American Marinelife Dealers Association

The American Marinelife Dealers Association (AMDA) is a non-profit organization promoting sustainable trade in living marine organisms for aquariums. Founded in 1995 by John Tullock, membership is voluntary, and includes marinelife collectors, importers, wholesalers, retailers, propagators and service providers. Support for AMDA work comes from membership dues and contributions.

Interest in marine aquariums is a corollary of appreciation of marine life in their natural habitat. We actively support conservation of these habitats by supporting collectors who practice sustainable harvesting of marine organisms. This gives these collectors financial incentive to protect the reefs and shorelines that provide their livelihood. We pledge that AMDA members will further support this conservation effort through quality husbandry practices and education as outlined in AMDAšs Standards of Practice.

A Letter from the President

AMDA: END OF TERM - JULY 2007

The current term of service for your board is expiring. In the beginning of our term two years ago, we strove to do two things. The first was to tone down the rhetoric. Over the years too many personal agendas were being aired to suit the board members. The issues revolved around the disparate needs of the consumer, distributor, exporter, retailer, e-commerce companies, and service-only organizations. This was especially true when it came to dealing with the catching, shipping, and handling of marine organisms and the impact of their capture on the coral reef environments. Criticisms of the trade in general involved virtually everyone in the marine hobby, starting with the catch procedures of the fishermen right down to the consumer. Everybody had an axe to grind and somebody’s ox to gore. We needed to find a common ground. The consumer wants cheaper prices, better service, better fish, and no risk to his purchases. The retailer is caught in the middle, receiving picked-over livestock from a distributor that allows locals and
e-commerce to pre-select before shipment via a very poor transportation system. [click for more]

Our mission

To promote environmentally responsible marine aquarium keeping
as an entertaining, educational, and worthwhile leisure time activity.

Our goals

Establish a network of retail stores who conduct business by AMDA Standards of Practice;

Raise public awareness of the industry¹s role in marine conservation;

Provide up-to-date information on proper animal husbandry;

Ensure the health and quality of marinelife through responsible handling and husbandry practices;

Encourage responsible husbandry through education and training;

Support supply of captive bred marine organisms as an alternate source of marinelife for aquariums.