Ravaging the Reefs

[marrone]

The reefing business is here to stay as long as we are around. One way to help out the crazy situation is not to experiment with these creatures. Dont overstock, dont put **** in your tanks that you know nothing about or cant possibly sustain. How often is it that we kill something and just go out and buy something new. Yeah we all say but its just one little thing but that is not the case. Just look at the tanks at petlands, petcos etc. They are disgusting and everything in there is dying!! We just blame the company, but who is really to blame? We are. We drive the business.

This hits it right on the head. Unfortunially people just buy fish and coral and don't find out if they can keep it alive, specially if they can get a good deal on it as it worth the try. Also some one will see that a person is keeping a hard to keep fish or coral alive and use that as a reason to get the fish or coral where in reality for that one fish or coral that has made it thousands of other will never. People need to use common sense in what they buy as these are living things and there is also a limit to how many there are out ther.

 

[jhale]

the article I posted did include the reefing trade, but it is focused more on the industrial fishing going on illegally around the worlds reefs.

according to the world wild life fund an estimated 30,000 tons of fish are taken from the reef areas each year, and 75% of this are "by catch" which is wasted and just thrown away.

the amount of fish caught for our tanks pals in comparison to this number. it is good that we all are aware of what we should not put in out tanks, but this goes way beyond the reefing industry. It is part of the problem, but not the sole one.

unfortunately this is a global problem which makes dealing with all the issues so much more complicated. making people aware of what's happening is a good start though.

 

[joseney21]

it's sad that things happen the way they do. i think the human race is just moving forward (backwards depending on how you look at it) for it's own good.we devote more time developing technologies to kill ourselves, or give us more luxuries instead of trying to preserve the luxuries we now have.eventually it will more than likely catch up to us and we'll have to deal with the consequences.society is just too wasteful as a whole.

 

[Dave ESPI]

Saddly, the "demand" has been higher than the rising cost of the "supply".

this is EXACLTY why it is so important for every animal no matter how small be cared for and properly housed in captivity.

the real problem is going to the front of the line..... collectors and the techniqes used and stopping the damages. this is what CITES and NOAC and a few other Environmental agencies are supposed to be doing, but oftentimes, they can't be everywhere, because noone "cares".

There is absolutely NOTHING I can do except to limit my own personal consumption of these goods. Unfortunately... if I personaly stop eating Swordfish, tuna, and Grouper... there always is 3 more people who will step up and take my ticket number in the line a the fish market.

Reality is: eventualy we will all be fucked over by our own greed.

 

[jhale]

There is absolutely NOTHING I can do except to limit my own personal consumption of these goods. Unfortunately... if I personaly stop eating Swordfish, tuna, and Grouper... there always is 3 more people who will step up and take my ticket number in the line a the fish market.

that's good, but your right the problem is there are still people who want the groupers etc. how do you get all the people in China for example to stop importing the live reef fish they want to eat? It's massively daunting when you think about it, but starting at home is a good way to get going.

Some how you have to change the eating habits of people all over the world. :bigeyes2: not so easy, though eventually there will be no more fish to be had and the industrial fishing companies will go out of business.

 

[DRZL]

greed is not human nature. it is a byproduct of the consumption driven society we live in and can be resisted. the pressure is to keep consuming more and do it faster.

BINGO!
Not to sound like a commie (which im not) but the capitalistic system is interweaved w/ the psychology of its land.
Many of us Americans think of progress and self-worth as something to be financially gained. You are more or less a product of what you consume, and that dictates if you are a "worthy" person.
For example, a man who owns a Ferrari is looked at as a more worthy and succesful human being than the man who drives a KIA, neverminding the fact the Ferrari man, might be a complete waste of an abstract person, but in dollars and cents he has more weight, and society dictates thats what matters.

When was the last time you saw people gawk and envy a spiritually fulfilled man on the street?
How about if he was wearing a Jacob watch?

ahhh...

we need to stop thinking of "others" needing to be educated, there is much to start with at home, and break this idea of the "us" and the "they" because in the end like Dave said we're all fucked!

 

[inkblue]

I fight the battles i can manage... right now, I gotta get lunch and I dont even have $5 coZ I gotta meet Dean later and buy zoas for $30... :sigh1: life's life and we deal with it the best we can, with and without the problems... carpe diem

...hope everyone has a great lunch !