I agree that staged images/video that is not clearly labeled as such is unnecessarily manipulative, and diminishes whatever point one is trying to make. As to "activists" staging things so they can get rich is nonsense. Petro-lobbyists use they same tactic to discredit researchers that publish studies that confirm anthropogenic climate change; that they are saying lies to gain access to the rich money available to the climate change lobby.
What is clear is that there isn't an issue that activists support that the big money is also behind. If there are people promoting moneyed interests they are called by the media think tanks, spokesmen, research fellows, etc.
The only way our hobby could be helping reefs is by monetizing reefs, to make sure people that live by reefs have a vested interest in preserving them. Eco-tourism, sustainable harvesting, creating protected marine parks, all of these can be part of the solution. Without controls and enforcement, if our hobby raises the value of reef fish it also encourages poaching. Unfortunately we have no way of knowing where and how our fish get to us.
Perhaps there could be an industry standard "sustainably sourced" label/logo that lfs could brag about using, or more can be made of having tank raised livestock, etc.
Personally I don't know where our hobby lies on the angle/devil spectrum but I hope closer to the former than the latter. Anything that can be done to move it in a positive direction should be considered, and let's not let shrill voices make us deaf to some possible salient points.
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