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International Workshop on the Management of Marine Aquarium Resources

The Marine Aquarium Council was created in 1998 by key stakeholders to provide voluntary standards and an eco-labeling system for the marine aquarium trade. Since then, MAC has worked with fisheries, industry operators, and stakeholders to develop certification programs at 21 fisheries in the Philippines, Indonesia, Fiji, Hawaii, and the UK, covering over 400,000 hectares of waters, 50,000 hectares of reefs, and 1,000 hectares of no-take zones. Nearly 100 certificates have been issued to fisheries, importers, exporters, and retailers to date across Southeast Asia, North America, and Europe. Our programs have helped to achieve direct and indirect social, conservation, and economic benefits in source countries while, at the same time, increasing the number of certified organisms channeled to hobbyists worldwide.

MAC’s concept was based on the idea that consumers should be able to purchase an eco-labeled product that demonstrates the industry’s commitment to supporting ecosystem conservation and biological diversity. While the voluntary standards movement is rapidly gaining acceptance worldwide as a viable business solution, the MAC system has had difficulty in gaining market traction, even though the organization continues to be supported by the largest importers in both the US and Europe. Since 1998, MAC has encountered a number of challenges, such as a lack of regulatory presence in collector communities, roving fisherman, long supply lines, and lofty certification costs. As a result, questions continue to exist regarding whether voluntary standards and certification are the appropriate methods to accomplish the task at hand, if additional regulation is warranted and, furthermore, whether MAC is truly the organization to manage such a system.

That being said, a number of key organizations, including the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), rely on MAC to help monitor collection methods, holding facilities, and importers used to obtain and transport specimens. They believe that MAC’s goal to establish a marine-related system of standards and certification, which will ensure that the ornamental marine fish trade is sustainable, is an important step in managing this important natural resource. Hobbyist demand for MAC-certified organisms continues to build, while, at the same time, collectors and their communities are working towards the development of sustainable fisheries that protect their coral reef ecosystems for future generations to come.

Today, MAC and the marine aquarium industry as a whole find themselves in an increasingly difficult situation. Voluntary certification has not gained the market shared earlier envisaged and there are strong signals that regulatory pressure on the marine aquarium trade will increase over coming years. A collective solution needs to be developed and implemented based on the expertise across stakeholder groups worldwide and the lessons learned at MAC. The aim remains to help the marine aquarium industry properly manage the collection and care of the valuable, desired and vulnerable living resource upon which it depends and to reward best practice in terms of conservation and husbandry.

To properly facilitate this discussion, MAC has proposed to hold a conference of key stakeholders in Washington, DC this year, the UN’s International Year of Biodiversity, to determine how marine aquarium resources should be appropriately managed going forward. We are currently looking for both monetary and in-kind support to help plan, schedule, moderate, and summarize results that provide clear next steps for the trade of marine aquarium organisms. Expected outcomes of the workshop include:

•Collation of experience and lessons from the evolution of MAC’s engagement in the marine aquarium trade, particularly with regard to development of the voluntary certification approach;

•Assessment of evolution of the marine aquarium industry, current and likely future threats to and opportunities for the marine aquarium trade;

•Evaluation of potential policy and institutional pathways for continued attention to the goals MAC was established to address;

•Recommendations on key policy and institutional approaches for the next 3-5 years.

A number of key organizations have already expressed interest in participating in this event, including: AZA, US Department of the Interior, the Indonesia Nature Foundation (LINI), ISEAL Alliance, IUCN, OATA, OFI, PIJAC, Quality Marine US, Scandinavian Pet Trade Union, The Nature Conservancy, The Ocean Foundation, Traffic International, USAID, and WWF. Additional organizations we plan to contact in the next few weeks include: Cairn’s Marine, Conservation International, EAZA, Eco-EZ, MACNA, NOAA, Petco, Petsmart, MAC Certified Members, and other important stakeholders in the marine aquarium trade.

If you are interested in participating in this event, providing financial assistance to the Marine Aquarium Council, or would like to donate goods or in-kind services, please send an email to support@aquariumcouncil.org or contact our offices at +1 (808) 550-8217. All donations are tax-exempt, and MAC offers complete transparency in our sources and uses of funds.

If you have recently given to us, please accept our deepest thanks - we are proud and grateful to have you as a supporter.

