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)
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)