Given the significant threats facing coral reefs today, it is essential to closely monitor the trade of their inhabitants. Our research is driven by questions such as:

• How many fishes are collected from coral reefs worldwide?
• Which species are affected?
• Where exactly does this occur?
• And most importantly, are these species threatened by the trade?

These are just a few of the questions guiding our work.

INTRODUCTION

The trade in marine ornamental fishes is almost a century old but has never been properly monitored. It is valued at several billion dollars a year. [1] [2]

Almost all coral reef fishes kept in aquariums do not come from a breeding facility, but directly from the wild, a coral reef. Of the approximately 2,300 species that are available in trade, only about 1 percent breed in commercial numbers in captivity. For about 340 species, the breeding success rate is still at the research stage. [3]

Due to capture, handling, and transport methods, up to 80 percent of coral reef fishes can die before they reach an aquarium.[4][5][6] Those that do arrive often do not live for very long, which is why an estimated 30 million [2] – possibly as many as 150 million [7] – are traded worldwide every year.

Through our research, we aim to shed light on this trade and determine whether it poses a threat to certain species. [8] We strongly advocate for closer monitoring of this trade. Existing systems such as trade databases could play a key role. In Europe, the Trade Control and Expert System (TRACES) monitors the trade of live animals to the EU. And in the United States of America, a similar database, the Law Enforcement Management Information System (LEMIS) serves this purpose. These tools could be adapted to monitor the trade of marine ornamental fishes to the two of the largest global markets.

According to the IPCC Climate Report (2018), by 2100, with global warming of 1.5°C could cause a 70-90% decline, while warming of 2° C would result in the loss of virtually all (> 99 %) coral reefs. [9]

A 2022 study confirmed these devastating findings. [10] For example, Switzerland – my home country – has already exceeded the 2°C threshold, and globally 2024 was the first full year above 1.5°C relative to pre-industrial temperatures. [10]

According to the Global Tipping Points Report 2025, tropical coral reefs have already crossed their tipping point and are entering a state of irreversible decline. This means the fishes they support will inevitably face a drastically altered future — either being removed from the wild and traded, or facing collapse alongside their habitat.