Cyanide and Dynamite Fishing
Cyanide and dynamite fishing are cataclysmic fishing techniques that have detrimental and long lasting effects on coral reefs and marine ecosystems. Although illegal in many countries, cyanide and dynamite fishing continue to be executed in un-policed areas, especially in regions like South East Asia. The equipment needed for these fishing methods are relatively cheap however, the damages caused ultimately lead to very irreversible consequences that are only increasing as the practice of these methods gain popularity.
Cyanide fishing involves the use of the toxicant cyanide to temporality stun and gather reef fish for life fish industry and aquarium trade. Cyanide pellets are crushed and mixed with seawater before being squirted on to coral heads. This allows fishermen to catch fish that try to escape into crevices. Cyanide toxicants disturb the symbiotic relationship between the coral polyp hosts and zooxanthelle. But since the early 1980s, a more profitable business has emerged that involves supplying live reef fish for the restaurants of Hong Kong, Singapore, and Mainland China. About 20,000 tons of live fish are sold annually and for every live fish caught using cyanide, a square meter of the coral reef is killed. According to the Community Investment Forum, loss of live coral in Indonesia, as a result of cyanide fishing, is approximately 0.052 m2 per 100 m2 of reef per year.
Despite the fact that cyanide fishing is nominally illegal in almost all Indo-Pacific countries, the high premium pay for live reef fish, weak enforcement capacities, and frequent corruption have spread the use of the poison across the entire region. As the stocks in one country are diminishing, the trade proceeds to new fron...
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Ignorance, unemployment, poverty, greed and lack of discipline are only some of the factors that have led to the growth in popularity of Cyanide and Dynamite fishing. These dangerous fishing methods may not seem like a big deal but in the long run it can bring tragic consequences. We share this earth with not only other humans, but with other animals and organisms. Neither one of us can survive without the other, and wiping out coral reefs through Cyanide and Dynamite fishing wipes out hundreds of other species that are crucial to the ultimate survival of our planet. There are better and safer fishing methods that we can practice which will allow coral reefs and their environments to grow and thrive. We always have a choice, so let’s make the choice to be more aware and help rather than hurt those we share our planet Earth with.
In the past twenty years a large amount of bottlenose dolphin have been killed due to the tuna fishery. In the Eastern Pacific swim large schools of tuna, these shoals tend to be under herds of dolphins, for some unexplained reason. Because of this, fishermen can easily find schools of tuna. The tuna are being caught under purse seine nets, which encircles the shoals of tuna and then is pulled back on board the fishing vessel, catching both tuna and dolphin. Initially the mortality rate was 500,000 each year for dolphins alone. Although some efforts are made to encourage the dolphins to leave the net by backing down part of the net, which allows the dolphins to escape, there are still a large number of mortalities (Bryant). On the other hand, in the last few years there has been dramatic progress in stopping the fishing industries from using purse sine nets. It has been found that dolphins are in immediate danger of extinction if these fishing techniques don’t stop.
With a coastline of over 202 000 km and over a fourth of the world’s freshwater resources, it is no wonder why Canada’s fishing industry is a huge part of its economy.1 Canada exports more than 75% of its fish to over 130 countries worldwide. Many of the 7 million people who reside on the coast depend on the ocean’s resources. In total, Canada’s entire fishing industry is worth around 5$ billion dollars a year, being one of the world’s most valuable. However, the coasts have not been treated by respect; overfishing, over consumption, and wasteful practices has deteriorated, not only the industry, but the ecosystems and fish populations. This is a huge global issue; the worldwide collapse of fisheries has been project for 2048. Slowly, as the trends continue, we will inevitably see many fish species start to disappear. In fact, the ill-treatment of species on the Canadian border has already devastated a large specie, the cod.
Countries, fisheries, and consumers all need to share the responsibility for conserving endangered marine life. First, governments should base their policies on scientific factors and should look for better economic incentives to stop fisheries from overfishing. Second, fisheries should use methods that are not so destructive to the fish population. Finally, consumers should avoid buying endangered seafood, even if they have to pay a little more. If these parties recognize that it is worthwhile to conserve marine species, then they must accept this responsibility.
According to Animal Planet, sharks, on average, kill ten humans per year, while humans kill eighty-eight to one hundred million sharks per year. Humans hunt sharks for their meat, internal organs, skin, and primarily for their fins in order to make products such as lubricants, make-up, and mainly shark fin soup. The growing Chinese economy has cause an increase in the demand for shark fin soup. Some species of sharks have reduced over 90% in population for a bowl of soup that has no scientifically proven nutritional value. The poaching of sharks as seen in the shark fin trade should cease because it causes a collapse of the marine ecosystem and endangers the shark species.
