Conservation Issues:
Keeping fish has certainly opened my eyes to the issue of reef conservation. Recent studies have shown than several elements are contributing to the loss of our coral reefs. Changes in the ozone layer are causing the temperature in the sea to rise about 2 degrees. This is turn leads to an increase of algal growth, resulting in less light reaching the bottom of the ocean. Without light many of the creatures living in a reef cannot survive. In Fiji it has been shown that silt washing into the rivers has settled on some reef areas and is blocking out the sunlight. These effects can be devastating to a reef. Corals need helper algae in order to survive, but without light or any one factor they will begin to suffer and die. If we don't do something to prevent this, our living coral reefs as we know them could be gone in 30 years' time.
Today over 300 million people rely on coral reefs for survival. Human impact has been devastating, with the combined effects of global warming, overfishing and human consumption. Humans have used coral for its medicinal benefits for hundreds of years. Calcium carbonate is used to help heal broken bones and chemical components of corals are used in medical cures, to ease childbirth and even to extend the life of an AIDS sufferer.
As I mentioned before, the fish you buy from your local aquatic shop will have been bred in captivity, and none are taken directly from the reefs. However, man continues to have its effects on our ocean fauna. You may have seen publications or news articles in recent years regarding over-fishing in many parts of the world. All of these things have an impact on our ocean life, sometimes devastating. If we do not make an effort now to protect our reefs and oceans, many of these species may become extinct. Anyone who has seen pictures of a healthy coral reef will understand what a loss this would be.
So, what can we as individuals do to help protect our reefs? There are many charitable organizations to whom you can make donations. Visiting any one of these sites will gain you access to much more information about what you can do to help. There are teams of divers and marine biologists working all over the world to try to protect reefs, and to help damaged reefs recover. In Fiji, the local communities rely on the reefs, and they work together to try to protect them. A study on the Fijian reefs showed that using mangrove trees can help to filter out the silt washing into the sea from inland rivers. The planting of further mangroves will help to improve the water quality and restore some of the reef which is already a mere shadow of what it once was. Mangroves also provide the perfect habitat for young fish (fry), as they hide within the mangrove roots and are protected from predators.
In the home there are steps you can take which will help to tackle the over-fishing issue. Buying only certain types of fish will reduce demand and give the current dwindling fish population time to recover.
Here are some of the fish which you should avoid buying:
Atlantic cod and salmon
Snapper
Sturgeon
Monkfish
Rays
Dogfish
Marlin
Tuna
Swordfish
Haddock
Chilean Seabass
If customers don't buy these fish, demand will be reduced and this will in turn help to protect our ocean species. There are many types of fish that are good to eat, so there is no reason why we should overfish these species to the point of extinction.
If you would like to learn more about conservation, I recommend these sites:
For further information about sea life and conservation, I highly recommend the BBC's Blue Planet series. This link will take you straight to the right page.
