The Dark Hobby

The Dark Hobby follows conservationists and scientists who will stop at nothing to protect what's underwater, which as always comes down to the battle between commerce and conservation. Aquarium trade extraction is an industry worth billions that has devastated reef species and habitats globally. In early 2021, a Hawaii Circuit court upheld the Supreme Court ruling that the aquarium trade must end. The relentless ten-year legal battle unravels and weaves through this film, showing that while so many animals are protected, those underwater are regularly abused. "In Hawaii, the reefs, turtles, whales and dolphins are all protected, but everyone forgot the fish" is the tagline for this movie and it really speaks to what this is all about. Director Paula Fouce really captures the subject well and kept my mind quite open to the things I may have never known before, such as how cyanide is used to knock out fish and bring them to pet stores.

I had no idea that of the destruction of reefs and fish populations by the aquarium industry. Thank you, for making this informative documentary, lets keep the fish in the ocean and save our reefs.

This incredible exposé uncovers the truly damaging and far reaching implications of people poaching wildlife from our oceans' coral reefs. The story is told factually and creatively including beautiful shots uncovering disturbing truths. Natives and experts alike delve into frightening detail bringing to light just how endangered the coral reefs and some species of fish have become. This film is beautiful and educational and hopefully can become a widespread teaching tool and voice to shine a spotlight on these critical, destructive practices.

Not only is this documentary beautiful it is extremely well done & highly educational. The film exposes the horrific truth about the harm caused by harvesting tropical fish for the aquarium trade. Harvesting tropical fish from our oceans depletes the fish population along with destroying our reefs. As humans we need to nurture the ecology of the planet not destroy it. Activists fighting to keep our planet in balance deserve our support. View this film with your neighbors & children!

This doco is stupidly inaccurate! It is almost funny how bad it is. This is a one sided attack on an industry that is highly regulated. From falsified statistics to ignoring conflicting data, this documentary (more like a bunch of lies) shouldn't exist.

I was totally captivated by this documentary! It was absolutely beautiful and so poignant. I so hope everyone gets an opportunity to view this and learns about the harm we are causing harvesting aquarium fish and how we are destroying our reefs. This documentary was so well done: the scenery, music, and speakers were so captivating, and the documentary flowed well and was quite well made. Congratulations of a job well done! Quite educational!

How can we fix what we don't know is broken? How can we make change for something if we can't see what is wrong? The answer is simple...we can't unless we are aware that a problem exists. Hidden under the surface of our oceans within some of the riches habitats on the globe, there IS a problem and we must take immediate action to save our natural world before it disappears. The Dark Hobby, a compelling new documentary film, exposes the ugly truth behind a hobby practiced by so many people globally - the aquarium hobbyist. This film sheds light on the secrets of wildlife trafficking through the corrupt commercial extraction of our most precious species occupying the world's coral reefs. Aquariums are certainly beautiful and enjoyable for humans, but they come at a huge cost to other living things involved in this "hobby" industry. The Dark Hobby highlights some alarming statistics within this captive industry that are sure to shock those that admire these artificial habitats. The film takes us to Hawaii's Kona Coast where Robert Wintner, the film's executive producer and long time marine activist, educates us on the dismal journey of marine life from capture to captivity. Several other activists and research scientists offer additional evidence on this ever so cruel hobby. Plucked from their natural habitat, 99% of marine wildlife die within the first year of captivity - only to be replaced following their death. The continuous demand to replace aquarium life drives many "aquarium collectors" into the business, causing great devastation to marine ecosystems. The Dark Hobby refers to fish keeping as a "global travesty demanding the world's attention" and this film is sure to change minds. The Dark Hobby takes us underwater to some of the richest marine habitats in the world. This exclusive footage is outstanding and beautifully captured by the film's cinematographers. The Hawaiian ecosystems shown in this documentary are so diversified and viewers get a firsthand look at what could be lost if we continue to allow wildlife to be stolen. The scenes with including Native Hawaiians speaking out to save their culture are especially powerful and a great addition to the film. The message in The Dark Hobby is about the need to open our eyes and think critically about all that is involved in human entertainment. Humanity can be driven at times by greed and selfishness, which can cloud reality. Humans are taking away marine life's most prized possession - their freedom - and this film gives us the information and education we need to speak out about giving that freedom back. I give The Dark Hobby 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 8 to 18. Adults, especially animal activists, will also love this documentary. The Dark Hobby makes its debut May 22, 2021 on a variety of digital platforms. Please spread the word, it's critical that this film's message be heard. By Dominic D., KIDS FIRST!

I always knew people took fish from the Coral Reefs as see them in homes, offices, often. However, This Documentary was an real eye opener to how these people collect the fish and the damage they do to Coral Reefs. We are only just learning that our Sea life communicate just as we do with sounds and behaviour and some even have emotions which can clearly been seen in the connections they have with their families. This is an ongoing problem we have to solve before its too late.