Aquarium Industry

The forgotten fate of ornamental marine fish

The issue

«The situation is getting worse.» – UN General Secretary António Guterres gets to the point in his opening remarks at the UN’s Ocean Conference in 2017. Nearly one third of the world’s coral reefs have already been lost.

The aquarium industry and human desire to observe fish and other creatures in captivity have played their part in the current concern. Of the over 2,000 species of coral fish and hundreds of coral species traded internationally, practically all have been taken from the wild, torn from their natural environments.

Up to 80 percent of coral fishes may die before ever reaching an aquarium due to catching, handling and transport methods. A study revealed that up to 98 percent of fish end up dying in captivity during their first year.

In aquariums, for example, sharks injure themselves on obstacles.

Carelessly thrown away: Countless coral fish die during transport to an aquarium.

Up to 80% of animals may die during capture, handling or transport ‒ long before they even reach an aquarium.

Over 90% of the Banggai cardinalfish population has been captured from coral reefs for aquariums.

The Banggai cardinalfish is considered a critically endangered species.

Millions of ornamental fish are taken from coral reefs for large aquariums.

The marine ornamental fish are temporarily stored in plastic bags and thus shipped by the thousands by plane to European aquariums.

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Our project

It is virtually impossible to keep marine animal species in suitable captive conditions. In their natural habitat, sharks and rays, for example, cover distances of hundreds of kilometres, dive to great depths or live in large schools.

In confined aquariums, on the other hand, many fish get injured, suffer from deformations, become disturbed and aggressive – until they eventually perish. Fondation Franz Weber raises awareness of these ills, changes public understanding, keeps up the pressure and asks questions.

We are committed to protecting the oceans, with a particular focus on reducing overfishing. This includes the conservation of marine ornamental fishes, corals and other marine life. In aquariums, these creatures have a limited life expectancy, if they survive the exhaustive transport at all.

In particular, Fondation Franz Weber uses its role as an official observer at CITES to achieve better monitoring and control of the international ornamental fish trade within the framework of the convention.

Publications:

M. V. Biondo, Quantifying the trade in marine ornamental fishes into Switzerland and an estimation of imports from the European Union, Glob. Ecol. Conserv. (2017).

M. V. Biondo, Importation of marine ornamental fishes to Switzerland, Glob. Ecol. Conserv. (2018).

S. Ndobei, I. Yasiri, A.M. Moore, M.V. Biondo, S.J. Foster, Study to assess the impact of international trade on the conservation status of Pterapogon kauderni (Banggai cardinalfish). CITES, AC 30 (2018).

M.V. Biondo, R.P. Burki, Monitoring the trade in marine ornamental fishes through the European Trade Control and Expert System TRACES: Challenges and possibilities, Mar. Policy (2019).

M.V. Biondo, The Impact to Reefs of The Trade in Marine Ornamental Fishes. REEF ENCOUNTER (2019).

M.V. Biondo, R.P. Burki, A Systematic Review of the Ornamental Fish Trade with Emphasis on Coral Reef Fishes — An Impossible Task. ANIMALS (2020).

More infos:

Our goals

Transforming the aquarium industry with our expertise and international network
Raising public awareness about the issues surrounding catching ornamental marine fish
Preventing new large aquariums such as the successfully rejected ‘Ozeanium’ in Basel because it no longer corresponds to the zeitgeist

News

Animal protection

The unregulated trade of marine ornamental fish: How many Nemos and Dorys are imported to Europe every year?

In her most recent study on the trade of marine ornamental fish, our marine biologist Dr. Monica Biondo has teamed up with Dr. Ricardo Calado to search for solutions that can finally shine a light into the dark corners of the international trade of marine ornamental fish.

Fondation Franz Weber

10. Jun. 2021

Animal protection

The Impact to Reefs of The Trade in Marine Ornamental Fishes

Our marine biologist Dr. Monica V. Biondo summarizes the latest findings of her research about the global trade in marine ornamental fishes in the December Issue of «Reef Encounter», the news magazine of the International Coral Reef Society (ICRS).

Dr. Monica V. Biondo

13. Feb. 2020

Animal protection

Important decision at CITES CoP18: Marine ornamental fish trade finally to be put under the microscope

The aquarium industry poses a serious threat to ornamental coral reef fishes throughout the oceans. Yet there are hardly any regulations, controls or information on the impact of this trade on species and marine ecosystems. The CITES Conference of the Parties (CoP18), today approved a proposal by Switzerland, the European Union and the United States to rectify this situation, and to produce a comprehensive study on the aquarium industry, so that measures are taken before it is too late. Fondation Franz Weber applauds this far-sighted and import decision.

Fondation Franz Weber

19. Aug. 2019

Facts and Figures

* * *

0 coral fish species

ARE TRADED FOR THE AQUARIUM INDUSTRY

0 coral fish species

ARE COMMERCIALLY BRED. ALL OTHERS ARE CAUGHT IN THE WILD

0 per cent

OF CAPTURED CORAL FISH DIE ON THEIR WAY TO THE AQUARIUM

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