I am a marine collector.

Does anyone see a moral issue because I make my living chipping
gorgonians, recordias and snails by the bucketfull from the Keys to
pay my mortgage?

wrote in message ...
Does anyone see a moral issue because I make my living chipping
gorgonians, recordias and snails by the bucketfull from the Keys to
pay my mortgage?

Is there a moral issue if somebody collects berries or mushrooms
from the forest and sells them to pay his/her bills?

As long as you do not collect anything illegal you shouldn't worry :-)
I hope you have comercial grade fishing license?

wrote in message
...
Does anyone see a moral issue because I make my living chipping
gorgonians, recordias and snails by the bucketfull from the Keys to
pay my mortgage?

My 1st impression is this is a troll but...

Depends on who you ask. Try asking someone from the Sierra Club or Green
Peace and see what they say. Doesn't make much since to ask that question to
a group of reef aquariums owners.

I struggle with the notion that people maybe damaging reefs for our
entertainment but I put my confidence in the LFS to make their purchases
responsibly. I maybe deluding myself.

Jim

wrote:
Does anyone see a moral issue because I make my living chipping
gorgonians, recordias and snails by the bucketfull from the Keys to
pay my mortgage?

Definitely not in a marine sanctuary.

Also, you may want to check florida laws on collecting. You can't
harvest any rock and there are limits on size, quantity etc of fish,
sponges, and corals.

I think the limits are set up more to allow research and personal
collecting, but they would make paying your mortgage hard unless you
collect breed stock and then figure out how to culture them on your own.

Keep in mind these reefs are fragile and under a lot of pressure.
Without some serious changes most reefs are going to disappear by 2050,
so please act responsibly.

--Kurt