Biggdriver: I am glad to hear you're concern about cyanide-caught fish. I recently read a chapter in The Conscientious Marine Aquarist that deals with this very problem. I cannot express the degree of anger that I felt after discovering the truth behind cyanide catching. It is a destructive practice in that it destroys the entire reef environment, not just the fish that it is used on. Fish exposed to the chemical cyanide (oh yeah, they commonly mix it with gasoline) almost always pass out on the spot, some recover later in an oxygen starved, cold, shaky, plastic bag on the way to the lfs. Others die immediately. Once released into the water, cyanide doesn't discriminate: it destroys delicate corals, other invertebrates such as crabs, and is unintentionally ingested by commercially caught fish (grouper, flounder, etc). Yeah, the ones that we eat...that couldn't be healthy.
According to the book, written by Robert Fenner, the chemicals have left many reefs barren, drab conglomerations of calcium coral skeletons and piles of dead fish. I don't doubt that in the least. We as fish keepers (who care a great deal for the future of the reefs) must stand up against this shocking misuse of the environment. Just because we don't see it happen or hear about it every day on the news doesn't mean that It is not happening.
Advocates of cyanide fishing cling to this deplorable practice because it saves them a buck or two. "Come on," they might say, "it's only a fish." These people represent the lowest form of life in the world: they are ruthless money glutton's that care for no one else. We must not place all of the blame on the people of the Phillipines who collect these fish, rather we should look to the large companies that pay them for illegally aquired fish. Also, this practice is illegal in the Phillipines, but it still happens. This must be stopped.
Sorry for the long post, but this is no matter that can be summed up in a sentence or two. In fact, this post is far too short to express the incredible weight of this issue. We, as informed saltwater fishkeepers, are the number one ally for the defenseless fish. There is the possibility of keeping fish ethically: in fact, our successes in this hobby can play a huge role in restocking the reefs that these terrible money hogs have depleted. Obviously, i feel very strongly about this issue, and i hope others do as well. We must scrutinize our distributors, our government, and our peers to solve this paramount issue. Start by serious inquiries into the fish sellers reputation. Don't buy fish from the Phillipines if you can avoid it. Secondly, write your representatives and senators, on the state and especially the national level. We must all remember that this wonderful American government is "of the people, by the people, and FOR THE PEOPLE." Use this incredible resource to rectify the problem at hand. Visit the federal government's website for details on how to help : <a href="http://www.coral.org" target="_blank">www.coral.org</a> (the coral reef task force). Lastly, spread the word to your fellow aquarists! Tell them of these unsightly practices. We must always remember that if we do not like the way that the world works, we should not sit idly by, we should do our damnedest to change it for the better!
Thank you for reading this very important post - David
