| Greetings to all,
Thank you for choosing to visit this
site. On the left you will find several topics that I have
either written myself or find of great interest and concern.
As you may be aware, I am considered one of the leading sources
of marine organisms to the Aquarium Industry. In light of
this I also feel deeply and actively responsible that the
industry be held accountable for it’s activities. It
is my opinion that our industry can provide one of the most
rewarding and educational (hobbyist) experiences available
but we must remain acutely aware of our responsibilities to
the precious environment. As a member on the advisory board
of the “Marine Aquarium Council” and an active speaker
on the issues of sustainable harvest, I am both passionate
about sharing the living world to enhance our appreciation
of it and equally passionate about protecting it from dangerous
and unsustainable technique.
In this page you will find views
of concern from several different sources including my own.
Some, especially those posted by the U.S. Government, seem
a bit negative to our industry but in each case point to a
possible solution that always involves proper and accountable
reef management and reporting. I support these views although
(in some cases) do not fully agree with the “dooms day”
approach presented by the writer. As someone who is in the
field and has first hand knowledge of the actual size of the
resource and numbers collected I feel a more responsible reporting
method needs to be established to fully understand if negative
impact is actually occurring. I think it is important to understand
the concerns and dialog of the “powers that be”
and it is for this reason if have included their papers.
As long as I am a participant in
this industry I will continue to research ways to constantly
improve our methods for the benefit of the animals in our
care. Recently, marine-culture has become a passion of mine
and in the very near future I will be announcing the exciting
results of our last two years of development in this field.
Please watch for this to appear on our site and magazine ads.
Most importantly, it is my belief
that the unbiased sharing of useful information in our field
will greatly advance our understanding and appreciation of
the coral reef and inspire us to share our knowledge to help
create a better planet for us all.
Walt Smith
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