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AZA Support Letter

On January 10, 2010, the Marine Aquarium Council received a letter from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) supporting our goal of establishing a marine-related system of standards and certification to support the sustainability of the ornamental marine fish trade. The AZA strongly supports the development of our proposed system of standards and certification, a system that will provide much-needed assistance to AZA-accredited member aquariums and zoos in achieving their shared conservation goals and sustainability targets. Members of the AZA display over 2,500 species of marine fishes and invertebrates in science-based, education exhibits. The 221 AZA-accredited institutions serve an annual audience of over 180 million visitors, engaging them in informal science learning experiences.

The Marine Aquarium Council will continue to partner with world-class organizations like the AZA to ensure that collection methods, holding facilities, and importers used to obtain and transport specimens are properly monitored and managed. You may click here to view a copy of the AZA support letter sent to the Marine Aquarium Council.

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Licensed Retailer Program

A number of marine aquarium retailers around the globe have been purchasing MAC Certified Organisms from certified industry operators for years but have been unable to sell them as such, due to the various complexities and costs of becoming a certified retailer. The Marine Aquarium Council (MAC) is pleased to announce the launch of a new interim licensed retailer program designed to allow retailers who satisfactorily complete the MAC self-assessment questionnaire and agree to the terms of the licensing agreement to sell MAC Certified Organisms and to advertise product as such.

Legislative authorities worldwide are moving to further regulate the trade of marine aquarium organisms, making it more important than ever to demonstrate self-sustainability of the trade in terms of conservation, sustainable use, and biological diversity. This program will help reduce leakage of certified product through the chain of custody and allow a greater number of hobbyists to purchase sustainably harvested and handled organisms. The program will also act as a preliminary step to retailer certification as it incorporates basic requirements of MAC’s Handling, Husbandry, and Transport (HHT) Standard, but does not require third party certification.

Retailers wishing to participate in this program can fill out an Application Form and review the Certified Label Regulations and Guidelines. Annual fees are charged based on the number of stores in operation at the time the application is signed. Program costs for 2009-2010 are as follows:

#	First Store	Additional Stores
1	US$250 / €225	n/a
<3	US$200 / €175	US$50 / €40
4-10	US$150 / €125	US$40 / €30
>10	US$100 / €75	US$30 / €25

Once approved, retailers will be granted a license to sell MAC certified product and use the MAC label in accordance with the rules and regulations of the program. Licensed retailers will get the added benefit of being listed on the MAC website as sellers of certified marine organisms. We encourage retailers to participate in this new program so as to help open up the sale of certified product to those who desire them, resulting in an increased awareness of MAC products, programs, and services.

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Launch of MAC Strategic Initiatives

With the launch of MACs new website and the community application in July, the organization is ready to move ahead with a number of key initiatives we expect to have completed by the end of calendar year 2009.

The first step MAC will take is to extend all existing MAC certificates through 30 June 2010. We will distribute materials to fisheries, operators, and certifying bodies to ensure that this process is properly documented. To be considered for an extension, fisheries and operators will need to agree to a number of requirements and sign a statement of commitment to become recertified under the revised MAC standards to be described below.

The next step will be to launch the MAC interim licensed retailer program. Program materials will be distributed to retailers that explain how the licensing program will work, how to properly use the MAC logo, and what the requirements are for participation. MAC will begin by offering this program to certified retailers, existing customers of certified importers and exporters, and then to the general public. This program will be considered interim in nature until it is formally approved during the standards review process illustrated below. Retailers will be given one year licenses and, in return, must pledge to meet baseline requirements for traceability and animal husbandry. We expect this program will result in hobbyists immediately having more access to certified product.

In July, MAC will establish a new Standards Committee that includes representation from all key stakeholder groups. This Committee will work with the MAC Board of Directors and staff to steer the standards revision process. By the end of July, MACâ€™s four existing standards will be reduced, in draft form, to two key standards: a Fisheries Certification for both wild caught and cultured organisms and an Operator Certification for exporters, importers, and wholesalers. The redesigned standards will focus on key requirements and will include minimum indicators required to achieve certification within each section so that program goals are clear. The object of the revised program is to certify a sustainably collected or produced organism and then ensure traceability, through the chain of custody, through to the importer. Draft guidance documents will also be prepared to help fisheries and operators adopt the requirements of the standards, and a draft roadmap will be designed as well to assist as organizations proceed through the certification process.

MAC will also begin to expand its potential certifiers through the development of a redesigned accreditation program. New and re-certifications will be scheduled for the first and second quarters of 2010, focusing on previously certified fisheries, organizations, and newly identified operators, many of whom have already pledged support to MAC. Our focus will be on those fisheries and operators who manage their activities in the most sustainable manner possible, as opposed to those areas where destructive fishing practices are widespread.

