Tropical Fish TradeDelaney Donnelly

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The number one family of marine aquarium fish that is imported into the United States is the Pomacentridae, with 170 different species in that family being imported. Included in this

family are the fish more commonly known as clownfish. In 2003, the film “Finding Nemo” was released. “Finding Nemo” is an animated movie about a clownfish who is captured by

humans and taken from the coral reef he called home, to Sydney, Australia. After “Finding Nemo” was out in theaters, the demand for tropical fish, including clownfish, increased

dramatically. Between 2000 and 2004, there was a 2.0% increase in the import of Amphiprion Ocellaris and Amphiprion Percula, which are two species of clownfish.

Amphiprion Ocellaris was the seventh most imported fish from 2000 to 2004. In 2005, the import of these two species of clownfish increased by 10.3%. Overall, the import of tropical fish increased by 34.5% throughout 2000 to 2004. While the import of clownfish increased,

the sale of clownfish increased as well. The movie, which brought to light the negative effects of the fish trade, actually led to an increase in the number of fish captured and imported. The entire synopsis of the movie was to show that tropical fish belong in the ocean, not out of the

ocean in small fish tanks. Although “Finding Nemo” led to the increase in the import of tropical fish, there were also some positive effects brought on by the popularity of the movie. One example of a positive effect brought on by the movie is the Saving Nemo Conservation

Fund. The Saving Nemo Conservation Fund was founded by a group of aquaculturists, marine biologists, and science educators. This organization intends to stop the import of wild-caught clownfish, and as a result save them from extinction. In their efforts to prevent further import of wild-caught clownfish, the organization has begun to breed clownfish intended to

supply to aquariums. This organization claims that over 1 million fish from the clownfish family are taken from their home in coral reefs every year, which is leading to a dramatic population decline. By breeding clownfish to supply to aquariums around the world, they

hope to lower the number of clownfish taken from the ocean.

Finding Nemo

These tropical fish live in a habitat that is almost as beautiful as them. The largest of these habitats is Great Barrier Reef. The Great Barrier reef is a vast reef that stretches along the north eastern coast of Australia. When fish are collected from coral reefs, the impact on the

collection one the coral reef itself is often ignored. The sole priority of fish collectors is to capture the target species as effectively as possible. The fish that call coral reefs home use the coral for protection from predators. While trying to capture the target fish, coral is often

broken. While the coral is sometimes broken on accident, it is also often broken intentionally. A technique called coral notching is frequently used, especially when attempting to capture the red hawkfish. In coral notching, branches of the coral Pocillopora are broken off in order

to remove the red hawkfish that is hiding within them. Coral is comprised of tiny polyps. These polyps produce their own hard skeletons made up of calcium carbonate. The main source of nutrients for coral is an algae called zooxanthellae, which lives within the coral. The zooxanthellae and the coral have a symbiotic relationship. The zooxanthellae lives

within the safetly of the corals hard skeleton, while the coral feeds on the zooxanthellae. In response to stress, the coral may expel the zooxanthellae living within its skeleton. Not only is the zooxanthellae the main source of food for the coral, it also produces the corals wide variety of colors. When the coral expels their zooxanthellae, they lose their color, and turn

white. This event is known as coral bleaching. While this can sometimes be caused by natural occurrences, it is also caused by humans. The damage to coral reefs due to the

persistence to capture tropical fish leads to coral reef degradation. Because of this damage caused by humans, coral reefs often don’t recover as well from natural disturbances.

Coral Reefs

This graph shows the number of fish imported all over the world from the years

2000 through 2014, and how it relates to the release of ”Finding Nemo. The two specific

fish represented in this graph are Amphiprion Ocellaris and Amphiprion

Percula, which are two species of clownfish. The import of clownfish was made popular by the movie “Finding Nemo.” (Militz 2017)

Shown in this photograph is a diver taking a photograph of

bleached coral. (McGhee 2018)

Because of the demand for tropical fish, the means in which they are caught are often overlooked. Many of the collection techniques used to capture tropical fish are often

harmful to the fish and their surrounding environment. When a fish cannot be caught as easily using nets, cyanide is usually used instead. Although the use of cyanide to capture

tropical fish has been banned in many countries, many still use it. Cyanide is used on fish a stunning agent. When the fish is temporarily stunned, it makes it easier to catch. It is

possible that the liver, heart, and brain of the fish may be damaged in the process. This can be very harmful to the fish and can even lead to death. Many fish die before they even reach their new home. It is estimated that 500,000 kg of cyanide is used on tropical fish each year. The use of cyanide is not only harmful to the fish intended to be captured, but

non-target fish as well. Along with the tropical fish, coral reefs are also very negatively effected by cyanide poisoning. When cyanide is applied over and over onto one area of

coral, it slowly kills the zooxanthellae that gives the coral its essential nutrients, essentially keeping the coral alive. When the zooxanthellae is gone, all that is left is an empty shell.

