Collecting Marine Specimens

There seems to be a renewed interest in keeping salt-water aquariums. Any information about setting up a salt-water aquarium would be remiss without mentioning the collection laws and some responsible collecting practices. Bermuda law is very strict in its regulations regarding collecting marine specimens, and all of them have been written for good reason. It is important, that as aquarists we act responsibly when we collect specimens and adhere to the laws. Unfortunately, the regulations concerning the collection of marine species are not particularly well publicized. As you may or may not be aware, the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries has recently been divided into the Department of Environmental Protection, and the Department of Conservation. Dr. Sara Manuel, from the Department of Environmental Protection, has been particularly helpful at explaining the current regulations. Special thanks go to her for her assistance.

There are several species that may not be removed from the ocean under any circumstances. An updated list has just been produced by the Department of Environmental Protection and is printed with this article (see below). Please see the tables to identify what you are not allowed to take. This not only covers fish, but hard & soft corals and certain mollusks. Some species may be removed but have minimum size and sometimes bag restrictions so be sure to take note of those. As Dr Manuel pointed out, the juvenile fish often look very different from the adults and it is important to know what you are collecting. She recommends the book Reef Fish by Paul Humann, which is available at the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo gift shop. According to Dr Manuel, this book is particularly good at representing the juvenile coloration patterns next to the adults so there should not be any confusion.

So now that you know what species you cannot remove from our waters - how do you catch the species that are allowed? Here's where it gets difficult. Only licensed fisherman and other permit holders are allowed to use a dip net to collect fish - even from tide pools. Everyone is allowed to use a bait net to catch bait-fish. What is considered to be a bait-fish? Bait fish are officially classified as "fry", jacks, mackerel, etc... these kinds of fish are not normally what you would want in your tank so this doesn't really affect the aquarium hobbyist. So how do you collect fish for your aquarium? If you do not posses a permit to use a dip net, the only option is to use a hook and line and go fishing. Of course, this presents the problem of damage to the fish from the hook and possibly a longer quarantine time to be sure that no secondary infection occurs from the wound. If you are interested in applying for a permit to use a dip net you may contact the Department of Environmental Protection. It is not just a matter of paying a fee and receiving the permit; they don't just hand them out to anyone who applies. Be prepared with as much information as you can about what species you wish to take and where you plan to collect.

Once you are ready to go out and collect some fish for your home aquarium there are a few things to keep in mind. Before you go, make sure that you have an appropriate quarantine tank ready. Before releasing new fish into a community setting you want to make sure that they are healthy and begin eating in a captive environment. Also, keep in mind the size of your tank and the other fish already there. Don't bring home inappropriately sized fish to the setup that you have. It will not do any good in the long run, if you collect fish that are either too small to thrive or will grow too large for your tank. Always, take along a guidebook to help identify your catch and prevent you from taking home an illegal or inappropriate specimen. An inexperienced aquarist must do a lot of research before going out to collect their fish. It is important to understand how to care for the fish and other marine life before taking them from the ocean. Naturally, all problems can neither be predicted nor prevented, but armed with the correct information you will have the best chance at success.