Biology Commons^™

Crawling To Collapse: Ecologically Unsound Ornamental Invertebrate Fisheries, Andrew L. Rhyne, Randi Rotjan, Andrew Bruckner, Michael Tlusty

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

Background: Fishery management has historically been an inexact and reactionary discipline, often taking action only after a critical stock suffers overfishing or collapse. The invertebrate ornamental fishery in the State of Florida, with increasing catches over a more diverse array of species, is poised for collapse. Current management is static and the lack of an adaptive strategy will not allow for adequate responses associated with managing this multi-species fishery. The last decade has seen aquarium hobbyists shift their display preference from fish-only tanks to miniature reef ecosystems that include many invertebrate species, creating increased demand without proper oversight. The once …