Interviews with government officials, marine ornamental fish collectors, and aquarium fish exporters were conducted to obtain information on number of fishes and species in exports, distributions of important species, and trends in abundances. Export invoices were obtained from several exporters for future analysis of export trends by species over several years. An experimental approach was initiated to evaluate the impact of ornamental fish collection on local populations and to identify natural fluctuations in abundance due to recruitment variability. Several sites were selected and evaluated based on known levels of collecting pressure. Underwater visual census techniques were utilized to quantify species composition, density, and distribution of selected species important in the ornamental fish trade. A local technician was trained to conduct the monitoring with a sampling protocol established to continue the survey over a 3-year period.