Posted by Buddy on March 04, 2003 at 10:30:50:
In Reply to: Fish ethics posted by thefiradragon on March 03, 2003 at 16:22:42:
:hello
:im writing a paper on cyanide and i have read that it is sometimes used to help "catch" saltwater fish
:does anyone here know of any websites thats about this?
:im writing a tox paper on cyanide and all the extra information helps alot
:thanx
:Ashley
Hi Ashley,
Now if you not mind, i`ll give things to you in a more understanding way, which is distroying our oceans. You need to forgive me if i some how mention the same thing here or there. Now there isn`t any type a way one can say this in a few lines, and cyaniding, isn`t the only problem.
The World has lost over a quarter of the world's coral reefs. If the present rate of destruction continues, 60% of the world's coral reefs will or could be destroyed in the next 30 years. The loss of healthy coral reefs would mean the elimination of a primary source of food, income and employment for millions of people around the world, as well as the extinction of many fascinating and beautiful marine species.
Coral reefs have always faced damage from natural causes such as cyclones, pest outbreaks, and disease. Coral is also broken by fish and other forms of marine life. Under normal conditions, reefs are resilient to such damage and recover over time. Additional human pressures, however, are weakening the reefs, reducing their ability to regenerate and recover from natural damage.
Scientists have identified pollution as one of the leading causes of coral reef degradation. This threat comes from a variety of sources. For example, oil, gas, and pesticide contamination poisons coral and marine life. Pollution also reaches reefs when communities and industries dump human and animal waste and/or fertilizer into ocean and river systems. These pollutants increase the level of nitrogen around coral reefs, causing an overgrowth of algae, which smothers reefs by cutting off their sunlight.
Coastal populations have risen, increasing the pressures on coastal resources. This has led to a multitude of problems for coral reefs. In many areas, developers have constructed piers and other structures directly on top of coral reefs. At one time, big cities such as Hong Kong, Singapore, Manila, and Honolulu had thriving coral reefs. Long ago these reefs were destroyed by humans. Now, reefs growing near other coastal communities are experiencing the same coral degradation.
Although cyanide fishing supplies live reef fish for the tropical aquarium market, most fish caught using cyanide are sold in restaurants, primarily in Asia, where live fish are prized for their freshness. To catch fish with cyanide, fishers dive down to the reef and squirt cyanide in coral crevices and on the fast-moving fish, to stun them and make them easy to catch. Although some large tropical fish can metabolize cyanide, smaller fish and other marine animals, such as coral polyps, are poisoned by the chemical cloud produced during this practice. Overfishing is another leading cause of coral reef degradation. Often, too many fish are taken from one reef to sustain a population in that area. Poor fishing practices, such as using explosives, blow apart the surrounding coral reducing the reef to rubble. In other instances, fishers bang on the reef with sticks, which destroys coral formations that normally function as fish habitat.
. Many reefs are being destroyed by coral mining. Coral is collected for coral curios and jewelry and often sold to tourists and exporters in markets of developing countries. Sand and limestone from coral reefs are made into cement for new buildings. Coral pieces are also sometimes removed for use as bricks and road-fill.
Global warming is caused by the accumulation of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere. This is primarily due to fossil fuel burning and deforestation. Increased water temperatures, which may be linked to global warming, are dangerous to coral since corals are very sensitive to changes in temperature. Higher temperatures in coral waters stress corals and can lead to mass coral bleaching. Coral bleaching occurs when coral polyps, stressed by heat or ultraviolet radiation, expel the algae that live within them. These algae, called zooxanthellae, normally provide the coral with up to 80% of their energy, making zooxanthellae essential for coral survival. The algae are also normally responsible for the color of coral, so when it is expelled, the coral appears white or "bleached." Bleached coral can sometimes recover if conditions return to normal. However, in the face of other human-induced pressures, corals have become vulnerable and in many cases, bleached coral colonies die.
In the past few decades, the amount of carbon dioxide in the air has increased by one-third. This is harmful to corals because increased amounts of carbon dioxide are dissolving in the water, which appears to be dissolving the skeletons of corals. As a result, corals in waters with large amounts of carbon dioxide grow weaker skeletons, making them more vulnerable to damage from waves, careless tourists, and destructive fishers.
