Mitch Gibbs (Dizzy) seemed to sum it up....
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In short the goal is to transform the marine industry from a destructive force into an industry that actually benefits the conservations of the reefs. A very worthy goal to be sure. The problem is that the the transition will likely destroy the industry as we know it. From what I can determine a vertically integrated system will be eastablished that owns the collecting sites on through retail. Basically all the certified fish supply will go through companies that CCIF chooses. If Petco or Petsmart gets certified they will control fish supply. Foster $ Smith are also seeking to be certifed. My guess is that the rest will be SOL. The new law will pretty much make this group the only legal game in town. Most of the LA wholesalers will be out of business. Free trade and competition will be destroyed. Most retail stores will not be able to get hardly any of the extremely limited certified fish supply, even if they are certifed. There are currently almost no certified fish available. To properly prove that collection of marine species are truly sustainable will take years of research like Jessica M. explained some time back. Things like migration patterns must be factored in. The industry will come to a standstill until the studies can be completed unless they are faked, as some have suggested they currently are. A few choosen companies will probably get rich if this flies, and the rest will be run out of business.. Somehow this does NOT seem like the way free trade was supposed to work in this country. Frankly I'm surprised the United States government is allowing themselves to be used in this manner. I have contacted PIJAC to get their interpretation of this bill. The people who make their living off this trade need to unite to challenge this bill and make sure it does not destroy of livelyhoods. If they want to take the industry and hand it over to a few rich Packard investors I'd just as soon they shut it down now.
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This industry does need regulation, and it's obviously not going to be easy.
If the US does go through with this, other smaller customers won't be able to keep up demand for the supply, and it may either raise our prices to keep them viable, or drive them down in hopes of upping the volume.
In the end though, if PI and Indo. fisherman can't make a worthwhile living at it....what would THAT do to the industry?
Mitch M.