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WALT'S
OPINION |
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Greetings to all,
Thank you for choosing to visit this site. On the prior page,
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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