Documentary backdrop image for The Dark Hobby (2021)

Documentary backdrop image for The Dark Hobby (2021)

2021PGdocumentary

8.3/ 10(3 ratings)• TMDB

Social Justice Indigenous Histories Animals

The Dark Hobby

2021PGdocumentary

8.3/ 10(3 ratings)• TMDB

Hawai'i's aquarium trade faces scrutiny as native Hawai'ians, conservationists, and scientists debate the environmental impact of capturing reef fish for hobbyists.

“All the pretty fishes and the price paid to tank them.”

Social Justice Indigenous Histories Animals

Genres

Director

Synopsis

Hawai'i's aquarium trade faces scrutiny as native Hawai'ians, conservationists, and scientists debate the environmental impact of capturing reef fish for hobbyists.

People

Paula Foucedirector

Paula Foucewriter

William Haugsewriter

Kimokeo Kapahulehuacast

Robert Wintnercast

Synopsis

Hawai'i's coral reefs are heavily impacted by the aquarium trade, which captures and traffics ornamental fish for hobbyists, threatening marine ecosystems and the planet's oxygen supply. The controversy surrounding this practice involves native Hawaiians, conservationists, scientists, and aquarium fish collectors. Key stakeholders, including organizations like the Hawai'i Division of Aquatic Resources, engage in heated debates over the sustainability and ethics of harvesting the islands' vibrant marine life, often referred to as the "treasure of Hawai'i.

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