown fish (a.ocellaris) will only cost you 0.3 - 0.5 US$
The Regal Tang only 5-6 US$ for show size.
The Emperor only 8-9 US$ show size
The Narvachus only 11-14 US$ show size
The Xanthometaphon ony 19-21 US$ show size

The condition of my country is a little bit similar to AquaSim, people only buy fish because they see it's beautifull, but they don't know how to keep it alive. You know even some species that already stated the most impossible fish to keep alive in any lenght of time in aquarium are still caught in big quantity like moorish idol, chaetodon trianggulum, trifaciallis, trifaciatus, and another some impossible to keep species.
Poor our sea, poor our coral reef, you know even one of the most beautifull coral reef name BUNAKEN locate in MANADO ISLAND (i'm sure that one of yours must know this island) has been destruct. And our marine scientist said that from 90 % of our coral reef now only 15 % that still oke, and only 2 % are still in good condition, the rest of it are totally destruct by the using cyanide and trawl fish.

But who cares the coral reef, they only think about money. :evil: :evil: :twisted: :twisted:

 

[Kalkbreath]

Sorry i a little bit late to join this topic, but anyway, if you know how cheap the fish in our country you will know that our beautifull coral reef is now in red alert reight now. I will give you a few description :
The clown fish (a.ocellaris) will only cost you 0.3 - 0.5 US$
The Regal Tang only 5-6 US$ for show size.
The Emperor only 8-9 US$ show size
The Narvachus only 11-14 US$ show size
The Xanthometaphon ony 19-21 US$ show size

The condition of my country is a little bit similar to AquaSim, people only buy fish because they see it's beautifull, but they don't know how to keep it alive. You know even some species that already stated the most impossible fish to keep alive in any lenght of time in aquarium are still caught in big quantity like moorish idol, chaetodon trianggulum, trifaciallis, trifaciatus, and another some impossible to keep species.
Poor our sea, poor our coral reef, you know even one of the most beautifull coral reef name BUNAKEN locate in MANADO ISLAND (i'm sure that one of yours must know this island) has been destruct. And our marine scientist said that from 90 % of our coral reef now only 15 % that still oke, and only 2 % are still in good condition, the rest of it are totally destruct by the using cyanide and trawl fish.

But who cares the coral reef, they only think about money. :evil: :evil: :twisted: :twisted:

Do you believe that aquarium fish collecting has harmed the reefs in Bali?......you site cyanide and trawl fishing as the destructive fishing........Do you feel that collecting small pieces of live coral for export to the USA is a good way of giving value to the live coral ....and has less impact then food fish collection?

 

[Asfur]

Yap, what ashame. Even me myself are very sad hearing that only below 10 % from our coral reefs that is still in good condition. You are lucky that your government are very strict about the regulation to capture fish.