Reef fish ‘being eaten to extinction’

I agree with Amy. Enough is enough. 

As with most environmentalist view from the Western Worlds...  It's sort of convenient to just say "don't do it."  However, like the rain forests or rivers in South America, or Lakes of Africa, the people that live in those areas depend on such economy for the livelihood and survival of those towns, villages and even cities.   What we need to state, therefore and take action is to bring alternative ideas, methods of income and resources to those people...  We can't just say stop.  That is like telling America and Europe to stop using oil...  We need to think, create, and establish with massive investment of time, effort and resources to provide an alternative.

What I do know though, as far as reef fishing, at least in ornamental fish for hobbyists and biologists (i.e. home and public aquarium fish), is that a big chunk of prices we pay for these fish are actually going to fund huge education and reform programs in largest locations where they are collected.  These programs provide methods of captive breeding, funds breeding farms to reduce the load or eliminate the collection in reefs of certain species of corals, live rocks, algae and fish.  Education is also being done on how these complex reefs sustain and survive and to guard against non-permitted fishing, as well as establishment of protection in locations that are threatened (before they are classified endangered.)

In turn, these captive breeding farms, and artificial livestock production facilities give increasing number of fish to hobbyists, while decreasing the load on reefs, and also more importantly, giving an alternative economy that is safer and less destructive to the people who depend on the business of selling, exporting, and collection of fish.

Still much more must be done...  AS most of Asian nations grow prosperous and needs for other reasons for fishing like raw materials, and food rises exponentially, we need to provide alternative sources for them through more efficient commerce, economy, and technology and investment.   These are very expensive alternatives at start, but the only people who can make these sacrifices (or afford them) are the people of prosperous nations.  It's not simple, in these times of receding economy in the Western World, but we must find and make room for these contributions and ideas, if all of us really want to harvest the resources we do have to protect these reef and shallow-water environments. 

Please do your part... and stay informed, and make contributions beyond criticisms and words.

As for buying fish, or recommending fish for hobbies or food and resources, take a moment to ask the retailers suppliers, where these are caught and with what permits.   And pay the premium prices if such prices are indicative of these efforts and within legality and more importantly if the methods and sources are reflective of the efforts to made to ensure the sustainability of the environment from which they come.

Thank you for a chance...to save the reefs.

Yes of course...  The greed of irrational practices of businessmen and those profiting from all the related channels within trade has always been the single most difficult to control elements of regulation and protection.  This matter is not isolated to environmental practices nor only in developing nations.  We in the USA, and the most advanced cities face this issue in both micro and macro scale, from food and service industry to sanitation, smog, wastes, and materials of construction just to name a few... 

Perhaps I was a little too narrow in my last statement of post, and yes, if you include such to be an issue, we do have a very immediate threat that needs a forceful temporary action until such time that a more agreeable decision and systems can be implemented. 

However, like all politics one must tread carefully as rash actions can have detrimental effects on future agreements (and more disagreements) toward the goal being focused in the first place.

In any case, let us be aware and take part when we can.  Being informed is the first step and disseminating correct information effectively is our key to saving what we all love.  For that cause, kudos to this article and message.

Places like Cozumel, Mexico have the right idea. Virtually the entire reef system is protected as Wildlife Preserve. Their economy is so dependent on divers, they have taken the steps to ensure that the reefs flourish.

Not only does this make the diving spectacular because the creatures that you see on the reefs do not fear divers and you get to see some amazing things - but it also offers a refuge where the smaller species can thrive and the larger species can come in to feed.

I can only shake my head at places like the Dominican Republic where the waters were fishes so heavily to feed the resort industry that they left the waters empty not only for the divers, but the locals have nothing to fish either.