2025-01-28T21:18:28-05:00 2022-12-31 273889165 BARBARA J QUERRY LLC 411 HUKU LII PL STE 202 KIHEI HI 96753 990EZ 2022-01-01 473469519 FOR THE FISHES FORT 8082837225 PO BOX 1894 KIHEI HI 96753 LYNN ALLEN PRESIDENT 8082837225 2023-11-10 true false BARBARA J QUERRY CPA P00313496 8088568137 2025-01-21 X 2022 2025-03-06 01:10:19Z X X WWW.FORTHEFISHES.ORG X X 140191 X 134422 5769 140191 93781 29971 123752 16439 105863 122302 X 107060 122432 107060 122432 1197 130 105863 122302 X TO ADDRESS, EDUCATE, COORDINATE, AND ENHANCE ENFORCEMENT CAPACITY TO END TEH TRADE IN CORAL REEF WILDLIFE FOR HOUSEHOLD AND OTHER SMALL DISPLAY AQUARIUMS. OUR SUPPLY AND DEMAND SIDE STRATEGIES ARE DIRECTED LOCALLY AND GLOBALLY TO FACILITATE POSITIVE SHIFTS AT THE FISHERY, DISTRIBUTION, POLICY AND CONSUMER LEVELS. 1.EDUCATION AND OUTREACH: FOR THE FISHES (FTF) ADVOCATES FOR THE END OF THE CAPTURE, PURCHASE, AND DISPLAY OF WILD MARINE LIFE IN PERSONAL SALTWATER AQUARIUMS. ACTIVITIES INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND ADVOCACY, ENFORCEMENT, COALITION BUILDING, AND EFFORTS AIMED AT REDUCING CONSUMER DEMAND FOR WILD MARINE LIFE. THE FOCUS OF FTFS MAIN EFFORTS IS HAWAII, WHICH AS RECENTLY AS 2017, WAS THE WORLD'S THIRD LARGEST SOURCE OF REEF FISHES AND OTHER CREATURES FOR THE GLOBAL MARINE AQUARIUM TRADE WHICH SUPPLIES WILDLIFE TO HOBBYISTS AND BUSINESSES, ALIKE. HAWAII'S COMPARATIVELY SMALL CORAL REEFS WERE HEAVILY IMPACTED BY DECADES OF OVER-EXPLOITATION. FOR EXAMPLE, IN 2017, HAWAI?I AQUARIUM COLLECTORS CAPTURED AT LEAST 490,508 MARINE ANIMALS, AN AMOUNT SEVERAL TIMES HIGHER THAN TYPICALLY TAKEN FROM AUSTRALIA'S ENTIRE GREAT BARRIER REEF WHICH IS 300 TIMES LARGER THAN HAWAII'S REEF AREA. HEAVILY TARGETED SPECIES HAVE BEEN DEPLETED BY UPWARDS OF 90% IN SOME OF HAWAII'S MOST HEAVILY IMPACTED AREAS. FTF HAS LONG ADVOCATED FOR THE NEED FOR BETTER MANAGEMENT AND SOLUTIONS. THE STATE'S FAILURE TO ENACT RULES OR LEGISLATION TO ADDRESS THE TRADES IMPACTS LED FTFS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO PURSUE LEGAL REMEDIES, ALONG WITH A NUMBER OF PARTNERS. WITH PRO BONO REPRESENTATION BY EARTHJUSTICE, THE NATION'S LEADING ENVIRONMENTAL LAW FIRM, THE FIRST LAW SUIT REACHED HAWAI'I'S SUPREME COURT AND RESULTED IN A RULING IN LATE 2017 THAT AQUARIUM COLLECTION PERMITS WERE ILLEGAL AND INVALID FOR NON-COMPLIANCE WITH THE HAWAI'I ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT (HEPA). SINCE THEN, THE AQUARIUM TRADE HAS DRAFTED NUMEROUS ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENTS (EISS) AIMED AT REOPENING HAWAII'S REEFS TO THEIR OPERATIONS. NONE HAVE BEEN LEGALLY ACCEPTED. A SECOND SUIT IN 2020 CLOSED AN ILLEGAL LOOPHOLE LEVERAGED BY THE STATE OF HAWAII THAT HAD ALLOWED AQUARIUM COLLECTION TO CONTINUE IN SOME AREAS, WITHOUT THE COURT-ORDERED ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW. 