first quarter MAC newsletter

[tdwyatt]

new MAC newsletter, not on the website yet, so I have copied and pasted here:

Subj: MAC News 1st Quarter 2002
Date: 4/18/02 3:51:57 PM Eastern Daylight Time
From: MACnews@aquariumcouncil.org
To: tdwyatt@aol.com
Sent from the Internet (Details)




MARINE AQUARIUM COUNCIL

International Certification for the Quality and Sustainability
of Marine Aquarium Organisms ... from Reef to Retail

MAC News 1st Quarter 2002

Director's Note

The Marine Aquarium Council (MAC) was busy the first quarter of 2002 with the initial implementation of MAC Certification, with a strong focus on the training of collectors to enable them to become certified and ensure a supply of certified marine ornamentals. MAC also continued outreach efforts with the marine aquarium industry and other coral reef stakeholders, the results of which include an increasing numbers of companies committed to MAC Certification and stakeholders who belong to the MAC Network.

MAC Coordinates Training of Marine Ornamental Collectors in Sustainable Practices

A major MAC focus is ensuring marine ornamental collectors understand the MAC Standards and have the information and skills to become certified so they can provide high quality, sustainably harvested marine aquarium organisms to the companies and hobbyists who are increasingly seeking them. MAC works through partnerships to achieve this, building on the experience of the feasibility study and testing of the MAC Standards and Certification in the Philippines in 2001. The success of these efforts with the International Marinelife Alliance and the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development makes areas such as Palawan an excellent training ground.

On March 5-7, MAC assisted the German Technical Cooperation agency (GTZ) with a collectors training workshop in Coron, Palawan, Philippines. Some 26 collectors with strong leadership qualities, most of them based in far-flung but significant collection areas in the Philippines, came together for specialized training on net collecting and high quality post-harvest handling using a training manual based on MAC Standards and produced by GTZ. The trainees have accepted the responsibility of imparting the skills they learned to their fellow collectors.

In Indonesia, MAC is actively working with AKKII (the Indonesia Coral, Shell and Ornamental Fish Association), Terangi (the Indonesia Coral Reef Conservation organization), Telapak, WWF Indonesia and others to develop and implement an outreach and training program for collectors and their communities. MAC is breaking new ground by creating an international exchange of experience among collectors and those who work with collectors to build on the lessons and experience of previous efforts and ensure the industry in Indonesia, and elsewhere, can participate in certification as cost effectively as possible.

To alleviate the lack of qualified trainers for marine ornamental collectors in Indonesia, MAC organized the first 'training-of-trainers' program in Coron, Palawan, from February 8 to March 7. The practicalities of implementing the MAC Standards and becoming certified and lessons learned in the Philippines were shared with five representatives from the Indonesian marine conservation organizations of Terangi, WWF Indonesia, Telapak and Bahtera Nusantara. The program participants will become a training resource for the many Indonesian NGOs and export companies that support a marine aquarium industry based on net capture and proper post-harvest handling and transport techniques. The training participants spent most of their time in the water with responsible collectors to learn proper collection, handling and holding techniques. They also worked on understanding the documentation system for collectors, developing collection area management plans and other activities associated with MAC Certification of collectors and collection areas. After returning from the Philippines, the training program alumni met with AKKI to begin developing a MAC-AKKII-NGO partnership work plan for training collectors in Indonesia.

List of MAC Committed Companies and Supporters Continues to Grow

Sixty-four companies have signed the MAC Statement of Commitment. They come from Australia (1); Bahrain (1); Belau (1); Fiji (5); France (1); Holland (1); Indonesia (5); Israel (1); Philippines (19); Spain (1); Solomon Islands (2); United Kingdom (1), and the United States (25).

By signing the statement, companies agree to

· Seek to become certified as soon as possible and inform their suppliers and buyers of this.

· Actively educate their suppliers and buyers about the benefits of following standards for an environmentally sound and sustainable industry and being MAC Certified.

· Promote MAC Certification as evidence of their company's commitment.

· Use their best efforts to seek suppliers and buyers who also follow the MAC Standards.

· Distribute MAC brochures and other materials with shipments to suppliers and buyers.

· Send to MAC, in confidence, a list of their suppliers and buyers to assist industry outreach.

· Provide import/export data, in confidence, to the Global Marine Aquarium Database.

