collecting coral......how do i get it from sea to tank alive

[slb11106]

i was in the florida keys on the weekend, went out to the reef and the reef was wonderful, lots of fish and coral, many fish i could not id, but it made me want a entire reef in my house. what is the deal with collecting coral, is is illegal ? if not what is the proceedure to gather and successfully send home to add to my tank ?

as a side note.....the barracuda are awsome fish ! the way they sit motionless on the sea floor and wait...just eying you up....so cool

[Woodstock]

I did a google search and found these:

Reef Releif

REGULATIONS

The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary protects America's only living barrier coral reef and thousands of acres of seagrass. Visitors to the Sanctuary can swim, dive, snorkel, fish or conduct any activity that is not expressly prohibited by Sanctuary regulations.

These are regulations that apply throughout the entire area of the Sanctuary, including other protected areas and Sanctuary zones. The purpose of these regulations is to protect Sanctuary resources from both direct and indirect threats. These regulations focus on habitat protection, reducing threats to water quality, and minimizing human impact to delicate resources. The following activities are prohibited Sanctuary-wide:

• Removing, injuring, or possessing coral or live rock.
• Discharging or depositing trash or other pollutants.
• Dredging, drilling, prop dredging or otherwise altering the seabed, or placing or abandoning any structure on the seabed.
• Operating a vessel in such a manner as to strike or otherwise injure coral, seagrass, or other organisms. attached to the seabed, or cause prop-scarring.
• Having a vessel anchored on living coral in water less than 40 feet deep when you can see the bottom. Anchoring on hardbottom is allowed.
• Operating a vessel at more than idle speed/no wake within 100 yards of residential shorelines, stationary vessels, and navigational aids marking reefs.
• Operating a vessel at more than idle speed/no wake within 100 feet of a "divers down" flag.
• Diving or snorkeling without a dive flag.
• Operating a vessel in such a manner which endangers life, limb, marine resources, or property
• Releasing exotic species.
• Damaging or removing markers, mooring buoys, scientific equipment, boundary buoys, and trap buoys.
• Moving, removing, injuring, or possessing historical resources.
• Taking or possessing protected wildlife.
• Using or possessing explosives or electrical charges.
• Collecting marine life species -- tropical fish, invertebrates, and plants -- except allowed by
• Florida Marine Life Rule (46-42 F.A.C.). Sanctuary regulations have been established to complement this rule and apply throughout the Sanctuary.

[slb11106]

ok, well i see that its illegal, how about international reefs?
just wondering.....

would love to dive and collect, but if it is illegal .........

[Cougra]

If I were you I wouldn't even consider collecting corals, even from international waters as it will be very difficult for you to prove where you got them from should you be stopped. Also you would need to find out what the import regulations would be for those corals as well.

[daveat]

you can collect corals off of the coast of the keys, you just cannot do it in certain areas and it is GREATLY frowned upon. it is much better to collect from a coral farm or to just buy it locally.

p.s. i have some really cool barracuda and shark pictures as well as a short video of a whale shark that we saw on a scuba diving trip.... scuba diving is what started me on the whole reef tank habit. barracudas will come right up to you and check you out-sometimes they are too friendly i had one bump up against me once-very scary!!!

[gussy]

Last I heard a few years ago, you can pickup corals that are attached to rock rubble thats no bigger than a quarter. However, that was years ago so you have to check.

[slb11106]

well i guess its just not a good idea, and sounds like more work and problems than its worth, oh well, just thought since i lived near the water and all