The destruction of the ozone layer, which accompanies global warming, is caused by the presence of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and other chemicals in the atmosphere. This presence causes the depletion of protective ozone in the atmosphere and increases the intensity and nature of ultraviolet radiation that reaches the earth's surface. Although corals have a natural sunscreen to protect themselves from the tropical sun, most scientists believe increased levels of ultraviolet radiation damages coral in shallow areas. The United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has estimated that 950 million people worldwide rely on fish and shellfish for more than one-third of their animal protein. Over 200 million people depend upon fish as a main source of income, particularly subsistence fishers in developing countries. The Humane Society of the United States recognizes the significant international dependence on fishing as an industry. Their primary concerns are the gross over-exploitation of fish populations, the impact of commercial fishing activities on other, non-target marine creatures, and the growing tendency of governments and industry to blame marine mammal predation for fish stock depletion.
There are other factors contributing to the decline of the global fish population. As much as one-fourth of the annual catch is lost to spoilage or discarded as bycatch (fish that are under-sized or species of little or no commercial value to a particular fishery, although fish discarded as bycatch in one fishery may be the target species for another). Nets lost at sea continue to catch and kill fish and other marine life. Some fishers use potentially dangerous methods such as dynamite or cyanide to bring fish to the surface, which can heavily damage or destroy ecosystems such as coral reefs.
About 80% of marine pollution is land based. Coastal development has caused environmental degradation of marine ecosystems, including fragile coastal nursery areas used by open-ocean species, with increased erosion, sewage, toxic chemicals, and industrial pollution in rivers. Activities including dredging, oil drilling (and spills), pipe laying, and waste dumping all endanger fish habitats. It is predicted that global warming will slowly raise ocean temperatures. Increased ultraviolet radiation from ozone depletion threatens many species. Nuclear pollution in parts of the world also harms marine life. In addition, human introduction of exotic species threatens native populations.
As a conservative estimate, more than 30 million tons of marine mammals, sea turtles, seabirds, sharks, and other unwanted fish are thrown back into the oceans, dead or dying, annually. Researchers beleive the actual number is almost certainly far higher. Methods used by large-scale fisheries often prove deadly to the many other marine creatures who share their home with commercially targeted fish species. Some fisheries use large nets with small mesh, trapping or fatally wounding many non-target species. Other gear with high bycatch rates include "longlines" and "bottom trawls." One of the worst fishing methods is drift-netting; a drift-net may be miles long, with an all-but-invisible plastic mesh that ensnares everything in its path. The United States now requires other nations to restrict drift-net fishing if they wish to export fish or fish products (such as coral) to the United States.
At least 40,000 sea turtles are killed annually in shrimp trawls. Sea turtles are susceptible to high egg and early-life mortality and rely heavily on adult survival. In 1991, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service estimated that there were fewer than 1,000 nesting females of the highly endangered Kemp's Ridley turtle. All five sea turtle species found in U.S. waters are threatened or endangered. In 1989, regulations were established requiring all boats in the Gulf of Mexico to use Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) to reduce sea turtle mortality in shrimp trawls. Other nations must also use TEDs if they wish to export their shrimp to the U.S... I write letters to fish companies and researchers urging them to adopt practices that help protect these species, and to outlaw cyanide and dynamite trapping. Surely if and when this can come about, fish prices will rise as a result.
However, coral reefs not only benefit marine life, but people as well. Coral reefs help to protect shorelines from erosion, and keep coastal communities intact. Coral reefs also supply fish, shellfish, and other marine organisms upon which many economies depend. These include commercial aspects (food exported for the world market), recreation (providing jobs through fishing and tourism), and ornamental goods (providing jobs and income for tropical fish exporters).
Furthermore, researchers claim coral reefs hold vast secrets that can be proved beneficial to humankind. For example, compounds derived from Caribbean sponges are being used in the treatment of cancer and Herpes simplex. Other organisms found in coral reefs are used in treating a multitude of diseases throughout the world.