2022 WAS THE FIFTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR THAT HAWAII'S REEFS WERE FREE FROM THE DESTRUCTIVE AQUARIUM TRADE. THE ABSENCE OF AQUARIUM COLLECTION HAS RESULTED IN MILLIONS MORE ESSENTIAL REEF FISHES AND INVERTEBRATES ON HAWAII'S REEFS, ENHANCING THEIR HEALTH, BEAUTY, RESILIENCE TO CLIMATE CHANGE, AND IMMENSE BENEFITS TO RESIDENTS AND VISITORS, ALIKE. THIS INCREASE IN MARINE LIFE ABUNDANCE IS THE DIRECT RESULT OF FTFS WORK THAT HAS, THUS FAR, PREVENTED THE RESUMPTION OF AQUARIUM COLLECTION UNDER DEEPLY FLAWED EISS. HAWAII SHARK PROTECTION: ON JANUARY 1, 2022 THE HAWAII SHARK PROTECTION ACT TOOK EFFECT, AND HAWAII BECAME THE FIRST STATE IN THE NATION TO PROHIBIT THE INTENTIONAL OR KNOWING CAPTURE OR ENTANGLEMENT OF ANY SHARK, WHETHER ALIVE OR DEAD, OR KILLING OF ANY SHARK, WITHIN STATE MARINE WATERS. IN 2021 FTF AND ITS PARTNERS IN THE NATIVE HAWAIIAN COMMUNITY LED THE EFFORT TO PASS THIS NEW LAW. IN 2022 WE EDUCATED HAWAII RESIDENTS, BUSINESSES AND VISITORS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF SHARKS TO NATIVE HAWAIIAN CULTURE, THEIR IMPORTANT ROLE IN A HEATHY OCEAN ECOSYSTEM AND THE PASSAGE OF THE HAWAII SHARK PROTECTION ACT. SHARKS ARE KEY APEX PREDATORS, CRITICAL TO OCEAN HEALTH AND RESILIENCY. THREE-QUARTERS OF ALL SHARK SPECIES POPULATIONS HAVE DECLINED; WITH ONE- THIRD OF THESE SPECIES FACING POTENTIAL EXTINCTION. IN HAWAII, RESEARCH HAS SHOWN REEF SHARK POPULATION DECLINES OF UP TO 90% FOR SOME SPECIES. THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WERE REACHED IN OUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH EFFORTS, MATERIALS AND 100 STRATEGICALLY PLACED INFORMATIONAL PERMANENT SIGNS INSTALLED AT HAWAII'S HARBORS AND BOAT RAMPS. OUTREACH INCLUDED EDUCATION ON THE CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE OF MANO (SHARKS) TO NATIVE HAWAIIANS, AND THE NEED TO PROTECT THE MORE THAN 40 SPECIES OF SHARKS THAT FREQUENT HAWAII WATERS, AND FOR THE CRITICAL ROLE SHARKS PLAY IN REEF AND OCEAN HEALTH AND RESILIENCY. TO HELP ENSURE THE SUCCESS OF THE ACT, REACH STAKEHOLDERS AND INFORM THE PUBLIC, WE COLLABORATED WITH THE KEY STATE AGENCY, THE HAWAII DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES (DLNR), DIVISION OF AQUATIC RESOURCES (DAR) AND DIVISION OF BOATING AND OCEAN RECREATION (DOBOR), WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR INFORMING RESIDENTS AND VISITORS ABOUT MARINE PROTECTION LAWS, AND COMMERCIAL AND NON-COMMERCIAL FISHING AND BOATING REGULATIONS, AND THE DIVISION OF CONSERVATION AND RESOURCE ENFORCEMENT (DOCARE), WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR INVESTIGATING VIOLATIONS AND ENFORCING THE LAWS. TANK WATCH: MOST PEOPLE ARE UNAWARE THAT FEWER THAN 5% OF THE FISH SPECIES KEPT IN SALTWATER AQUARIUMS CAN BE AQUACULTURED ON A COMMERCIAL SCALE, OR THAT THE U.S. MARINE