Have you read this article?

[johnr2604]

http://reefbuilders.com/2010/08/03/live-rock-hr-3534-law-aquaculture-federal-waters-offshore/">http://reefbuilders.com/2010/08/03/live-rock-hr-3534-law-aquaculture-federal-waters-offshore/</a>

I know its politics in a way but this stuff should get discussed because its important. Lets just keep the discussion from the actual politics and more how this might effect mariculture in the future. Mods feel free to delete this if its inappropriate.

 

[brianjfinn]

I fear it would be difficult to discuss this without getting into the politics. This is based on a bill being past by government, so when you strip out the politics, you're left with only one question, that I can see: Is it beneficial to the reef? I think the answer to that almost everyone would agree is yes, but you also have to look at the reasoning behind the decision, and how it will be managed.

 

[brianjfinn]

- jmo

 

[johnr2604]

I'm just not seeing how revoking permits issued for aquaculture is beneficial for the reef. This is the type of stuff that is done to take less strain off our reefs. Taking away permits for companies taking dry rock and seeding it into live rock will just put more pressure to pull it off a reef somewhere in the south pacific. I guess my big question is, If they change the governing body that issues the permits wouldn't it make more sense to transition the permits instead of revoking them?

 

[smoothie]

It would be a shame if they lose rock that they have placed there in waters that they have "rented." More than likely only their rights to the area will be gone. I do not see the reason behind that. What next prohibition on reef tanks? Lets take from the people who have the reef's back and would give up their coral livestock to help start up an obliterated reef next! That's a little extreme for an example, but how will it effect other areas? New liverock and reefs provide new fish, coral, macro etc to be harvested. What exactly will it effect? How much will it raise our prices? Write your senators and the the appropriate people of Florida.

 

[brianjfinn]

johnr2604;546714 wrote: I'm just not seeing how revoking permits issued for aquaculture is beneficial for the reef. This is the type of stuff that is done to take less strain off our reefs. Taking away permits for companies taking dry rock and seeding it into live rock will just put more pressure to pull it off a reef somewhere in the south pacific. I guess my big question is, If they change the governing body that issues the permits wouldn't it make more sense to transition the permits instead of revoking them?

That's a very good point. I think the other side would be arguing that this would reduce reef-related harvesting all around, allowing the reefs to revert back to their natural state and flourish on their own. However, there are also many that argue that we need to put forth our own efforts to help conserve nature, which is where I fall, and yet, even within this group of thought there are many that disagree on what those efforts should be.

Smoothie;546799 wrote: It would be a shame if they lose rock that they have placed there in waters that they have "rented." More than likely only their rights to the area will be gone. I do not see the reason behind that. What next prohibition on reef tanks? Lets take from the people who have the reef's back and would give up their coral livestock to help start up an obliterated reef next! That's a little extreme for an example, but how will it effect other areas? New liverock and reefs provide new fish, coral, macro etc to be harvested. What exactly will it effect? How much will it raise our prices? Write your senators and the the appropriate people of Florida.

I think there are people out there that would like to see a prohibition on aquariums, but those are probably the same people that believe all animals should be left in the wild and humans are evil for encroaching on their habitat in any way. Unfortunately, these people somehow get funding and actually have some political support, even though they are a very small minority of the population.