Studies conducted by the Marine Science Institute of the University of the Philippine have come to the conclusion that only five percent of the reefs are in excellent condition while seventy percent are either destroyed or on the verge of destruction. Coral reefs are damaged in two ways; naturally and human-caused. Natural threats to coral reefs include strong weather phenomena (hurricanes, storms, etc.), salinity changes do to rain/drought, and organisms that consume the corals that make up the reef such as the spiny urchin. Human-caused threats to coral reefs are many, and far more damaging than natural threats. For example, man-made pollutants (carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and chlorofluorocarbons) are building up in the atmosphere, trapping in heat from the sun. The subsequent increase in ocean temperatures, sea levels, and disturbances in the normal weather patterns negatively affect the corals. The corals become more susceptible to diseases, such as bleaching. Temperature is a major driving factor in coral bleaching events. "Temperatures of 30-31 degrees Celsius (86-87.8 degrees F.) are common triggers. "If these elevated temperatures continue for 1-2 months, the results can be lethal".
It is said that 40% of marine pollution derives from the land. Sewage and fertilizers can have disastrous effects when dumped into the ocean. They bring increased nutrients to an environment that is not accustomed to it. Dredging, which disturbs the sea floor, causes massive amounts of silt which can destroy the organisms in the reefs. Corals expend a lot of energy removing silt, and too much sediment can smother the corals. Loss of oxygen and vital nutrients can quickly follow. Also, silt allows much less light to penetrate, which can harm corals with zooxanthellae.
Sodium cyanide is a chemical used to stun reef fish, thus making them easier to catch. NaCN has been used by fish collectors in the Philippines since 1962 . This toxic chemical stuns fish, and makes them easier to catch. The fish that were given sublethal doses of NaCN did not show any signs of illness until a week or two later.
The effects from cyanide show that it is indeed a toxic substance. NaCN can cause interference with oxygen metabolism by blocking key enzyme systems such as cytochrome oxidase, thus reducing the capacity of hemoglobin to carry oxygen in the blood. This blocks enzymatic pathways in the liver, and can lead to the death of the fish.
When NaCN is dissolved in water, it dissociates to HCN (hydrocyanic acid), which is quickly taken up by the fish. Very soon after the exposure, an enzyme called rhodanase (thiosulfate sulfur transferase) converts the HCN to SCN- (thiocyanate). SCN- is then slowly excreted in the urine. Stress is then a major factor after being exposed to NaCN. Stress can cause a decrease in blood pH, and in turn, causes SCN to be converted back to HCN. With HCN in the blood, the fish may die due to the chemical acting on the neurological centers in the brain.
Not only does sodium cyanide affect fish, but the residue also does a great deal of damage to corals and other organisms. With all of the affects to marine organisms, one must expect it to have some bearing on human beings as well. Although eating fish caught by way of sodium cyanide does not appear harmful to adults,but reserachers beleive it may harm children. Sodium cyanide poses a great threat to coral reefs and humans. Action must be taken to control and prohibit the usage of this chemical.
Another great threat to coral reefs, is the use of dynamite for collecting fish. Dynamite, or any other form of explosive, is used in capturing fish by rupturing their air bladders. When the fish float up to the surface, the fishermen can just scoop them up. However, these explosions destroy reef formations, kill non-target species.
A great deal can be learned from coral reefs. This is why it is considered important natural capital. An effort must be made to ensure the survival of these types of ecosystems. Laws must be enforced, and the people must be educated. Using nets instead of sodium cyanide or dynamite will keep the coral reefs intact. Preserving what little coral reefs we have left is to our benefit. These ecosystems, acting in unison, keep the earth as a sustainable environment for all life.
There are setbacks, however, to providing a sustainable environment in the Lingayen Gulf and protecting its coral reefs. For instance, pollution will continue to build up as long as there is society. People will continue to farm, produce items in factories, and dump nutrients into the ocean.
