Spear Fishing the Good and Bad - bomb fishing

[glidingray]

bomb fishing - vgrigorescu
"I was diving last year in Indonesia (precisely in Manado, northen part of the country). It was first time when I was being able to actually see with my own eyes how a bombed reef looks like. I never ever had that feeling of death, irreparable desaster. You can not imagine the feeling of despair the sight generated into my mind and soul. It looked like a tomb. That's far worse than spearing and the funny thing is that verry little is done to prevent it. All that was happening in a natural reservation. I believe it is difficult to explain to the people that they shouldn't bombe the reef in order to catch some rare fishes that worth their income for one year. What do you think about it?"



I think, this one should be discussed in a new thread. Anybody knows a good website that covers this issue? Particularly: success stories on changing the way of life of fishermen who do bombing and cyanide/poisoning the corals.

Ray

 

[J.P.]

I have seen the affects of bombing but not on coral. I had made a great brim and striper bed at a lake in Arkansas. A group of friends and I had been enjoying this spot feeding and watching the hundred or so fish grow and I guess someone tiped someone off. We returned after about 2 weeks and it was totally whiped out. Two years of work and watching gone in minutes. The boat we sank was broken and split up and only about 15 fish were seen. We found one of unexploded 16 oz bottles and turned it in to the Ranger. He said this is getting serious and had several other spots bombed. As far as the reefs and coral go those who distroy them aught to be hooked and allowed to be eaten slowly by small sharks. We see coral and reefs distroyed all the time from profit makers. We as divers need to write and call our law makers in our states and raise awearness. I'm sure some of the main people on the thread will give you plenty of further info, they are really good on responding.
J.P.

 

[glidingray]

I've dived some area surrounding Sulawesi Island this year. Some area in North Sulawesi are in a very good condition, healthy corals and abundance fish - hundreds or perhaps thousands of species in just one area - very rich indeed. But some in South Sulawesi are in a very pitiful condition; it's like a grave (BTW, there isn't any dive operation in this area). Sometimes I sang Amazing Grace while covering the area. A grave of corals with no fish at all.

I visited a couple of islands there with some friends. The local tribe only speaks their language. They don't speak the major language of South Sulawesi nor they speak Indonesian, much less English. Fishing is the only thing they know. The problem is they are specializing in freely harvesting rare species like lobster and other high priced fish. So, they are either fish bombers or hookah divers. DCS is pretty common in the area.

They are not educated and they have never been anywhere outside the islands. On the island (not on the boat) they have radio communication to contact their bosses in the major cities in Sulawesi or Kalimantan. I don't know about TV, I guess they don't have it either since they don't speak the national language.

There is only one elementary school in the biggest island. Parents send their kids to stay in the biggest island for several months to attend the school. Some kids did not want to go to school (perhaps they didn't want to be separated from the parents), they said they just wanted to be a fisherman, and to be a fisherman - one does not have to go to school. The parents understood the logic and let the kid be. Well, I say; by the time the kid is big enough to be a fisherman - there won't be any fish around since the parents have already bombed them all.

The whole islands (those I visited) are like that. I can't say that they are evil people. They are definitely nice people. It's just that they don't know other way to earn money.

In the northern area I visited, some corals are broken by ship anchor. Dive operations would really like to install a buoy for their anchor, but the local tribe stole it. Even the cheapest stuff was also stolen. They don't know yet how to solve the problem.

I think there is a certain group working on environmental problem in Sulawesi but I don't know the name. I haven't found much information in internet about this. I believe there are similar problems in other places and I believe some of the problems are already solved. If so, how did they do it? Any info, guys?

Ray

 

[glidingray]

I believe this is the second time I wrote about conservation with nobody replied it. Guess there is no conservationist among us, is there?



Sigh…

Ray

 

[Rick Murchison]

The assumption that there are "no conservationist" is a giant leap in illogic. The thread title shouldn't mention spear fishing, as your initial post doesn't. I doubt that anyone on this board would disagree that fish bombing is horrible. It is already banned worldwide, I believe, so that isn't an issue - enforcement and the removal of incentive are the issues. The incentives are money and food to desperate people. I suppose we could ban salt water aquaria - are you for that? Why, if we'd banned those worldwide years ago we wouldn't be looking at the wholesale destruction of habitat in the Med, would we? That, and teach the natives how to feed themselves easier and cheaper than bombing, and that'll take care of it.
Rick

 

[glidingray]

Rick,

Law enforcement in many countries is very poor, many countries do not even have enough law to cover all areas, many countries still have to deal with daily crisis to even care about the future.

Salt water aquaria? Can't say I have the same opinion. As you know, scuba diving is not for everyone, and I'm sure there are thousand / millions of non-scuba diver out there would want to see underwater world. The real one, not the one on TV.

I like the idea of the farming of artificial reef though. There aren't many publication on this issue, do you know any?

Ray