Wasn’t Unique Corals the websales department of Manhattan Aquariums, or am I mixing it up with something else?

Yes, XD_1, Unique Corals did start in Joe Caparatta’s Manhattan Aquariums. The former operation is a thing of the past. This is a new, different, and separate entity. Unique Corals has been been relocated to Los Angeles, where Joe teamed up with Johnny Ciotti and myself. As Matt described in his piece, we completely re-branded the company with our “conscientious, sustainable, responsible” focus, and are re-launching with a completely different look, feel, and ethos. We hope to share this philosophy by making sustainably sourced livestock available throughout the industry.

Who is doing the stock assessment of reef fish in PNG? Also, how is it done?

Hi Jake- The assessment is being done by The PNG NFA. Read more here:
http://ecoaquariumspng.com/

Dan Navin and his team @ Eco Aquariums PNG. Other information regarding your question is available at the link below.

http://ecoaquariumspng.com/leading-the-change/sustainablity

Great article, thank you very much for this RB! It is important to note here that EcoAquariums fish from Papua New Guinea are sustainably collected from the WILD! This allows us to pay village based collectors for their catch, which in turn places a real cash value on the reef system in a way that they have never seen before. Paying villagers fair prices for these small, otherwise “worthless” reef fish gives them a real economic incentive on protecting and managing their entire reef resource, and the effects of that are more than just sustainable, they are beneficial.
Also important to note is that EcoAquariums is not performing the reef surveys and setting the annual catch limits. This is the responsibility of the PNG National Fisheries Authority. They deploy a highly trained dive team to survey the reefs (mostly with belt transect techniques) and establish Total Allowable Catch (TAC) limits for each target species in each area from which we collect. This ensures that our collectors are not over collecting.
Thanks again, and I hope you enjoy these beautiful little fish!
-Dan
EcoAquariums Papua New Guinea

Thanks for the info, Scott. Will you do wholesale, and if so would you do so in a way that favors the big fish (large minimum orders, storefront requirement like QM) or would you also cater to smaller service-only businesses like BRS and Ecotech do?

No Craig, they WILL be available to the retail customer ACROSS the country via http://www.uniquecorals.com as soon as the site goes live in August!

Damn im in love with that clown! Where would I be able to purchase one? What kind of clown is this?

Saul, the Clown is what has become known as a “Horned Maroon”. Interestingly, we have a “mis-barred” Horned Maroon that has the “Horn Stripe” on one side and a dot on the other! Just crazy markings on even the “regular” Clowns, such as the Perculas, make these PNG fish so interesting. For breeders, the new genetic material is really interesting to work with. You’ll be able to purchase these fish right from our site when it goes live in just a couple of weeks. In the mean time, do check our Facebook page (uniquecorals) for more information or to inquire further, and I’ll get back to you personally on specifics.

Hi Craig, I appreciate your concerns.

Yes, I am “giddy” about my new venture! I am excited to be doing something that I believe in, and hope the excitement trickles down to my colleagues throughout the industry and in the hobby. It’s time to “walk the walk’!
Trust me, there will not be a “monopoly” on these animals. They will be more widely available sooner than you think, but it’s not so easy, as they challenge traditional distribution models in the industry. Broader distribution will happen, but consumers need to understand about why these fishes are different. Remember, these fishes are competing against animals distributed by cheap importers and cut -throught competition in wholesale markets, so they are way more “boutique” than say, a cheap fish from Indo or elsewhere. They are not dirt-cheap by any means.
Dan’s collectors are paid much better than fishers from other operations that encourage unchecked collection by any means, just so the fishers can survive and eat. Better wages to the fishers means a higher landed cost and higher priced fish for the consumer. Quality and sustainability have a price. The real point of Eco Aquariums PNG is to place a real value on the reefs, by allowing the villagers who live near the reefs to earn real money via sustainable collection. This encourages protection of reefs, not exploitation as seen in so many areas.
So the answer to your question is that these fishes will see wider distribution, but it will likely be through retail outlets. The traditional wholesale model will be challenged, as these fishes simply cannot compete against cheap imports from other places. Fish have, in my opinion (and I believe Dan will agree), traditionally been priced too low, which has encouraged irresponsible collection in many areas. EcoAquariums PNG is doing something to help reverse this trend. They carry a premium price because they are a premium product with an important mission. Our initial job at unique is to educate the consumer about the real value of these animals. The wider distribution will be aided by consumer understanding and demand. We are eager to see how popular these fishes will be when we launch in the next couple of weeks. Thanks so much for your interest!

I would like some clarification regarding the survey and assessment strategy. The comment from Dan Navin below says Ecoaquariums is not performing the reef surveys, while a comment from Scott Fellman indicated that “Dan and his divers do the surveys”. Ideally industry wouldn’t be involved in the stock assessment process at all, other than providing financial support.