AQUARIUM TRADE ANNUALLY IMPORTS OVER 11 MILLION WILD CORAL REEF FISHES FOR AQUARIUM HOBBYISTS, SMALL BUSINESS AND LARGE PUBLIC DISPLAY AQUARIUMS. FOR THE FISHES ADVOCATES FOR AN END TO THE KEEPING OF WILD MARINE LIFE IN PERSONAL SALTWATER AQUARIUMS AND WORKS TO EDUCATE CONSUMERS AND THE PUBLIC IN ORDER TO REDUCE CONSUMER DEMAND FOR THIS WILDLIFE. IN 2022 WE REACHED TENS OF THOUSANDS OF AQUARIUM HOBBYISTS AND THOSE INTERESTED IN MARINE FISHKEEPING ON OUR WEBPAGE, TANK WATCH, DESIGNED TO EDUCATE MARINE AQUARIUM HOBBYISTS AND THROUGH SEARCH ENGINE ADS THANKS TO A GENEROUS IN-KIND DONATION FROM GOOGLE. 115373 2. CONSERVATION: FTF WORKS TO PROTECT CORAL REEF WILDLIFE THROUGH REDUCING ILLEGAL, UNREPORTED AND UNREGULATED FISHING IN THE MARINE AQUARIUM TRADE. ACTIVITIES INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO, ADVOCACY, RESEARCH, AND CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT IN DOCUMENTING AND REPORTING SUSPECTED ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES IN THE MARINE AQUARIUM TRADE. 808-NO-POACH/ANTI-POACHING EFFORTS: FTF CONDUCTED INVESTIGATIONS STEMMING FROM INFORMATION PROVIDED BY CONCERNED CITIZENS IN HAWAII. PARTNERING WITH STATE AND FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, FTF LAID THE GROUNDWORK THAT LED TO CITATIONS, CONVICTIONS, AND LARGE FINES FOR A NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS INVOLVED IN THREE LARGE AQUARIUM POACHING OPERATIONS ON HAWAII ISLAND. CYANIDE FISH ASSESSMENT: EXPERTS ESTIMATE THAT UPWARDS OF 90% OF CORAL REEF FISHES SOLD IN THE MARINE AQUARIUM TRADE ARE ILLEGALLY CAPTURED WITH CYANIDE WHICH IS USED TO PARALYZE FISH FOR EASY CAPTURE. CYANIDE IS HIGHLY POISONOUS TO BOTH THE VERTEBRATE AND INVERTEBRATE ORGANISMS EXPOSED TO IT: AT HIGHER CONCENTRATIONS IT IS IMMEDIATELY LETHAL, AND AT LOWER CONCENTRATIONS IT CAUSES ORGAN AND TISSUE DAMAGE THAT ARE IRREVERSIBLE AND LEAD TO DELAYED MORTALITY. FTF IS WORKING WITH A LEADING CORAL EXPERT AND FORENSIC ECOTOXICOLOGIST IN RESEARCH TO ASSESS THE PREVALENCE OF CYANIDE- CAUGHT FISH IN THE U.S. MARINE AQUARIUM TRADE. 1515 116888 RENE UMBERGER EXECUTIVE DI 40.00 47849 LYNN ALLEN PRESIDENT 1.00 0 BROOKE PORTER SECRETARY 1.00 0 LINDA WRIGHT TREASURER 1.00 0 MARK SCHACHT DIRECTOR 1.00 0 AMY VENEMA DIRECTOR 1.00 0 LAURA LEGGE DIRECTOR 1.00 0 false false false false false false false false false HI RENE UMBERGER PO BOX 1894 KIHEI HI 96753 8082837225 false false false false false false false false true false false NONE NONE true X 115500 116378 85149 101619 134422 553068 499 250 6933 5769 13451 115500 116877 85399 108552 140191 566519 566519 115500 116877 85399 108552 140191 566519 1.00000 1.00000 0.00000 0.00000 X RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED 1851 5310 7161 116591 123752 24750 6188 19871 20473 19843 24750 84937 127406 4537 3830 5341 