A

r
e
a

r
e
s
t
r
i
c
t
i
o
n
s

In total, less than half the coastline
of Rarotonga is used for regular
aquarium fish collecting:
There is no collection inside the
lagoon;
A reas frequented by rough
w eather conditions are seldom
fished;
The five m arine reserves (raui)
areas are no-fishing zones; and
Specific areas, set aside for tour
dive operators, are not fished.
A ll these areas help to m aintain breeding popula-
tions of fish and serve to supply new recruits (larval
and adult) to replenish adjacent reef habitats.
C urrently only one exporter is operating on Rarotonga
and it is considered that if there w ere a m arked increase
in aquarium fish collecting activities, further restrictions
and m anagem ent w ould need to be im posed.
The aquarium fish industry could expand to the other
southern islands although its econom ic viability w ould
need to be assessed first.
Aquarium Fish Collection
in the Cook Islands
2000
M IN ISTRY O F M A RIN E RESO U RC ES
Tel.: +682 28721 / 28722 / 28730
Fax: +682 29721
E-m ail: rar@ m m r.gov.ck
W eb site: http://w w w .m m r.gov.ck
G O VERN M EN T O F TH E C O O K ISLA N D S
P.O . Box 85, Avarua, Rarotonga
C ook Islands
Aquarium 4/3/00 3:12 PM Page 1
T
a
r
g
e
t

s
p
e
c
i
e
s
Typically, aquarium fish are sm all,
brightly coloured, have lim ited for-
age areas, and are largely ignored in
traditional food fishing. They are
short-lived and reach reproductive
m aturity at an early age. A ll these
factors m ake them suitable for the
aquarium trade.
The use of dam aging collection techniques such as
sodium cyanide, quinaldine, rotenone (all of w hich
are fish anaesthetics) are not practiced by C ook
Islands aquarium fish collectors. The capture of red
haw kfish m ay require selected branches of the coral
colony to be rem oved. These branches can how ever
be re-planted.
0
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989
A
q
u
a
r
i
u
m

f
i
s
h
c
o
l
l
e
c
t
i
o
n
The com m ercial exploitation of
aquarium fish in Rarotonga began
in the late 1980s. A lthough the
operation is relatively sm all, it is an
im portant export com m odity, aver-
aging approxim ately three per cent
of the total value of the countrys
exports. C urrently the operation
em ploys up to ten people.
A total of 35 species of m arine aquarium fish are col-
lected by divers using SC U BA and either a sm all-
m eshed barrier net or a hand-held scoop net. O nly
five species are in regular dem and. The m ajority of
aquarium fish are caught on the reef slope in depths
ranging from 8 to 35 m etres, w ith occasional speci-
m ens taken at depths in excess of 50 m etres. The fish
are generally caught one at a tim e.
Number of aquari um fi sh caught i n Rarotonga
Lemonpeel angelfish
A t this stage, the five m ain fish taken from the C ook
Islands are the flam e angel (35% ) (see cover im age), red
haw kfish (30% ), ventralis (15% ), Scottsw rasse (7% )
and lem onpeel angelfish (7% ).
Aquarium 4/3/00 3:12 PM Page 3
T
a
r
g
e
t

s
p
e
c
i
e
s
Typically, aquarium fish are sm all,
brightly coloured, have lim ited for-
age areas, and are largely ignored in
traditional food fishing. They are
short-lived and reach reproductive
m aturity at an early age. A ll these
factors m ake them suitable for the
aquarium trade.
The use of dam aging collection techniques such as
sodium cyanide, quinaldine, rotenone (all of w hich
are fish anaesthetics) are not practiced by C ook
Islands aquarium fish collectors. The capture of red
haw kfish m ay require selected branches of the coral
colony to be rem oved. These branches can how ever
be re-planted.
0
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989
A
q
u
a
r
i
u
m

f
i
s
h
c
o
l
l
e
c
t
i
o
n
The com m ercial exploitation of
aquarium fish in Rarotonga began
in the late 1980s. A lthough the
operation is relatively sm all, it is an
im portant export com m odity, aver-
aging approxim ately three per cent
of the total value of the countrys
exports. C urrently the operation
em ploys up to ten people.
A total of 35 species of m arine aquarium fish are col-
lected by divers using SC U BA and either a sm all-
m eshed barrier net or a hand-held scoop net. O nly
five species are in regular dem and. The m ajority of
aquarium fish are caught on the reef slope in depths
ranging from 8 to 35 m etres, w ith occasional speci-
m ens taken at depths in excess of 50 m etres. The fish
are generally caught one at a tim e.
Number of aquari um fi sh caught i n Rarotonga
Lemonpeel angelfish
A t this stage, the five m ain fish taken from the C ook
Islands are the flam e angel (35% ) (see cover im age), red
haw kfish (30% ), ventralis (15% ), Scottsw rasse (7% )
and lem onpeel angelfish (7% ).
Aquarium 4/3/00 3:12 PM Page 3
A
r
e
a

r
e
s
t
r
i
c
t
i
o
n
s

In total, less than half the coastline
of Rarotonga is used for regular
aquarium fish collecting:
There is no collection inside the
lagoon;
A reas frequented by rough
w eather conditions are seldom
fished;
The five m arine reserves (raui)
areas are no-fishing zones; and
Specific areas, set aside for tour
dive operators, are not fished.
A ll these areas help to m aintain breeding popula-
tions of fish and serve to supply new recruits (larval
and adult) to replenish adjacent reef habitats.
C urrently only one exporter is operating on Rarotonga
and it is considered that if there w ere a m arked increase
in aquarium fish collecting activities, further restrictions
and m anagem ent w ould need to be im posed.
The aquarium fish industry could expand to the other
southern islands although its econom ic viability w ould
need to be assessed first.
Aquarium Fish Collection
in the Cook Islands
2000
M IN ISTRY O F M A RIN E RESO U RC ES
Tel.: +682 28721 / 28722 / 28730
Fax: +682 29721
E-m ail: rar@ m m r.gov.ck
W eb site: http://w w w .m m r.gov.ck
G O VERN M EN T O F TH E C O O K ISLA N D S
P.O . Box 85, Avarua, Rarotonga
C ook Islands
Aquarium 4/3/00 3:12 PM Page 1