Hey, Guys. My name is Ret Talbot, and I was in Papua New Guinea writing a story about the SEASMART Program when this fish was collected. I have been closely following the fish's every move since it reached Los Angeles, where it was entrusted to the very able hands of Dave Palmer at Pacific Aqua Farms (PAF). As mentioned above, Blue Zoo Aquatics (which handled the retail sale of the fish) ensured that the fish went to a reputable independent breeder instead of simply going to the highest bidder (bids exceeded $5000, mind you!). I am pleased to report that I have been in touch with the breeder, and the lightning maroon clownfish is now safely at its final destination. The name of the breeder should become public later today, and he has committed to a blog tracking his experiences with this fish. I'll try to remember to come back here and post that information when it becomes available.
Some of you may also be interested to note that the SEASMART-trained fisher who collected the fish was compensated well, as a cornerstone of the SEASMART Program is direct economic development for the villages where SEASMART-trained fishers live and work. Pretty cool, eh? A sustainable and equitable model for the marine aquarium world...now that's something to get excited about!
/reefbuilders.com/2010/03/30/lightning-maroon-clownfish-from-blue-zoo-aquatics-will-be-entrusted-to-an-accomplished-fishbreeder/
Gorgeous