The Cyanide Effect

This is an example of a non-target species damaged and killed by the use of cyanide poisoning. The coral appears white because it has been bleached as a result of over-exposure to cyanide. (Wabnitz, 2003)

Wild animals belong in the wild. No sane person would take a tiger from the middle of the jungle and bring it into their home and try and keep it as a pet, so why are fish different? Over 2 million people all over the world own at least 1 species of tropical fish. Fish are

different because they can be contained within the walls of a small tank. Plucking a tropical fish out of the vast ocean and placing them in a small tank is in no way good for the health of the fish. Inadequate handling and care of the fish can lead to stress, and then death. If the fish make it to their new home, many species do not acclimate to their small tank they now have to call home for the rest of their life. If they don’t acclimate, they will often times

not eat the fish food given to them, and eventually die. Coral is also found in home aquariums. Coral does not acclimate well at all, and most die within the first year and a half. When someone decides they don’t want their fish anymore, what do they do with

them? Often times they will release it into the wild. This can result in death for the fish. It also introduces an exotic species of fish to an area where that fish may not be found. It can

also introduce new diseases to the new area.

Ocean to Tank

Because of the harmful ways tropical fish are captured and because of the post-capture death rates, there are many organizations trying to pressure fisheries to be more

sustainable. Mariculture is a way that us humans could improve the quality of life for coral reefs and their inhabitants. Mariculture is the act of culturing coral and other organisms for

trade, instead of taking them straight from the ocean. Aquaculture, also known as fish farming, is the culture of many marine organisms, including fish. The aquaculture industry is hopeful that they will eventually be able to provide tropical fish straight from their fisheries,

and the need to capture them from the ocean will subside. Although the future with aquaculture looks hopeful, there are still many challenges that arise. Such as fails attempts

at mating certain species because they spawn their eggs freely in the water, instead of attaching their eggs to something stable. Another way to reduce the negative effects of the tropical fish trade is to limit the quotas being exported. If there is a limit on the fish being

exported, then that would result in less pressure to get as many fish exported as possible. Just like a limit on the number of fish exported would have a positive impact, the limit on the

sizes of the fishes being exported would as well. This would aim to export only adults. Juveniles are often chosen over adults because they have the brightest coloration.

However, they are also the more easily stressed of the two and suffer high mortality rates.

Conservation Efforts

This photo shows how the fish are transported from the ocean to their new homes, in their own individual bags filled with a small amount of

water. (Wabnitz, 2003)

A box containing live tropical fish that is about to be loaded onto an

airplane and fly to its next destination. (Wabnitz, 2003)

The Blue starfish is the most commonly imported starfish. They die in captivity

at a fast rate because they often refuse aquarium food. (Wabnitz, 2003)

This is a photo of a fish collectors boat from the Philippines.

Literature Cited

An aquarium is something that almost every person has in their home at least once in their lifetime, whether it is a goldfish, or an aquarium full of tropical fish. These fish have to come from somewhere, but where? How are they captured? The path from their home in coral reefs to their

new home inside a tank is not always positive experience. It can be very stressful for the fish, and may even result in death. There is also a negative effect on the habitat of the tropical fish

when they are being captured. Many techniques of capturing tropical fish from coral reefs, such as cyanide poisoning and coral notching, non-target species are damaged or even killed in the

process. These negative actions often have a strong effect on the corals in the coral reefs. From all the stress and damage, they may become bleached, and lose their vibrant coloring. Just as

there are negative effects of the tropical fish trade, there are many organizations with the intention of reversing those negative effects, and preventing further damage to tropical fish as

well as coral reefs.

Abstract

These four images show just one example of how a tropical fish may be taken out of their home in the ocean and transferred to an aquarium where they will

spend the rest of their lives. (Wabnitz, 2003)

Shown in this photo is a collection site in Indonesia. This is a patch of coral reef where tropical fish are often taken from. (Wabnitz

2003)