[Coral-List] American Samoa moving towards complete protectionof big fishes

Douglas Fenner dfenner at blueskynet.as
Thu Aug 30 03:01:24 EDT 2007


     I congratulate the forward-looking leadership in Palau!!  Well done!! 
I hope that people in other places might start to consider the rarity of 
their big fish and possible action.  It appears that the big fish are 
uncommon to rare on most reefs.
      For places with dive tourism, one of the most exciting things for most 
divers is seeing a really big fish.  I always say, dead in the market it's 
worth a pittance, alive on a reef it is made of solid gold if you have 
divers you can charge to take to see it, and take more divers back day after 
day, year after year.  Why should we kill the goose that laid the golden 
egg???           -Doug


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Tupper, Mark (WorldFish)" <M.Tupper at CGIAR.ORG>
To: "Charles Birkeland" <charlesb at hawaii.edu>; 
<coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov>
Sent: Wednesday, August 29, 2007 1:57 PM
Subject: Re: [Coral-List] American Samoa moving towards complete 
protectionof big fishes


> Dear Chuck and list,
>
> This is good to hear. Just thought I would add that in addition to reef
> sharks, last year Palau implemented a complete moratorium on fishing for
> humphead wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus) and bumphead parrotfish
> (Bolbometopon muricatum). Initially the moratorium was to last 6 months,
> but so far the President has kept the moratorium in place until a
> thorough assessment of the status of these large, vulnerable reef fishes
> can be conducted.
>
> Mark Tupper
> Scientist - Coral Reefs
> ICLARM - The WorldFish Center
>
> 




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