We had an excellent speaker in Ret Talbot last weekend. He spoke on

Once again, for those who missed it, here was the topic of his talk:

Reef to Reef Tank: Sustainability and the Marine Aquarium Trade – This talk lifts the veil and gives the aquarist a glimpse into what goes into bringing a sustainably-collected fish, coral or other invertebrate from the ocean to the home aquarium. Based on Talbot’s travels across the Pacific reporting on marine aquarium fisheries for CORAL Magazine, this talk looks at the environmental and socio-economic impacts of the marine aquarium trade on developing island nations and gives aquarists interested in using their purchasing power to support sustainability some hands-on tools they can start using right away. The talk is also a primer on the state of the marine aquarium trade within the context of legislation and litigation intent on closing marine aquarium fisheries and even the hobby in the United States. While this talk addresses some important issues head-on, it is not short on beautiful images and compelling stories about the animals marine aquarists love and how they reach aquaria around the world from some very remote corners of the globe. Some of Ret’s photography featured in the presentation will be available for sale after the talk, as will Karen Talbot’s reef-related scientific illustrations and fine art.

Enjoy some photos from the event.

Happy 30th Birthday, Betty!

MAST is excited to announce that Ret Talbot will be speaking for MAST on April 21, 2012.  Save the date!  More details to come including venue and post-event banquet.

Here’s a brief on his talk:

Reef to Reef Tank: Sustainability and the Marine Aquarium Trade – This talk lifts the veil and gives the aquarist a glimpse into what goes into bringing a sustainably-collected fish, coral or other invertebrate from the ocean to the home aquarium.

Based on Talbot’s travels across the Pacific reporting on marine aquarium fisheries for CORAL Magazine, this talk looks at the environmental and socio-economic impacts of the marine aquarium trade on developing island nations and gives aquarists interested in using their purchasing power to support sustainability some hands-on tools they can start using right away. The talk is also a primer on the state of the marine aquarium trade within the context of legislation and litigation intent on closing marine aquarium fisheries and even the hobby in the United States. While this talk addresses some important issues head-on, it is not short on beautiful images and compelling stories about the animals marine aquarists love and how they reach aquaria around the world from some very remote corners of the globe. Some of Ret’s photography featured in the presentation will be available for sale after the talk, as will Karen Talbot’s reef-related scientific illustrations and fine art.

More the speaker:

Ret Talbot is an award-winning freelance writer and photographer who frequently reports on the marine aquarium industry. Most often addressing topics at the intersection of the hobby, science and conservation, Talbot is a strong advocate for a robust and sustainable marine aquarium trade where aquarists serve a critical role on the front line of reef conservation. As a marketing consultant and editor, he has worked with many leading marine aquarium companies to promote that vision. When he isn’t writing about saltwater aquaria (or tending to one of his five tanks), Ret is often fly fishing in either salt- or freshwater and writing about conservation issues related to angling and healthy fisheries.

Trained as a writer, Ret holds degrees in writing from both Wheaton College (Massachusetts) and the University of St. Andrews (Scotland). He has travelled the world as a mountaineering and fishing guide, as well as a writer seeking out stories in some of the most remote and inaccessible regions on the face of the Earth. His aquarium-related books include The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Saltwater Aquariums (September 2009) andCoral (forthcoming). His aquarium articles can be found in print publications such as Coral Magazine, where he is a senior editor. Ret and his wife Karen, an artist known for her scientific illustrations of fishes, split their time between Laguna Beach, California and Jackson Hole, Wyoming.