7161 20869 4968 5118 4961 6188 21235 31853 128 560 217 1851 2756 SCHEDULE C, PART II-A ORGANIZATION IS NOT PART OF AN AFFILIATED GROUP. SCHEDULE C, PART II-B, LINE 1 IN CALENDAR YEAR 2022, FOR THE FISHES HAD A CONSULTANT WHO ENGAGED IN A LIMITED AMOUNT OF LOBBYING (5,309), AS DID THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR GRASS ROOTS (151). SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES INCLUDED: BRIEF COMMUNICATIONS VIA EMAIL, OR PHONE AND IN-PERSON MEETINGS WITH LEGISLATORS AND/OR THEIR STAFF MEMBERS, OR MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH; TOTAL LOBBYING AND GRASS ROOTS EXPENDITURES WERE 7,160. FORM 990-EZ, PAGE 1, ITEM B TAX RETURN IS BEING AMENDED TO INCLUDE "OTHER EXEMPT PURPOSE EXPENDITURES" ON LINE 1D OF PART II-A ON SCHEDULE C. FORM 990-EZ, PART I, LINE 16 EXPENSES ADVERTISING & PROMOTION 6,563 OFFICE EXPENSE 518 PRINTING/SIGNAGE 13,234 POSTAGE 357 APP PLATFORM FEE/WEB FEES 4,811 INSURANCE 1,928 SUPPLIES 841 EDUCATIONAL LITERATURE 1,289 FEES 197 GENERAL EXCISE TAX 233 TOTAL 29,971 FORM 990-EZ, PART II, LINE 26 CREDIT CARD PAYABLE 1,197 130 FORM 990-EZ, PART III TO ADDRESS, EDUCATE, COORDINATE, AND ENHANCE ENFORCEMENT CAPACITY TO END TEH TRADE IN CORAL REEF WILDLIFE FOR HOUSEHOLD AND OTHER SMALL DISPLAY AQUARIUMS. OUR SUPPLY AND DEMAND SIDE STRATEGIES ARE DIRECTED LOCALLY AND GLOBALLY TO FACILITATE POSITIVE SHIFTS AT THE FISHERY, DISTRIBUTION, POLICY AND CONSUMER LEVELS. FORM 990-EZ, PART III, LINE 28 1.EDUCATION AND OUTREACH: FOR THE FISHES (FTF) ADVOCATES FOR THE END OF THE CAPTURE, PURCHASE, AND DISPLAY OF WILD MARINE LIFE IN PERSONAL SALTWATER AQUARIUMS. ACTIVITIES INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND ADVOCACY, ENFORCEMENT, COALITION BUILDING, AND EFFORTS AIMED AT REDUCING CONSUMER DEMAND FOR WILD MARINE LIFE. THE FOCUS OF FTFS MAIN EFFORTS IS HAWAII, WHICH AS RECENTLY AS 2017, WAS THE WORLD'S THIRD LARGEST SOURCE OF REEF FISHES AND OTHER CREATURES FOR THE GLOBAL MARINE AQUARIUM TRADE WHICH SUPPLIES WILDLIFE TO HOBBYISTS AND BUSINESSES, ALIKE. HAWAII'S COMPARATIVELY SMALL CORAL REEFS WERE HEAVILY IMPACTED BY DECADES OF OVER-EXPLOITATION. FOR EXAMPLE, IN 2017, HAWAI?I AQUARIUM COLLECTORS CAPTURED AT LEAST 490,508 MARINE ANIMALS, AN AMOUNT SEVERAL TIMES HIGHER THAN TYPICALLY TAKEN FROM AUSTRALIA'S ENTIRE GREAT BARRIER REEF WHICH IS 300 TIMES LARGER THAN HAWAII'S REEF AREA. HEAVILY TARGETED SPECIES HAVE BEEN DEPLETED BY UPWARDS OF 90% IN SOME OF HAWAII'S MOST HEAVILY IMPACTED AREAS. FTF HAS LONG ADVOCATED FOR THE NEED FOR BETTER MANAGEMENT AND SOLUTIONS. THE STATE'S FAILURE TO ENACT RULES OR LEGISLATION TO ADDRESS THE TRADES IMPACTS LED FTFS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO PURSUE LEGAL REMEDIES, ALONG WITH A NUMBER OF PARTNERS. WITH PRO BONO REPRESENTATION BY EARTHJUSTICE, THE NATION'S LEADING ENVIRONMENTAL