The beauty and diversity of tropical marine life provide incredible experiences to everyone lucky enough to discover it first hand. The coral reefs of the Maldives are one such place. In more northern places, it is only in public and private aquariums that this vibrant environment can be displayed and studied. For now, more than 98 % of the marine aquarium fishes come from the wild, to supply between 1.5 and 2 million people worldwide keeping marine aquaria. Seamarc developed a reef aquarium and an ornamental fish hatchery as educational and research tools for Four Seasons resort at Landaa Giraavaru.
3.5 m long 4000 liters display aquarium at Landaa Giraavaru
Conservation issues
Collection of ornamental species has several major conservation implications coming from the use of destructive collection techniques:
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The use of chemicals including sodium cyanide & quinaldine destroying coral reef habitat by poisoning and killing both target and non-target animals.
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Coral destruction to catch hidden fish inside the colony
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Localized depletion of populations of target species of fish due to heavy collecting pressure.
The role of aquaculture
Captive culture, commonly known as aquaculture is an alternative to the wild capture of ornamental marine fishes that:
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Reduces pressure on wild fish populations
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Feeds the market with captive reared fish that are hardier, free of disease, and better adapted to aquarium life.
Efforts to develop captive cultivation techniques for ornamental marine fishes have been limited also because of a lack of effort in scientific research compare to human consumption aquaculture.
The objectives
In order to launch a sustainable trade in the Maldives Four Seasons contracted Seamarc Pvt. Ltd. to develop an ornamental fish breeding program.
The research hatchery aims at gathering scientific data on fish breeding and developing practical breeding methods with three main emphases:
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Develop new species breeding process focused on popular species
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Simplify anemone’s fishes (nemo) breeding process
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Provide alternative livelihoods to the local population in a grow-out facility built on their island
The Hatchery
Near the dive centre, a building has been fully dedicated to marine research, especially the fish lab. Forty 150l tanks located on 4 racks are used for broodstock and juveniles.
 
8 larvae tanks and 2 plankton reactor are located in the larvae room
Algae are mass cultured outside
The whole system is supplied by an open system filtered at 20µ
Seamarc continues to raise the juvenile fish to a saleable size on a local island, Fulhadoo, employing locals. This new activity provides an alternative livelihood to replace the unsustainable grouper or sea cucumbers fisheries that are severely impacting the reef ecosystem.
Achievements
Semarc started up the hatchery project early November 2006. Both clownfish species have been reared, and one without plankton, which is a great success in the way to simplify the processes. We are now working on 4 species. Seamarc is also developing an alternative method to produce “eco-friendly” marine ornamental pets…
Amphirion clarkii
Amphiprion nigripes (endemic to South Asia)
 
Gobiodon citrinus (almost disappeared during 1998 bleaching event)
 
Valenciennea sexgutatta
 
Stenopus hispidus
 
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