Caught in the (inter)net: Online trade of ornamental fish in Brazil

Borges, Anna Karolina Martins; Oliveira, Tacyana Pereira Ribeiro; Rosa, Ierecê L.; Braga-Pereira, Franciany; Ramos, Henrique Anatole Cardoso; Rocha, Luiz A.; Alves, Rômulo Romeu Nóbrega

doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2021.109344

Cited by 21 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 40 publications

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“…This preference for continental fish was also recorded by Mazza et al (2015) in a study performed in Italy, and can mainly be attributed to price, as freshwater fish tend to be cheaper than marine fish. Another factor pointed out by these authors which may be decisive for this preference is the ease of maintenance, considering that maintaining aquaria with marine fish requires greater dedication and improved equipment, in addition to higher financial investment, as we were also able to verify with our results ( Borges et al, 2021 ).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 79%

“…We used the Fishbase database ( Froese & Pauly, 2019 ) and consulted specialists for those species whose identification was problematic. To verify if the recorded species were allowed to be traded for ornamental purposes and their conservation status, we consulted the legislation applied in Brazil during the period covered by this study, as previously described in Borges et al (2021) , and also the Red List of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature ( IUCN, 2019 ), and the list of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna ( CITES, 2019 ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Fish keeping is also a very popular hobby in Brazil, with an estimated 19.1 million ornamental fish being kept as pets in 2018 ( ABINPET, 2019 ). Considering only the domestic online trade, Brazilian fish keeping involves at least 609 species of marine and freshwater fish ( Borges et al, 2021 ). In addition, Brazil occupies an important place in the world aquarium scene, being one of the main exporters of ornamental fish ( Rhyne et al, 2012 ), reaching third place in the world market in the sector ( ABINPET, 2019 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Consumer preferences are considered the major drivers of the ornamental market ( Hinsley, Verissimo & Roberts, 2015 ; Magalhães et al, 2017 ; Sung & Fong, 2018 ). Ornamental fish keepers’ preferences, for instance, are linked to rare or threatened species, with striking colors, peculiar shapes, and/or behaviors ( Dhar & Ghosh, 2015 ; Morcom et al, 2018 ; Borges et al, 2021 ). Furthermore, new preferences are emerging.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Marine or freshwater: the role of ornamental fish keeper’s preferences in the conservation of aquatic organisms in Brazil

Borges

Oliveira

Alves

2022

PeerJ

Self Cite

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Background The use of ornamental fish as pets has important implications for the conservation of the species used in fish keeping, particularly in relation to overexploitation. Understanding ornamental fish keepers’ relationship with the hobby can provide important information for assessing the potential impacts of the activity. Here, we analyzed the profile of Brazilian ornamental fish keepers and evaluated their preferences and the implications of their choices. Methods Information was obtained by applying questionnaires to 906 ornamental fish keepers participating in fish keeping groups in a social network. The questionnaire contained questions about the species of fish kept (freshwater and marine), techniques used, socio-economic aspects, and associated conservation perspectives. Results Most ornamental fish keepers were young men (20–40 years old), with higher education and monthly income above US$ 530.00. Participants predominantly kept freshwater fish (86%), but marine fish only (5%) or both marine and freshwater hobbyists (9%) were also recorded. A total of 523 species of ornamental fish were kept, most of which comprised freshwater (76% of the total) and exotic species (73%). About a third of the fish species recorded were under national trade restrictions. In addition, about a third of ornamental fish keepers declared that they also had invertebrates. Marine aquariums require a greater financial investment, especially at the beginning, than freshwater aquariums and are also almost entirely based on exotic species. The aesthetic factor is the main motivation associated with practicing this hobby, being color and behavior key factors in choosing fish. A total of 10% of hobbyists have already released fish into the wild, highlighting concerns about potential biological invasions. There is an urgent need to enforce regulations towards restricting ornamental fish keepers’ access to threatened native species and potentially invasive species, as well as measures aimed at informing and raising hobbyists’ awareness of conservation measures related to the hobby.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 79%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Marine or freshwater: the role of ornamental fish keeper’s preferences in the conservation of aquatic organisms in Brazil

Borges

Oliveira

Alves

2022

PeerJ

Self Cite

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“…While buying and selling terrestrial wildlife products online is quite well established, the extent of online trade in marine fishes, to our knowledge, remains largely unquantified and under‐researched. With only one study on ornamental freshwater and marine fish conducted in Brazil (Borges et al, 2021), and a single gray literature study on sawfish (Pristidae) rostra (McDavitt, 2004), elasmobranchs (sharks and rays) are especially poorly represented in online trade research. A notable exception to this is a recent study that used social media postings to delineate the distribution of a critically endangered, poorly known ray species, the clown wedgefish ( Rhynchobatus cooki ) (McDavitt & Kyne, 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Internet trade of a previously unknown wildlife product from a critically endangered marine fish

Pytka

Moore

Heenan

2023

Conservat Sci and Prac

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Online research methods are increasingly used in conservation science to monitor and collect data on online wildlife trade. Shark‐like rays (Rhinopristiformes) are among the most threatened vertebrates, prized for their high‐value fins while other uses for their derivatives are largely unrecognized in the literature. The bowmouth guitarfish (Rhina ancylostomus) is characterized by ridges of enlarged thorns, sometimes sold as amulets. Listed on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Appendix II, the thorn‐market has been ignored and undocumented. Using systematic, retrospective online searches, we recorded 977 bowmouth‐derivatives for sale. In our global and multi‐lingual scope, 97% of products were offered from Thailand, despite prohibited trade. 98% of all products were thorns (USD3‐300) and sold alongside high‐profile CITES‐listed taxa (e.g., tiger claws). Consistent advertisements from 2012 revealed a previously unquantified trade of an often‐neglected marketplace in elasmobranch research. Our findings offer insight into the drivers of the thorn trade, potentially rooted in cultural beliefs. Our accessible research methods can be applied internationally and across species, providing quantitative and qualitative insights on aspects of the wildlife trade of a critically endangered fish. Continued monitoring of online markets, like this study, is necessary to fill critical gaps for informed policy and species‐specific management.

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Hunting and Uses of Terrestrial Vertebrates in the Northernmost Region in the Atlantic Forest in Brazil

Alves

Barbosa²,

Borges³

2023

Animal Biodiversity and Conservation in Brazil's Northern Atlantic Forest

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Caught in the (inter)net: Online trade of ornamental fish in Brazil

Cited by 21 publications

References 40 publications

Marine or freshwater: the role of ornamental fish keeper’s preferences in the conservation of aquatic organisms in Brazil

Marine or freshwater: the role of ornamental fish keeper’s preferences in the conservation of aquatic organisms in Brazil

Internet trade of a previously unknown wildlife product from a critically endangered marine fish

Hunting and Uses of Terrestrial Vertebrates in the Northernmost Region in the Atlantic Forest in Brazil

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