In August, the standards will be reviewed by the Standards Committee and, when finalized, a 60 day public review period in September and October will be conducted online through the new MAC website. Beginning in November, certified operator licensing program materials will be developed, and outreach campaigns will be undertaken to raise awareness of the new MAC standards and certification system. Once all constructive comments are summarized and reviewed by the Standards Committee, final standard and guidance documents will be published in mid-December in print and electronic form.

It is our hope that you will support us through this process to ensure healthy fish, healthy reefs, and, ultimately, a healthy hobby by rewarding those who operate in a sustainable manner and providing hobbyists with the option to purchase marine aquarium organisms that carry with them conservation value.

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Building the MAC Online Community

As the digital age continues to change our daily lives, the Marine Aquarium Council (MAC), in partnership with web technology agents Alpha Multimedia Solutions and Intellisoul, Inc., has undertaken a bold new initiative to promote sustainability of the aquarium trade by developing a dynamic web presence to assist those engaged in the collection and care of ornamental marine life. The launch of the new MAC Community website www.aquariumcouncil.org is expected to bring together geographically-dispersed collectors, producers, exporters, importers, retailers, hobbyists, and partners interested in the conservation of coral reefs and other marine ecosystems through the deployment of a common set of best practices, standards, and third-party certification tools.

The primary focus of the site is for users to get involved and join the MAC Community. Each user group will have a clear set of actionable items, beginning with all members agreeing to the basic terms of the MAC Pledge – to support the promotion of a sustainable trade. Using advanced web technology, MAC has ensured three-way interaction among its key stakeholders (industry, hobbyists, and partners) in a way that provides for a rich user experience, while at the same time allowing users to learn as much as possible about MAC’s standards and certification processes.

A key component to the MAC Community website is the online Assessment Survey tool. This cornerstone website feature can be utilized by all user groups to not only define success achieved to date, but also to provide actionable steps that drive each user closer to baseline sustainability goals. Existing Certified Industry Operators, who are considered founding members of the MAC certification movement, will be able to leverage their sustainable practices via participation in this process. For other industry operators, this will be the place where the MAC Certification process begins. In addition, the MAC Community website will offer hobbyists the ability to provide input to the industry, while partners will be able to provide direction as to where their contributions (both monetary and in-kind) are going.

Industry users who complete the survey will be able to determine where their operations currently stand, not only in relation to MAC’s internationally-recognized best practices for the collection and care of marine ornamentals, but also as compared to others who have completed the survey as well. In addition, they will be able to locate and communicate with other like-minded industry operators across the globe. For operators interested in achieving MAC certification, the results of this survey will provide an initial Fit/Gap analysis that indicates which areas, if any, require improvement prior to undertaking a third-party certification audit with one of MAC’s accredited certifiers.

Hobbyists who complete the survey will be able to help MAC Certified Industry Operators determine not only where to focus supply, but also to help define what key species need to be provided in a sustainable manner. The development of a green-minded hobbyist user base within the community will help to reward those operators who have achieved sustainability while, at the same time, placing pressure on those industry members who do not meet MAC’s baseline best practice requirements. By generating industry awareness at the consumer level, hobbyists will now be able to directly contribute towards trade sustainability.

Partners who complete the survey will be able to designate their relationship to MAC and provide opinions on how the organization focuses its efforts. By providing baseline data, partners will be able to collectively witness the impact of their contributions throughout the MAC community, form collaborations and partnerships, and observe their commitments in action on a real-time basis every day.

Through the use of this advanced web technology, MAC is working to provide a dynamic place for sustainability-minded industry operators, hobbyists, and partners to converge and converse in accordance with international best practices for the collection and care of marine ornamentals. We invite you to participate in this process by visiting our website at www.aquariumcouncil.org

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ISEAL Code of Good Practice

These organizations are champions of ethical trade and are recognized as the leading consumer and industry standards across sectors such as agriculture, fisheries and manufacturing. Collectively, ISEAL Alliance members represent over US$ 53 billion of retail value in certified products. These products deliver social and environmental benefits to 117 million hectares of agricultural land globally and the workers of over 15,000 factories, fisheries and farms worldwide.

ISEAL members are the first organizations to be fully compliant with this Code of Good Practice. We encourage you to watch the video documenting this historic event at: Isealalliance

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