LAW FIRM, THE FIRST LAW SUIT REACHED HAWAI'I'S SUPREME COURT AND RESULTED IN A RULING IN LATE 2017 THAT AQUARIUM COLLECTION PERMITS WERE ILLEGAL AND INVALID FOR NON-COMPLIANCE WITH THE HAWAI'I ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT (HEPA). SINCE THEN, THE AQUARIUM TRADE HAS DRAFTED NUMEROUS ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENTS (EISS) AIMED AT REOPENING HAWAII'S REEFS TO THEIR OPERATIONS. NONE HAVE BEEN LEGALLY ACCEPTED. A SECOND SUIT IN 2020 CLOSED AN ILLEGAL LOOPHOLE LEVERAGED BY THE STATE OF HAWAII THAT HAD ALLOWED AQUARIUM COLLECTION TO CONTINUE IN SOME AREAS, WITHOUT THE COURT-ORDERED ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW. 2022 WAS THE FIFTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR THAT HAWAII'S REEFS WERE FREE FROM THE DESTRUCTIVE AQUARIUM TRADE. THE ABSENCE OF AQUARIUM COLLECTION HAS RESULTED IN MILLIONS MORE ESSENTIAL REEF FISHES AND INVERTEBRATES ON HAWAII'S REEFS, ENHANCING THEIR HEALTH, BEAUTY, RESILIENCE TO CLIMATE CHANGE, AND IMMENSE BENEFITS TO RESIDENTS AND VISITORS, ALIKE. THIS INCREASE IN MARINE LIFE ABUNDANCE IS THE DIRECT RESULT OF FTFS WORK THAT HAS, THUS FAR, PREVENTED THE RESUMPTION OF AQUARIUM COLLECTION UNDER DEEPLY FLAWED EISS. HAWAII SHARK PROTECTION: ON JANUARY 1, 2022 THE HAWAII SHARK PROTECTION ACT TOOK EFFECT, AND HAWAII BECAME THE FIRST STATE IN THE NATION TO PROHIBIT THE INTENTIONAL OR KNOWING CAPTURE OR ENTANGLEMENT OF ANY SHARK, WHETHER ALIVE OR DEAD, OR KILLING OF ANY SHARK, WITHIN STATE MARINE WATERS. IN 2021 FTF AND ITS PARTNERS IN THE NATIVE HAWAIIAN COMMUNITY LED THE EFFORT TO PASS THIS NEW LAW. IN 2022 WE EDUCATED HAWAII RESIDENTS, BUSINESSES AND VISITORS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF SHARKS TO NATIVE HAWAIIAN CULTURE, THEIR IMPORTANT ROLE IN A HEATHY OCEAN ECOSYSTEM AND THE PASSAGE OF THE HAWAII SHARK PROTECTION ACT. SHARKS ARE KEY APEX PREDATORS, CRITICAL TO OCEAN HEALTH AND RESILIENCY. THREE-QUARTERS OF ALL SHARK SPECIES POPULATIONS HAVE DECLINED; WITH ONE- THIRD OF THESE SPECIES FACING POTENTIAL EXTINCTION. IN HAWAII, RESEARCH HAS SHOWN REEF SHARK POPULATION DECLINES OF UP TO 90% FOR SOME SPECIES. THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WERE REACHED IN OUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH EFFORTS, MATERIALS AND 100 STRATEGICALLY PLACED INFORMATIONAL PERMANENT SIGNS INSTALLED AT HAWAII'S HARBORS AND BOAT RAMPS. OUTREACH INCLUDED EDUCATION ON THE CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE OF MANO (SHARKS) TO NATIVE HAWAIIANS, AND THE NEED TO PROTECT THE MORE THAN 40 SPECIES OF SHARKS THAT FREQUENT HAWAII WATERS, AND FOR THE CRITICAL ROLE SHARKS PLAY IN REEF AND OCEAN HEALTH AND RESILIENCY. TO HELP ENSURE THE SUCCESS OF THE ACT, REACH STAKEHOLDERS AND INFORM THE PUBLIC, WE COLLABORATED WITH THE KEY STATE AGENCY, THE HAWAII DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES (DLNR), DIVISION OF AQUATIC RESOURCES (DAR) AND DIVISION OF BOATING AND OCEAN RECREATION (DOBOR), WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR INFORMING RESIDENTS AND VISITORS ABOUT MARINE PROTECTION LAWS, AND COMMERCIAL AND NON-COMMERCIAL FISHING AND BOATING REGULATIONS, AND THE DIVISION OF CONSERVATION AND RESOURCE ENFORCEMENT (DOCARE), WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR INVESTIGATING VIOLATIONS AND ENFORCING THE LAWS. TANK WATCH: MOST PEOPLE ARE UNAWARE THAT FEWER THAN 5% OF THE FISH SPECIES KEPT IN SALTWATER AQUARIUMS CAN BE AQUACULTURED ON A COMMERCIAL SCALE, OR THAT THE U.S. MARINE AQUARIUM TRADE ANNUALLY IMPORTS OVER 11 MILLION WILD CORAL REEF FISHES FOR AQUARIUM HOBBYISTS, SMALL BUSINESS AND LARGE PUBLIC DISPLAY AQUARIUMS. FOR THE FISHES ADVOCATES FOR AN END TO THE KEEPING OF WILD MARINE LIFE IN PERSONAL SALTWATER AQUARIUMS AND WORKS TO EDUCATE CONSUMERS AND THE PUBLIC IN ORDER TO REDUCE CONSUMER DEMAND FOR THIS WILDLIFE. IN 2022 WE REACHED TENS OF THOUSANDS OF AQUARIUM HOBBYISTS AND THOSE INTERESTED IN MARINE FISHKEEPING ON OUR WEBPAGE, TANK WATCH, DESIGNED TO EDUCATE MARINE AQUARIUM HOBBYISTS AND THROUGH SEARCH ENGINE ADS THANKS TO A GENEROUS IN-KIND DONATION FROM GOOGLE. FORM 990-EZ, PART III, LINE 29 2. CONSERVATION: FTF WORKS TO PROTECT CORAL REEF WILDLIFE THROUGH REDUCING ILLEGAL, UNREPORTED AND UNREGULATED FISHING IN THE MARINE AQUARIUM TRADE. ACTIVITIES INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO, ADVOCACY, RESEARCH, AND CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT IN DOCUMENTING AND REPORTING SUSPECTED ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES IN THE MARINE AQUARIUM TRADE. 808-NO-POACH/ANTI-POACHING EFFORTS: FTF CONDUCTED INVESTIGATIONS STEMMING FROM INFORMATION PROVIDED BY CONCERNED CITIZENS IN HAWAII. PARTNERING WITH STATE AND FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, FTF LAID THE GROUNDWORK THAT LED TO CITATIONS, CONVICTIONS, AND LARGE FINES FOR A NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS INVOLVED IN THREE LARGE AQUARIUM POACHING OPERATIONS ON HAWAII ISLAND. CYANIDE FISH ASSESSMENT: EXPERTS ESTIMATE THAT UPWARDS OF 90% OF CORAL REEF FISHES SOLD IN THE MARINE AQUARIUM TRADE ARE ILLEGALLY CAPTURED WITH CYANIDE WHICH IS USED TO PARALYZE FISH FOR EASY CAPTURE. CYANIDE IS HIGHLY POISONOUS TO BOTH THE VERTEBRATE AND INVERTEBRATE ORGANISMS EXPOSED TO IT: AT HIGHER CONCENTRATIONS IT IS IMMEDIATELY LETHAL, AND AT LOWER CONCENTRATIONS IT CAUSES ORGAN AND TISSUE DAMAGE THAT ARE IRREVERSIBLE AND LEAD TO DELAYED MORTALITY. FTF IS WORKING WITH A LEADING CORAL EXPERT AND FORENSIC ECOTOXICOLOGIST IN RESEARCH TO ASSESS THE PREVALENCE OF CYANIDE- CAUGHT FISH IN THE U.S. MARINE AQUARIUM TRADE. ORGANIZATION IS NOT PART OF AN AFFILIATED GROUP.