How U.S. Ocean Policy and Market Power Can Reform the Coral Reef Wildlife Trade

As the world’s largest importer of marine ornamental species for the aquaria, curio, home de´ cor, and jewelry industries, the United States has an opportunity to leverage its considerable market power to promote more sustainable trade and reduce the effects of ornamental trade stress on coral reefs worldwide. Evidence indicates that collection of some coral reef animals for these trades has caused virtual elimination of local populations, major changes in age structure, and promotion of collection practices that destroy reef habitats. Management and enforcement of collection activities in major source countries such as Indonesia and the Philippines remain weak. Strengthening US trade laws and enforcement capabilities combined with increasing consumer and industry demand for responsible conservation can create strong incentives for improving management in source countries. This is particularly important in light of the March 2010 failure of the parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) to take action on key groups of corals.

INTRODUCTION

The United States is the world’s largest importer of marine ornamental species for the aquarium, curio, home de´ cor, and jewelry industries, importing more than 50–60% of live coral, coral reef fish and invertebrates in trade [1,2] (Fig. 1). These widespread and growing trades add to the cumulative stresses that coral reefs are facing from climate change, ocean acidification, overfishing, destructive fishing and land based pollution. Unfortunately, the recent meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in March 2010 once again failed to take action to regulate trade in red and pink precious corals threatened by trade activities. This rejection by the CITES member governments highlights the urgent need for other action. As the world’s largest consumer of marine ornamental species, the U.S. has an opportunity to leverage its considerable market power to promote more sustainable trade and reduce the effects of ornamental trade stress on coral reefs worldwide.

More than 40 scientists, government officials, industry leaders, and representatives from conservation and animal protection organizations met in May 2009 in Washington DC to explore the current state of knowledge of the trade in coral and coral reef species for ornamental purposes, and discuss actions that could be…