There are many impacts that fishing and land animal farming have on the ocean, which are detrimental to ocean ecosystems as well as many other aspects of the environment. Overfishing, killing fish at a much quicker rate than the fish can repopulate, is one major problem. Three-fourths of the world’s fisheries are either fully exploited, overexploited, or depleted (Cowspiracy). Researchers have estimated an end of all viable fisheries by 2018 if the current trends of fishing continue (Mason). According to the Monterey Bay Seafood Watch, hundreds of thousands of animals die every year as bycatch, with one of the worst offenders being shrimp fisheries, catching up to six pounds of bycatch per pound of shrimp. Endangered species are also caught, including predators which are important in keeping the balance in ocean ecosystems (Smith). While many organizations such as the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch recommend consumers to eat more “sustainable” fish, this will not stop the massive environmental impacts. Sustainable fishing for one does not account for the natural flux in the population of species of fish; what is considered a sustainable amount of fish to harvest one year may deplete the fishery in another year (Smith). Sustainable fish also are becoming even less sustainable as companies that label sustainable fish must find more For example, after Wal-Mart pledged to selling Marine Stewardship
Within the past fifty years, the slaughter of sharks has risen 400 percent (Sea Shepherd). This translates to an estimated 100 million sharks that are fished per year (Predators as Prey). According to the World Conservation Union’s Red List of Threatened Species,
...e use of chemicals in gardens by only using the recommended amount, dispose chemicals properly, buying organic produce, and buying fish that are not over fished are all ways to help preserve the reef within people’s homes. There are many ways people can help when on the reef, fishing near the reef, and at home.
Overfishing is a harmful practice, that will eventually lead to the collapse of aquatic ecosystems, if it’s not dealt with promptly. Overfishing emerges from the combination of our over consumptive society mixed with the great profits that come from hauling in a good catch. The consumers demand for fish in Japan seems to be at an increasingly high rate due to the enjoyment and cultural values that arise from sushi and other traditional dishes involving seafood. Approximately 23 percent of Japan’s protein intake comes from the ocean, and as a nation consumes 7.5 million tonnes of seafood annually. CITATION
Climate change and Global Warming are out of control. This means that, no matter what policies, processes or actions are implemented, the Earth as we know it will never be the same again. There is significant evidence to support this hypothesis. The dilemma becomes whether we can limit the damage and adapt to a new status quo or not. Rising sea levels and the damage caused by this phenomenon has irreversible impacts on coastlines worldwide. Damage to sensitive reef systems cannot be fixed. This also has permanent impacts of the ecology not just of those immediate areas but also the ocean as a whole.
Fishing has been a mainstay industry in Sri Lanka for centuries, but it has been ravaged with political, economic, environmental disasters and social issues over the past century (Olstrom, 1990, Yamada, et al., 2006, Arunatilake et al., 2014). In the southern tip of Sri Lanka, lies the fishing village of Mawelle (Ostrom, 1990, p. 149). Southern Sri Lanka’s fishermen fish with beach seines (called madella or “big net”) that are half-mile long nets and were a source of economic stability for the individuals living in the region (Ostrom, 1990, p. 149).
For a long time, human overconsumption has depleted the earth’s resources and as a result, has led to the extinction of any important species in all eco systems. Coral Reefs are a major component to the ocean and its marine food chain. Just like many other ecosystems, the health of coral reefs in general is in a decline, for many reasons. Some reasons include but are not limited to: CO2 emissions, Overfishing, Explosive fishing, and Pollution. Coral Reefs are again one of the most diverse yet fragile ecosystems on the planet, they are also regarded to many marine biologists as “the rainforest of the oceans”. The reefs are not only important to the species from there itself but are also protecting species living near coral reefs. The decline in health won’t only result in harming species in the oceans but also many land creatures as well. The effects of over-fishing have/will break the food chain. Causing cases of over/undergrowth to many species linked with coral. However on the other hand, there are many organizations dedicated to protecting environments that are being threatened due to human activity.
DuTemple points out that there are also many threats to coral reefs relating to humans’ fishing and recreational activities, such as poison fishing, blast fishing, overfishing, and careless tourism/human contact. Fishermen sometimes stun fish residing in coral reefs by shooting cyanide, an extremely toxic poison into the reef.
Some animals like many species of sharks do not produce a large amount of offspring in their lives and it takes some sharks many years to reach their sexual maturity. The bottom line is that over finning is diminishing an animal population that not only will affect the entire ocean if taken too far, but also a population that is quite difficult to repopulate. In this proposal we will discuss the history and culture of shark finning, impacts, laws and regulations, and the conservation movements. Our most pressing goal in this is to educate and inform those who lack the knowledge or resources to make informed decisions on what can be conceived as too much harvesting of a 2 resource whether that resource is an abundant blade of grass or a 400 million old species that the entire aquatic ecosystem hangs on the balance of.
Coral reefs are said to be the foundation for many marine species, and are a crucial support for human life. The coral reef ecosystem is an a diverse collection of species that interact with each other and the physical environment. Coral reefs are the homes of many species including crabs, shrimp, oysters, and clams, foods eaten by humans on a daily basis. Coral reefs are among the most diverse and biologically complex ecosystems on earth, supporting 33% of marine fish species. Research has shown that there exist a host of dangers for these precious species that are living in our very oceans and alongside our seashores, and these are some pertinent questions that need to be addressed in order to establish whether coral reefs are needed for our future existence and to global warming:
Corals provide shelter for nearly one quarter of all known marine species. The reefs are home to over 4000 species of fish, 700 species of coral, and thousands of other forms of plant and animal life. Living coral reefs are the foundation of marine life, and this also means that they are essential for human life, but all over the world they are dead or dying because people are destroying them at a very fast rate. Already 10% have been lost, and there are predictions that 705 of all corals on the planet will be destroyed in 20 to 40 years unless people stop doing what they are doing now – i.e., pollution, sewage, erosion, cyanide fishing, bad tourism.