Four trade associations have also made public their support for MAC Certification. The latest statement came in January from the American Marinelife Dealers Association (AMDA) Board, which 'voted unanimously to support MAC in its goals for the aquarium industry. This will include actively promoting MAC certification among our members, and encouraging these same members to sign up for certification as soon as possible."

Excerpts from the trade association statements as well as the list of companies that have signed a Statement of Commitment can be found on the MAC website at www.aquariumcouncil.org.

US Industry Explores Certification Issues during MAC Workshop

US based companies that have signed the MAC Statement of Commitment were invited to a workshop March 6 in Los Angeles to consider several issues related to the MAC Standards. The representatives of 16 companies, as well as American Marinelife Dealers Association, attended the workshop, which was chaired by Marshall Meyers, chair of the MAC Board of Directors, and Executive Vice President of the U.S. Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council. The specific focus of the workshop was to move towards developing interpretation of the MAC Standards so they can be implemented with a reasonable level of flexibility to meet industry realities. Reiterating their overall support for MAC and its goals, participants agreed that ongoing consultation on the issues is a constructive way to ensure industry concerns are heard.

Regarding the 'Unsuitable Species List' referred to in Annex 4 of the MAC Standards, it was clarified that the MAC Board of Directors will be developing the Terms of Reference for the Unsuitable Species Committee and the criteria and process for selecting its members, probably in late 2002. The workshop recommended that the committee, when it begins its work, focus on animals that are deadly to the average human or become too large for the average hobbyist tank and that exceptions should be made for scientific, research, educational and other specific purposes.

(end of part I)

[tdwyatt]

The workshop considered at length the linked issues of acceptable mortality rates, certified organism traceability, documentation requirements and the certification of facilities. A committee was created to explore interpretive language to ensure that the MAC Standards address these issues in a manner that is practical and applicable. MAC Executive Director Paul Holthus and MAC Certification Coordinator David Vosseler noted that interpretative language having a significant impact on the standards would have to be reviewed by the MAC Board and that any change to the standards, if deemed warranted, would have to undergo a multi-stakeholder and public review process.

The workshop also discussed at length the need for considerable efforts to ensure collectors are trained and able to supply certified marine organisms from certified collection areas. Participants agreed to have the committee explore industry support to assist MAC training to help collectors and collection areas become certifiable.

MAC in the Pacific: Focus on Fiji

MAC Pacific Region Coordinator Michelle Lam and MAC Accreditation Coordinator Peter Scott spent much of March working with the industry and other stakeholders in Fiji. Owners and managers of four companies that have signed the MAC Statement of Commitment, along with representatives from the Fiji Fisheries Department and WWF, participated in the Fiji Certification Development Workshop on March 6 to become more familiar with the MAC Certification process. Walt Smith, chair of the Fiji Marine Aquarium Council, spoke about developments between MAC and US importers and the recent suspension of CITES exports from Fiji (which has now been rescinded). Industry members agreed that interpretive manuals for coral and invertebrate collection are needed.

Following the workshop, Lam and Scott visited the facilities of all marine ornamentals exporters in Fiji and worked with the companies to ensure they understood the MAC Standards and Certification process and facilitate their efforts to make the changes needed to meet the MAC Standards. The team also spent time with the MAC Board Member organization Friends of the Peoples of the South Pacific, relevant government agencies, WWF South Pacific and other environmental groups based in Fiji.

MAC Expands Public Aquarium Outreach and Partnership Efforts

An integral part of the MAC communication strategy is working with public aquariums to educate marine aquarium hobbyists and the general public about the benefits of a sustainable, environmentally sound marine aquarium trade and the role of MAC Certification in achieving this. A first step in this direction involves educating public aquarium personnel on ways they can support MAC through their exhibits, outreach, media relations and acquisition activities. Building on the MAC presence at the annual meeting of the American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA) since 1998, MAC Communications Coordinator Sylvia Spalding participated in the Regional Aquatics Workshop, March 24-27 in Denver. Spalding provided participants with the MAC informational kit for public aquariums, which MAC and SeaWeb have created. The kit was reviewed by the workshop at a presentation by Spalding and Doug Warmolts, the AZA representative on the MAC Board of Directors.

Between workshop sessions, Warmolts and Spalding convened a group representing 10 US and European public aquariums that will work with MAC to draft language for an implementation manual for the MAC Standards regarding the acquisition of marine aquarium organisms by scientific and educational institutions.

