puttputt Posted October 28, 2005 Report Share Posted October 28, 2005 hi all, Just got back from business in Brisbane and manged to look at 3 or 4 shops that stocked marines. One wholesale/retail place in particular would have been the best to visit but we drove out miles into the suburbs only to find he was in the middle of setting up new premises, 400m up the road. He showed us around and its going to be something, 100,000 litres of salt tanks split between inverts, and fish. The 3 other shops i visited varied in quality, one being a large general pet store with marines. Mostly soft corals available, with some great sponges etc that we dont see. The other 2 shops were aquarium shops, and had some nice stock in. Much the same fish that we have available but with gorgeous lion fish for sale in all the shops for around $55. Corals were good quality and very cheap e.g. a basketball sized hammer coral (no kidding) selling for $88. Gratefruit sized Acros for between $50-$70. Soft corals ranged between $26 - $46. Fish were very cheap. All damsels (blue, yellow tailed blue, domino, chromis) were $6 - $9 each. Clowns ranged from $14 -$25, tangs, lionfish foxface, aroung the $50- 60 mark, Regal angels for $75. Equipment type and prices were all on par with NZ. So it's just the livestock that they really have an edge on. There were another 7 or 8 shops that sold marines as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted October 28, 2005 Report Share Posted October 28, 2005 hmmm, now I wonder why corals and livestock is so cheap and filtration kit isnt? :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brianemone Posted October 28, 2005 Report Share Posted October 28, 2005 so when are you making the move chimera? we should all buy some crazy island and start our own country. (no jimmys allowed) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted October 28, 2005 Report Share Posted October 28, 2005 Its ilegal to remove corals and rock from the GBR. Only fish, only certain types, and only at certain times of the year. Pie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lduncan Posted October 28, 2005 Report Share Posted October 28, 2005 Surely they have a permit system to allow collection of corals from the GBR? It's illegal to import corals into Australia, so the ones in the shops must come from Australian reefs? Layton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puttputt Posted October 28, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2005 or aquacultured. The hammer and the sps looked wild grown. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puttputt Posted October 28, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2005 maybe there are other areas outside the protected GBR area they can extract from.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted October 28, 2005 Report Share Posted October 28, 2005 As I under stand it, the GBR is completely off limits for collection, both domestic and commercial for coral and rock. Pie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluetom Posted October 28, 2005 Report Share Posted October 28, 2005 What about floating aquariums 12km offshore?? Have your own "maf" laws, it would be great :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puttputt Posted October 28, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2005 pies, the GBR extends to cape York, surely coral must grow in areas and islands along the nth coast?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Feelers Posted October 28, 2005 Report Share Posted October 28, 2005 Thats cool that collecting is illegal. Learnt in class the great barrier has the greatest diversity of organisms on the planet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted October 28, 2005 Report Share Posted October 28, 2005 it is harvested... The Great Barrier Reef supports a modest coral harvest fishery, which generates about $427,000 (AUD) annually and provides an average gross income of $11,700 for its 34 coral harvest fishers (Harriott, 2001). Currently, approximately 25 tonnes of live coral and 25 tonnes of living rock and rubble are harvested each year, with the extreme majority of the harvest purchased by the aquarium market. Only about 30% is used in the souvenir and ornamental market, which demands only dead corals http://www.colby.edu/personal/t/thtieten/coral.htm http://www.reeffutures.org/topics/susfish.cfm http://www.reef.crc.org.au/publications ... rep40.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reef Posted October 28, 2005 Report Share Posted October 28, 2005 Collectors with permits can collect coral/fish. fish can be imported and exported however corals cant be imported or exported, Livestock is cheap in Australia as freight and compliance charges make up over 50% of the costs to livestock imported in New zealand. prices in NZ will always go up due to freight charges. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.