Interesting Red Sea Note

[Unarce]

Below is an excerpt from Nick Ireland's Surgeonfish article in this years Marine Fish and Reef Annual:

Note: Because the Red Sea is a gulf, it has more evaporation than the Pacific, causing it to have wider fluctuations of salinity and temperature, which means the animals there are better equipped to deal with those things. Also, the Red Sea has a better history of collection than the Philippines and Indonesia, for example. The latter two are known for historically using poisons like cyanide, as opposed to sustainable netting as is used in the Red Sea. These things usually mean Red Sea animals are superior.

I do want to point out that Steve (cortez marine) and his crew have made great strides in promoting net-caught fish in the Philippines. I just didn't know about the Red Sea's salinity and temp fluctuations.

 

[ratherbediving]

I've heard that the Red Sea's specific gravity was a bit higher than everywhere else, because it is such a relatively narrow/shallow body of water that evaporation plays a greater role. Didn't know it fluctuated a lot though. I would be surprised if it was that much higher.

Fish are pretty adaptable to salinity changes anyway... I am not sure that would be a valid argument as to why a fish from there would be hardier. Corals might be a different matter, but if you are talking about cyanide as well, you pretty much are talking fish