MAC Attracts Retailers at Trade Shows

MAC Certification Coordinator David Vosseler participated in the PIDA Pets 2002 show March 16-17 in Orlando, Fla. During the event 69 new people subscribed to the MAC News. Of these, 49 were retailers who expressed interest in becoming MAC Certified.

The next shows MAC will attend are Interzoo 2002, May 9-12 in Nuremberg, Germany, and the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association (APPMA) Trade Show, June 11-13 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. Look us up if you're there.

Reef Check / MAQTRAC Update

As many in the MAC Network know, Reef Check is a non-profit organization established to promote sustainable management of coral reefs. Reef Check is based at UCLA and runs a volunteer coral reef monitoring program in more than 50 countries. For the past two years, Reef Check and MAC have been working as partners to help ensure the marine aquarium trade is sustainable. As the MAC Certification program is implemented around the world, it will be important to have solid scientific data to demonstrate this success. In January of this year, Reef Check released the beta version of MAQTRAC, a new monitoring program specifically designed to track the effects of fish and invertebrate harvesting from reefs. This protocol is now being tested in Fiji, Indonesia and the Philippines with good initial results.

Reef Check is frequently questioned about its support of the marine aquarium trade. Reef Check believes this trade gives coral reefs economic value that, over the long term, can help protect them. In addition, a guiding principle of Reef Check is that private-sector, win-win solutions need to play a much bigger role to ensure the success of future reef conservation and management efforts on a global scale.

In return for Reef Check's solid support for MAC and a sustainable marine aquarium trade, it requests the support of home aquarium owners, retailers, wholesalers and others in the global MAC Network. Reef Check needs your help to get its message out to the public about how they can become directly involved in sustainable coral reef monitoring and management. If you would like to become a Reef Check supporter or learn more about its programs, please check the website at www.ReefCheck.org or contact Reef Check Outreach Coordinator Kelly McGee at rcheck2@ucla.edu. Together, we can all ensure the long-term survival of coral reefs and the marine aquarium trade.
See Your MAC Photos and Website Link Ideas on the MAC Website

We want our website to be as interesting and informative as possible for you. Send us your photos to help us achieve this, and we will use appropriate photos on the MAC website updates and credit the photographers. We are also interested in acquiring broadcast quality video footage. Last, but not least, let's look for ways to cross link with your websites or sites you know about that are related to MAC. However, our policy is to crosslink to industry sites of only companies that have signed the MAC Statement of Commitment. Interested individuals can contact us at info@aquariumcouncil.org.

MAC in the News

In Print

"In Hot Water: Coral Reefs at Risk," by Brian Lavendel, Animals, Spring 2002.

"You Can Help Protect Ornamental Fish, Coral Reefs," Focus, March/April 2002.

"International Certification System for the Marine Aquarium Trade," Freshwater and Marine Aquarium, March 2002.

"Being Practical," by Gary Cochran, Freshwater and Marine Aquarium, March 2002.

"First Rate Fish," by Dr. Robert J. Goldstein, Pet Age, March 2002.

"The Great Debate," by Dave Garrett, Tropical Fish, March 2002.

Marine Ornamentals '01: Collection, Culture & Conservation," by Svein A. Fosså, OFI Journal, Feb. 2002.

"MAC Certification Now Available to the Marine Ornamental Industry," by Paul Holthus, OFI Journal, Feb. 2002.

"OFI Commit to MAC," OFI Journal, Feb. 2002.

"MAC Launches 'Best Practices' Certification System," Pet Age, Feb. 2002.

"Notizie di Acquariofilia Internazionale," a cura di John Dawes, Hobby Zoo, Feb. 2002 (Italian).

"MAC Publica Sus Normas de Certificación," la pågina de John Dawes, Animilia, Jan. 2002 (Spanish).

"MAC Introduces New Certification System," Tropical Fish, Jan. 2002.

"Marine Ornamentals '01: Collection, Culture & Conservation," tekst og fotos: Svein A. Fosså, PetScandinavia, Nr. 1-2002.

"Bruce Bunting, Vice President i World Wildlife Fund USA: 'Buy a Fish, Buy a Coral, Save a Reef," tekst og fotos: Svein A. Fosså, PetScandinavia, Nr. 1-2002.

On the Web

"WWF om Saltvannsindustrien," http://www.nzb.no/nzb/nyhet.asp

"MAQTRAC Launch in Philippines," www.reefcheck.org/newsletter3.htm