Vieques

[Prasanna Weerakkody]

On the issue of Vieques; I am located far away in the Indian Ocean and
wathching the dialogue I Just wandered how the reefs are better off with
bombs going off all around. We see the impact of underwater explosions on
reefs commonly as the practice of Fish dynamiting is common here where we work. 

Even with the small charges used the sea floor damage can be drastic in
situations and it sure has a major impact on the fish species composition on
the reef. The reef is soon cleared of all big Jacks, Groupers, Parrots,
Sweetlips and the like. Fish loss is not only by being killed by the blast
but they seem to avoid these reefs as well. In the East coast of Sri Lanka
where the coastline is under Navy command, Regular underwater blasts are
carried out to keep terorist divers from penitrating the defence barries.
Diving on a reef aproximately 1.5Km. away from blast zone the same
conditions were true. The reef was intact (as no blasting occured on the
reef itself) and most fish were in good numbers (actualy better than
neibouring areas subjected to fishing)  but no big fish was seen on these
reefs as was the experiance with the Southern reefs subjected to fish
Dynamiting.

Prasanna Weerakkody
Nature Conservation Group (Natcog)

No.9, Balapokuna place,
Colombo 6.
Sri Lanka

Phone: (941) 856041

E-mail:	firefish at sltnet.lk	



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