What is your opinion on the hobby's status?

[davej]

Originally Posted by gobytron

We play a fairly major role in the destruction or depletion of ocean ecosystems.

I think you are wrong.
Pollution and runoff from farming, kills off and damages way more than our hobby ever could. The amounts harvested for the aquarium trade pales to the damage done by phosphate laden waters dumped into the oceans from farming and the like.

[Scythanith]

I have to agree with davej. We are a drop in the proverbial bucket as to what's killing the oceans and the reefs. Are we making an impact, of course we are, is it significant compared to other influences, not really.

I prefer to buy aquarium proven frags from other reefers but sometimes you can't get a frag of a cats paw coral or a big meaty brain. I think we are having even less of an effect on fish populations, barring the bangaii cardinal and introduction of the lionfish to caribbean waters. I fully support proper net collection techniques vs destructive methods such as cyanide. I'd even more rather I could buy is captive bred but that's not possible for all the fish I want to house.

Do I feel bad for being in this hobby, nope. Would I like to see it become more sustainable, of course!