Ethical Reefkeeping

Coral Reefs are one of the worlds most spectacular environments, they have an almost unrivalled diversity of stunning and fascinating animals that in the last couple of decades we have been fortunate enough to bring into our own homes. Most reef keepers have a great respect and admiration for the animals that they keep but we have to face up to the unfortunate fact that the worlds natural reefs are diminishing. In 2001 a book was published entitled World Atlas of Coral Reefs, this publication is the most comprehensive compilation of information that we have on the status of the worlds coral reefs and it makes for some sobering reading. By mapping out and surveying almost all of the worlds coral reefs it shows how over recent years most of the coral reefs are diminishing with a reduction in diversity and abundance of many species of fish and coral. Although most of this effect has been caused by pollution, over fishing, sedimentation and land reclamation we should not ignore the fact that the aquarium trade in some cases has had a negative impact on coral reefs. Between the late 1980's and 1997 there was a ten-fold increase in the amount if live coral traded internationally with a total of 600 tons being removed from the wild per annum, the explosion in recent years of reef keepers has caused this amount to rocket even higher.
One of the objectives behind Reefworks is to produce corals for hobbyists in a sustainable manner so that each coral sold has no impact on natural reefs. Some of the corals that we propagate have been in captivity for over 10 years and have produced many hundreds of daughter colonies. Although we are constantly looking for new species of coral to propagate there are certain species of coral that you will not find on sale at Reefworks such as Favias and Trachyphyllias as they simply grow too slowly. Unlike other companies we will not buy in corals, frag them up to sell and then buy in more colonies to replace them. By buying corals that have been sustainably farmed you can be sure that your corals are well adapted to life in captivity and that you are reducing the impact of the hobby on natural reefs.