Indo Reefs in Komodo National Park Getting Blasted

Discussion in 'Environmental' started by Matt Rogers, Apr 22, 2012.

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  1. Matt Rogers

    Matt Rogers Kingfish

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    Video footage of blasted coral reefs in Indonesia's Komodo National Park are starting to go viral thanks to the efforts of Save Komodo and blogs that are bringing international attention to the issue. The reefs around Komodo Island are supposed to be protected and even have "no-take" zones that are patrolled. The park is a U.N. World Heritage site. Yet illegal fisherman are going into these waters in hopes of catching high value fish for export. It is their preference for dynamite fishing that is causing some alarm. Areas of the coral reef as large as 500 square meters shown below in Tatawa Besar are being flattened. The video and pictures going around are disturbing. Maybe the attention will help turn it around.


    Stop Cyanide/Blast Fishing in Komodo National Park

    More:
    Fishermen blast premier dive sites off Indonesia - CBS News

    Save Komodo | causes.com

    The Seattle Times: Fishermen blast premier dive sites off Indonesia, decimating coral


    There is a petition on Save Komodo. They are trying to get 2000 signatures. As of this writing, they are at 499. If you want to help, link below.

    Petition:
    Stop Cyanide/Blast fishing in Komodo National Park | Save Komodo | causes.com
     
    Last edited: Apr 23, 2012
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  3. mike007

    mike007 Sea Dragon

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    Petition Signed

    Wish there was more of a way to act on this though..
     
  4. chumslickjon

    chumslickjon Purple Spiny Lobster

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    Actually, you can do more. Try buying fish from sources that don't do this kind of thing. Who knows where we buy the fish that we keep in these glass cases from?

    Oh, and I just have to point out that the use of the term fishermen is used so blately that you could easily confuse it with sustainable fishery management. The techniques being used are for the aquarium trade. It's terrible what's going on out there today.
     
  5. Matt Rogers

    Matt Rogers Kingfish

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    Maybe but the article isn't clear - it states:

     
  6. chumslickjon

    chumslickjon Purple Spiny Lobster

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    But it also states that they use the explosions to "stun" the fish. You don't necesarily stun the fish that you are trying to kill, unless they plan on keeping them alive for something else.

    There's been a lot of anti-fishing propoganda being pushed recently, and while I think sustainable fishing is needed, no-take zones are simply a way to end fishing all together, and thats their ultimate goal.

    It's a shame that they're using cyanide and explosives to collect fish and that practice needs to end.
     
  7. gcarroll

    gcarroll Zoanthid

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    I will play devil's advocate for a moment...

    I think we need to be very careful with the info presented in the video. There are a number of things in the video that seem suspicious to me and I would not be so quick to condemn the so called blasting.
    1. Only the first guy refers to cyanide fishing. Also some of the captions refer to cyanide/blast fishing. All of the visual evidence presented has nothing to do with cyanide fishing. None of the other tourist mentions cyanide.
    2. Also the damage is also consistent with dredging which could be done to clear shipping lanes.
    3. The video also stated that the blasting was done in the off season. When is the off season there? It's not like the weather changes much any time of the year.
    3. The damage was reported to be 100 sq/meters. That is not that big of an area. 30' x 30'. I would expect blast fishing to be in sporadic places, not all in one area as the video suggested. It would take a lot of dynamite over and over to damage a large area. It not like the fish would hang out to be repeatedly blasted.
     
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  9. clarkkey594

    clarkkey594 Aiptasia Anemone

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    Those are some very valid points but the cyanide and or blast fishing still needs to be put to an end.