operators, and the like. This resulted
in the dissension we now see across all
facets of the trade with respect to MAC
certification and its standards.
This past year, a new MAC management
team led by a reinvigorated Board of
Directors has begun to revamp its business
model and certification scheme after
re-engaging with key stakeholders, such
as hobbyists, donors, government officials,
and industry leaders, to better position
MAC certification for success in the
marketplace. The process started at the top
with a refinement of the organization’s core
mission, moved through a review of key
objectives and priorities, and ultimately
brought MAC to a redesign of all products,
processes, and protocols. These sweeping
changes were driven by the realization that
MAC’s overarching mission to transform
the market for marine ornamentals is
something desperately needed within the
industry to reduce the use of destructive
fishing and handling practices. While
earlier recognition of the need for (and
implementation of) these changes would
have been more ideal, the new leadership
team is well positioned to properly manage
and conduct activities going forward.
With new plans and protocols in place,
management can now focus on the work
that lies ahead, instead of being bogged
down by past problems.
Courtesy of Marine Aquarium Council
The Future
The overarching mission of the
organization is to conserve marine
ecosystems through the promotion of
a responsible aquarium trade—it is a
pursuit dear to each of our hearts. MAC is
determined to offer products and services
that support sustainability and also
provide direct benefits to participants;
therefore, the organization is improving
its standards and certification system to
make it more worthwhile and beneficial
for industry operators to achieve and
maintain certification.
As it pertains to hobbyists, we are
modifying our current practices to increase
the availability of supply to consumers
worldwide. In addition, MAC is developing
a product portfolio of highly desirable
certified species to ensure access to
sustainably harvested and handled
organisms for aquarium enthusiasts. From a
stakeholder perspective, MAC is redesigning
its efforts to maximize conservation and
economic value on both sides of the value
chain without having to perform this work
on its own. By eliminating excess layers
of management and partnerships that
took us away from our mission, we are
consolidating activities going forward.
From a funding perspective, the new
management team has received continued
support from organizations such as the
David and Lucile Packard Foundation and
the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur
Foundation. These donors provide key
monies to cover the core activities of the
organization. Once we complete the phase-
out of direct community capacity building
and conservation activities, we will part
ways with the other funders that supported
us doing such activities. To fulfill our
ongoing funding requirements, a capital
campaign will be launched in late 2008 that
will focus on generating resources from, but
not limited to, the industry, hobbyists, dry
goods manufacturers, zoos, and public and
private aquariums. The only way MAC will
succeed is if it is supported from within—
otherwise, we will once again be forced to
satisfy the needs of outside donors who
may have agendas that go beyond our core
mission and objectives.
In terms of getting back to our core
organizational activities, MAC is currently
in the process of refining its standards and
certification scheme, based upon feedback
from a number of key stakeholders,
supporters, and critics. The MAC standards
are being revised in such a way so as to
focus on a key checklist of compliance
requirements that are assigned risk levels.
These risk levels are installed as a means
to prioritize key activities, streamline
implementation, resolve interpretation
issues, and clearly define evaluation tools
and methodologies. This same checklist
structure will become the basis for the
third-party certification and audit process.
We expect these revisions, which will be
subject to public review, to result in a
more effective, efficient, simplified, and
transparent process that adds value for
those who adopt our standards.
On the supply side, we plan to combine
existing standards for Ecosystem Fishery
Management (EFM) and Collection, Fishing,
A MAC Certified collector in Pulau Seribu (Thousand Islands), Jakarta, Indonesia.
Tropical Fish Hobbyist www.tfhmagazine.com
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