Sustainable Collections Abstracts

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Where do Aquariums Get Their Fish?

Ben Daughtry

Florida Keys Aquarium
Encounters

Full Abstract

Aquariums see hundreds of millions of visitors each year. Most Aquariums would put educating those guests as one of their top priorities and is often even written into those facilities’ mission statement, but what about educating those guests to being a responsible fish hobbyist?
There is little doubt that at the end of a day’s visit at an aquarium that at least some of those guests leave with the notion of being able to keep their very own home aquarium. In some ways, public aquaria help to drive the pet trade. Many professional aquarists are home hobbyist. Most aquariums spend resources informing guest of larger issues such as global warming, overfishing, and coral reef bleaching. Some direct guests to sustainably sourced seafood to eat. Yet, there is often very little information on where and how these aquariums source their collection of animals; while it is typically a combination of institutional trading, propagated, and wild caught; many times, there is little to nothing to inform guest on how they can sustainably source their animals from the pet trade.
This presentation will look how at messaging at Aquarium Encounters is used to educate guests on “where we get our fish”. As well as different ideas and approaches to make this information more available in public aquaria, in hopes to help make the pet trade a more ethical and sustainable industry.

Why Aquariums Need to Educate Visitors on How They Source Their
Collection And Why It’s Important to Educate the Public on Making
Ethical Decisions for the Home Hobby

Frank Young

Dynasty Marine
Associates Inc.

Full Abstract

The general public is naive to how public aquariums source their collections; and with lack of education, they may often come to an inaccurate conclusion. As an industry, we need to be proud of our collection management plans that combine ethically and managed wild caught and aquacultured animals and present that information to our guests so they can be informed of the efforts being taken. Proactive promotion of this information to the guests through signage and guest services will foster this awareness and create a sense of understanding and appreciation. A positive experience at a public aquarium is a typical starting point for a home hobbyist. With that in mind, it is a fundamental that we inform our guests on how to be responsible hobbyists so they follow best practices when sourcing animals for their home aquariums. People are impressionable and with a lack of proper guidance, can be led astray from misguided information which seems to be more and more prevalent these days.
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AQUATIC COLLECTIONS SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE
ETHICAL ACQUISITION ACTION PLAN

Chris Coco
Andrew Pulver

Georgia Aquarium, Inc.
Shedd Aquarium

Full Abstract

The Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) Ethical Acquisition Task Force has created a new template to achieve a broadly adopted model for AZA aquariums to identify and support suppliers who acquire animals ethically and sustainably, with initial emphasis upon marine ornamental fishes. The template was shared by the Task Force at AZA’s Directors Policy Conference in January, 2023. Broad support exists among institutional CEOs/Directors that a consistently transparent and holistic impact validation system be created for acquisition of marine fishes as a top priority for development by the Aquatic Collections Sustainability Committee (ACSC). The ACSC Ethical Acquisitions Working Group, in close collaboration with appropriate Taxon Advisory Groups, live specimen suppliers, and a variety of colleagues will create a framework of ethical standards to be evaluated. These standards include fishery/environmental impact, animal welfare/handling, chain of custody documentation, and human livelihood impacts. Ultimately, the mechanism created to validate these standards will be operationalized by a third party, allowing AZA members the tool to reach new AZA accreditation standards for collection planning. The Ethical Acquisitions Working Group is comprised of AZA institutional representatives, AZA staff, and colleagues from related professions.
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Animal Wellbeing Considerations for Institutional Collection Planning


Allen McDowell

​
North Carolina Aquarium
on Roanoke Island

Full Abstract

An appropriately developed Institutional Collection Plan (ICP) is one of the most critical components to ensuring all animals at a zoological facility are experiencing good animal wellbeing. As a result, it is important to consider practices and philosophies that will incorporate animal wellbeing concepts at each step in the ICP process. ICPs are intended to guide facilities with the acquisition of their animal collection to support their mission and education goals. ICPs may include many different elements such as the animals’ status in the wild, involvement of the species in ongoing conservation initiatives, possession of the appropriate knowledge and resources by staff to provide optimal care for the animals, guidance on appropriate acquisition methods, etc. When defining these elements, the greater extent that wellbeing considerations are being incorporated, the greater potential that the entire animal collection will experience good wellbeing.
The strategies of incorporating animal wellbeing considerations into an ICP may vary dependent on the institution but asking the right questions at each step in the process can have a significant overall effect. Some of these questions are related to how we can reduce acute and chronic stress from initial acquisition all the way through the rest of its life. Other questions deal with how we can optimize the care we are providing to ensure the animals live long and healthy lives. To be effective, facilities need to be honest with themselves and ensure that each incorporated consideration is being fully applied to every animal that is acquired.

Building an egg
identification catalog:
Life doesn’t have to be
​like a box of chocolates

Kylie Lev


​California Academy of Sciences,
Steinhart Aquarium

Full Abstract

Collecting fertilized eggs from broadcast spawners in complex marine habitats, will often produce a large volume of eggs from a variety of species. When reared together, there are often significant challenges with competition and outcompeting that impact survivorship. Being able to accurately distinguish eggs allows facilities to strategically select and prioritize fish species on which to invest resources.
Originally developed in 2010 by Roger Williams University and the New England Aquarium, the use of DNA barcoding and photo-documentation was used to create an Open- sources Marine Fish Egg Catalog. In 2021, through an AZA Conservation grant fund, this work expanded to include eight additional collaborators. There are nine AZA institutions currently collecting, photo-documenting, and submitting eggs for DNA barcoding from marine fishes spawning in their habitats. The DNA barcoding produces species identification that can be connected with individual egg photos which allowing egg morphometric data to be collected and analyzed. This information is then published on the Larval Culture Project website making it available to any industry professional. This presentation will review the tools and techniques used to build the egg catalog and highlight the practical application of this open-sourced resource.