Why there are fewer and fewer fishes in Thai waters

[pitri]

It is a shame but I think it is also beacuse of other things. For example, on my last livaboard in the Similan I saw that what was left from our breakfeast/lunch/diner ended out in sea. The instructor told us that this is prohibited but they know to differ what is ok to throw and what is not.
In addition, the amount of bad behaving divers in the dive sites just killes or push the fish out of there. You can also see marks on the mantas from divers that touch them and therefore killing them on the long term.

 

[Bowmouth]

In addition, the amount of bad behaving divers in the dive sites just killes or push the fish out of there. You can also see marks on the mantas from divers that touch them and therefore killing them on the long term.

Now, now not too fast here please. The marks on manta rays are in general from remoras and scars from fish-lines, nets and hooks. I've been diving a long time in Thailand and must say divers in general behave very well when encountering manta rays and NOT ride the animals. Many divers are careless on the reefs though and often touch and break coral because of being overweighted, not using their BCD or just being poorly trained. It's a bit far fetched to say that they kill or push the fish out of the reefs with this behaviour but it surely is bad for the coral and other invertabrates.

 

[Quero]

The aquarium trade is a tragedy not only for the reefs from which the fish are captured, but it also causes problems when "exotics" get dumped in oceans far from the fishes' natural environments. There have been lionfish sightings, for example, off the coast of Florida. There are abundant examples worldwide of how introduced species both on land and in water wreak havoc in places where they do not belong. As Johnnie B says, only if we can control or eliminate the demand side will the supply side dwindle.

 

[malaysia-islands]

Or as the voluptuous Minnie Driver once said, "When the eating stops, the killing will too" (and gladly be paid $50K for that, HEHE)

 

[dm_junkie]

I do agree it is a shame. Think something can be done to make thngs better by their government.

Usually, givernments do teach and guide the locals on the good things about preserving their reefs.

I am sure the poachers definitely got a good market to make them go against the law.

IF the buyeing stops, the poaching can too.

cheers

 

[mikkylad]

OK, as a diver who is constantly around the Phuket dive sites I would say that there is no issue with the clownfish populations. Shark point, Anemone Reef, Ko Doc Mai, Phi Phi (especially the Bida's but not exclusively), and even Racha Yai (if you look hard) are home to plenty of these guys. I would say the inshore dive sites are probably at more risk, such as Kata Reef, Ko Poo, and Karon Rock as they are so easily accessible.

I do have worries about the seahorses though. 3 pairs that I had on Ko Doc Mai have all gone as have a pair I had on the Bidas. In all honesty though, my opinion is that instructors who pull seahorses around so customers can see and photograph them are as much to blame as anyone else. T*4ts!

 

[MoonWrasse]

OK, as a diver who is constantly around the Phuket dive sites I would say that there is no issue with the clownfish populations. Shark point, Anemone Reef, Ko Doc Mai, Phi Phi (especially the Bida's but not exclusively), and even Racha Yai (if you look hard) are home to plenty of these guys. I would say the inshore dive sites are probably at more risk, such as Kata Reef, Ko Poo, and Karon Rock as they are so easily accessible.

I do have worries about the seahorses though. 3 pairs that I had on Ko Doc Mai have all gone as have a pair I had on the Bidas. In all honesty though, my opinion is that instructors who pull seahorses around so customers can see and photograph them are as much to blame as anyone else. T*4ts!

All it would take is just a few poaching trips to decimate the populations at a particular site. Seeing that this is not the first time poaching has been reported, I'd guess it's more extensive than 1 or 2 groups.

Like locusts, after they clear one site they will advance onto the next, and Anemone reef will be struck in just a matter of time.

 

[buksida]

This is shocking, I hate reading stuff like this. At least the *******s were caught this time, but how many get away with it?

Another massive problem Thailand's reefs face is the use of fishing nets. I cant count how many times I've been down there in these "protected areas" and spent half the dive cutting fishing nets off the coral. :shakehead

If the government got their fingers out a bit and realised that there is a lot more to protecting an area than giving it a fancy name and overcharging tourists to see it, there may actually be coral reefs left in Thailand in years to come.

 

[orangelemon]

Really upset to hear about the damage these people do to this fragile and amazing ecosystem that has given me so much pleasure.

Have recently found 3 dead baby sharks on racha yai (staghorn) and wondered if they were killed by dynamite fishing or natural causes (stillborn ?) but I fear the likelyhood is of dynamite fishing.

As far as I am concerned damage and thefts from the reefs here should have more manpowered directed at it than they do for traffic offences here on Phuket

 

[dm_junkie]

Just watched Animal Planet.

Studies have shown that major of the damage to the coral reefs are physical contact by humans. Estimated if nothing is been done soon, the world coral reef population maybe left with just less than 30% by 2010.

This is frightening; imagine what else this chain reaction can cause. Of course most important of all....nothing in the waters !!!!!!:shakehead