Bangaii Cardinals listed as Endangered

[Delphinus]

It's sad the state of the Banggai cardinalfish and it's native populations being so pressured, although I have been hearing about how pressured it is for a long time, this really isn't anything new.

However I'll go on the record that I don't think a blanket ban of wild-caught Banggai cardinalfish is the answer. As usual there is a lot more than meets the eye.

The Banggai is so-named because the original native range for this fish was around the Banggai Islands near Sulawesi, Indonesia. It is in this spot where the numbers are hugely threatened. However there are now populations of this fish, seemingly thriving, in other areas where, for however reason, it was introduced. And like any introduced non-native species, it is causing problems by outcompeting native species. Ironic. Threatened to the point of extinction in the native stomping grounds in the Banggai island, at the same time causing problems by being too prolific in the Lembeh straight.

So to me, while I fully endorse the notion of a ban on collection from the actual Banggai area, a blanket ban on wild-caught fish doesn't seem like an ideal answer. Why not still allow collection from areas where they don't belong and help mitigate the potential damage being done there?

http://reefbuilders.com/2010/02/25/b...way-from-home/

http://reefbuilders.com/2011/01/04/b...tural-habitat/

http://reefbuilders.com/2011/03/01/i...-cardinalfish/