11/10/2009
Richard Xie
President/Owner: Hawaiian Sealife Inc.
Post Larvae- Definition
Most reef fish have a pelagic larval duration
Can last days, weeks or months, depending on the species
Ornamental trade
Eggs
Adults
Restocking
COLONIZATION
Post-larvae
Larvae
Rearing
Food
DISPERSION
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11/10/2009
PL Collection in Hawaii
We have collectors on Maui, Oahu and Kauai since
September 2008 (only collecting for 3 months)
We have caught hundreds of fish over the course of 3
months
Mostly damsels, cardinals, Nasos and filefish
Have also caught snapper, surgeons, butterfly’s and
many others
HSL has begun shipping these fish
Japan
with good results
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11/10/2009
PL Collection Elsewhere
HSL will be starting PL collection in Kiritimati (Christmas
Island) and Marshall Islands in 2009
Currently have a grant from CRISP to work with the people
of Christmas Island to begin PL collection (Feb-March
2009)
Have trained collector in Marshall to use light traps
This will help HSL to begin getting fish from
from
around the Pacific
Hawaii Education Program
Collecting PL’s and giving them to
local schools around Honolulu
Allows students to raise some of the
hardy PL’s in captivity for one semester
They then release the fish back onto
the reef
Trying to promote biology and
aquaculture in Hawaii (nonprofit)
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11/10/2009
Problems Collecting PL’s
Unfortunately, only Reunion Island is still collecting
Small-scale PL collection by itself is not profitable
Only having 3 or 4 traps per country is
viable way to do business
not a
Individual collectors can not market their product
to help change the current desires in accepting PL
Individual collectors can not gain enough critical mass to
market themselves to wholesalers OR make enough money
to stay in business
Future of PL Collection
HSL wishes to implement a
“Hub and Spoke” model of PL
collection
HSL
Hawaii will be the wholesaler for all of the Pacific PL
collecting locations
All PL’s from Hawaii, Kiribati and Marshall will be
funneled into Hawaii for worldwide distribution in 2009
HSL wishes to add other countries to this list
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11/10/2009
Future of PL Collection
Each country needs more than 3-6 traps
At least 10-15 traps per country will allow
critical mass to be gained
Critical mass means PL collection
becomes profitable for collectors
HSL will promote PL’s as the new gold standard for
collected fish
Fish already adapted to captivity,
therefore less stress related disease
Fish already accepting dry food
PL’s will be promoted as tank raised
fish, therefore longer life expectancies
Future of PL Collection
“Do It Yourself” Center (DIY)
HSL envisions a large warehouse with PL’s open to the
public
Hawaii has 6 million tourists
Tourists can see PL’s from the Pacific
Tourists can purchase their favorite juvenile fish
5 year plan for PL collection
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11/10/2009
Exciting Hands-on activities
Future of PL Collection
In order to make the “Hub and Spoke Model” happen,
HSL needs three things:
1. HSL needs former PL collecting
countries to resume light trap harvests
2. HSL requires an infrastructure build
out of their warehouse
3. Aquaculture knowledge for very young
fish in supplier locations
These will require international cooperation
and funding to help jumpstart a sustainable,
fledgling industry
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11/10/2009
Future of PL Collection
HSL’s Role In “Hub and Spoke Model”
HSL will be the PL promotion spearhead
Able to apply marketing pressure to the industry to accept
tank raised, juvenile fish
HSL will be the central distribution
hub for the Pacific
HSL has 400 customers in 27 countries
If more regions join in, then HSL will
command more pricing power, thus
making PL collection more profitable
for suppliers
Conclusion
HSL wants to make PL collection a viable and
sustainable new industry for marine ornamentals
In order to do so, HSL needs help from industry
professionals on:
Marketing Strategies
Aquaculture
International Collaborations
Infrastructure
As more hobbyists demand tank raised fish more reefs
become closed to fishing, PL collection is the only
immediate alternative with today’s technology
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11/10/2009
Mahalo!!
Any questions?
Post Larvae- Reason To Collect
More environmentally sustainable
Fish taken before major population bottleneck (99%)
mortality for post larval fish in the wild) means less
impact on reef ecosystem
Post larvae are relatively easy to wean onto dry food
Lower mortality rate for tank reared fish
Tank raised fish convert quickly to dry food, are less stressed in a
tank and are therefore more resistant to handling and disease
Tank raised fish are being
demanded by more hobbyists
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