How does blast fishing kill coral reefs?
Fish are killed by the shock waves from the blast and are then skimmed off the surface or collected from the bottom by divers. These explosions not only kill large numbers of fish and other marine organisms in the vicinity, but they also destroy the physical structure of coral reefs.
Does blast fishing destroy corals?
Destructive fishing methods include the use of explosives to kill or stun fish, which destroys corals. This method, called blast or dynamite fishing, shatters coral colonies and kills the coral tissues on adjacent colonies. Cyanide that is sprayed or dumped on reefs can damage and kill corals.
How does dynamite fishing threaten coral reefs?
Dynamite fishing shatters fragile coral colonies. The blast kills coral tissues, and the surrounding rubble prevents adjacent coral colonies from recovery. If the shallow part of the reef is decimated by repeated blasts, it’s impossible for the reef to recover.
Where does blast fishing occur?
In Tanzania, a Horrific Fishing Tactic Destroys All Sea Life. Fishermen in the Philippines illegally toss bottle bombs into the sea to kill hundreds of fish at a time. The practice, called blast fishing, occurs on a large scale off the coast of Tanzania, where it’s been outlawed since 1970.
How does destructive fishing affect coral reefs?
Overfishing can deplete key reef species and damage coral habitat. The impacts from unsustainable fishing on coral reef areas can lead to the depletion of key reef species in many locations.
What does blast fishing do to environment?
Blast fishing (i.e., using explosives to kill fish) can cause physical damage to corals as well. Coral harvesting for the aquarium trade, jewelry, and curios can lead to over-harvesting of specific species, destruction of reef habitat, and reduced biodiversity.
How does fishing affect the coral reef?
Overfishing can deplete key reef species and damage coral habitat. Rapid human population growth, increased demand, use of more efficient fishery technologies, and inadequate management and enforcement have led to the depletion of key reef species and habitat damage in many locations.
Do people fish in coral reefs?
Coral reefs serve as habitat for many important fish, shellfish, and other invertebrates that are targeted for fishing.
How did dynamite fishing affect the sea?
Dynamite fishing destroys both the food chain and the corals where the fish nest and grow. Blast fishing kills the entire food chain, including plankton, fish both large and small, and the juveniles that do not grow old enough to spawn.
What is the issue of blast fishing?
Blast fishing usually occurs over coral reefs, shattering the coral and destroying these biodiversity hotspots for decades to come – it is thought that it may take more than a century before reefs return to normal. It’s also dangerous; devices sometimes explode prematurely, causing serious injuries and deaths.
Why is blast fishing used?
Blast fishing, when dynamite or other explosives are used to stun or kill fish, is a practice used in many villages and isolated regions of the world. Hundreds of fish can be seen strewn across the reef, left as bycatch, such as these tropical fish in Thailand.
How is fishing affecting the coral reef?
Overfishing is a pervasive threat, thought to affect more than 55 percent of the world’s coral reefs. When these fish disappear, the delicate balance of the coral reef ecosystem is disrupted, and seaweed-like algae (called macroalgae) can grow unchecked, eventually smothering reefs.
How does blast fishing affect the coral reef?
Explosives used in blast fishing not only kill fish but also destroy coral skeletons, creating unbalanced coral rubble. The elimination of the fish also eliminates the resilience of the coral reefs to climate change, further hindering their recovery.
Where does blast fishing take place in the world?
Fish floating immediately after the blast. Although outlawed in some parts of the world, the practice remains widespread in Southeast Asia, as well as in the Aegean Sea, and coastal Africa.
How is blast fishing being managed in Tanzania?
In Tanzania, one of the few methods to help manage blast fishing is a joint approach between fisheries officers and village committees. Working together, they help the enforcement agencies recognize offenders by patrolling the sea as well as providing information collected in the local villages.
What kind of bombs are used in blast fishing?
Forty years ago, blast fishing was practiced with dynamite which was in plentiful supply after World War II. Today, fishermen mostly use homemade bombs that are made from bottles filled with an explosive mixture; weights are also added to make the bottle sink faster underwater.