The importance of coral reefs cannot be stressed enough. About 71% of Philippine reefs are in poor to fair condition. It is indicated that of 1,000 collectors, NaCN is covering about 11 million coral heads per year. This chemical is, in turn, killing off corals. The coral heads turn a bleached white color and later become encrusted with algae. The algae will not let the coral grow back over its skeleton. Dynamite is also destroying the coral reefs as the corals themselves are broken apart.
Nets, a vital alternative to cyanide and dynamite, is not seen as an easy way to capture fish by the fishers. However, nets are far superior to cyanide in that the fish have a higher survivability rate. They are also better than dynamite as there is no by-catch. In 1984, the Project Compassion training course sponsored by the Environmental Centre of the Philippines, introduced a ten-day program. This consisted of a three-day orientation, and seven days of actual training. The training also included environmental, social, and economic arguments for better reef fisheries management. During that year, fish caught with nets ensured a 95% survival rate. But ever since then i heard nothing else on this.
In June 1985, a non-profit organization, the International Marinelife Alliance (IMA) was formed to protect the natural resources of the ocean. Their goal was to conserve the diversity of life, and not only protect individual species, but whole ecosystems as well. It is organizations like these that can help the Lingayen Gulf reclaim its beauty through its waters. The lessons learned from them are invaluable, and will proceed as long as there are people willing to change.
All of these proposed plans to make the Lingayen Gulf sustainable must be thoroughly researched. For it is when the benefits outweigh the consequences that people will look at the land as a precious commodity. First, the people in the Philippines need to be taught the importance of the coral reefs. Once they learn that, they will appreciate all that the coral reefs have to offer. Next, harmful practices such as cyanide/dynamite fishing, dumping of pollutants into our waters, and a blatant disregard for the environment must not be condoned.
About around October 2000, in Indonesia scientists from around the world have issued a call for humanity to reduce the damage it is doing to coral reefs. Reefs are the foundations of tropical marine ecosystems and provide essential “natural services”to island communities such as food and protection from erosive wave action.
Meeting in Indonesia—heart of the world’s marine biological diversity—1,500 scientists from more than 50 countries discussed breakthroughs in understanding the health of coral reefs and addressed the serious degradation that coral reefs are suffering at the hands of human beings. A nine-member scientific panel representing the majority of scientists at the Ninth International Coral Reef Symposium in Bali and including some of the world’s preeminent marine biologists concluded that, barring major reforms, “coral reefs face a bleak future.”
The overwhelming majority of scientists at the Bali conference agreed that climate change is having a significant impact on the world’s coral reefs. High water temperatures—such as the record sea surface temperatures reached throughout the tropics during the 1997-98 El Nino Southern Oscillation event--cause coral to “bleach” or expel the algae they live symbiotically with. Bleaching starves and often kills corals. It also makes them more susceptible to marine diseases, elevated concentrations of carbon dioxide.
In addition to the call to action, scientists presented more than 1500 papers detailing the latest science on these rich but endangered ecosystems. Perhaps the most comprehensive of the reports released at the conference was the Status of Coral Reefs of the World 2000 report of the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network, which found that one-fourth of the world’s reefs had been eliminated and another third were severely threatened. Those findings set the context for the ‘emergency room science’ discussed at the meeting. Most of the scientific papers--on topics as varied as shrimp genetics and aquarium trade economics--had conservation implications or focus.
Other symposium studies helped shed light on the spread of diseases in coral reef ecosystems and suggested possible breakthroughs in helping coral reef ecosystems survive coral bleaching and ideas for helping coral reef managers prevent degradation by more local forces such as blast and cyanide fishing. Surprising findings include the partial but rapid recovery of some reefs from the 1997-98 El Nino, in part due to the recently-discovered diversity of algae that can live even within one coral colony.
The scientists agreed that both local, immediate threats like dynamite fishing and global, and global threats like climate change must be addressed simultaneously. As Ove Hoegh-Guldberg, director of the Centre for Marine Studies at the University of Queensland explained at one time, “If you’re being charged by a rhino at 20 meters, and 100 meters away there’s an enraged bull elephant, it pays to concentrate on both of those animals.”
Happy Fishing ><{{{{">
Buddy
