Michelle Yazvac
2/11/11
Blog #4
Over fishing is a problem that has been around for quite some time. There is a high demand for “luxury” fish to be served at hotspot locations especially in the Asian countries. The demand greatly exceeds supply and supply continues to decrease at the rate fisherman are capturing these fish. Prices will continue to grow if the demand grows because fishes like Leopard Coral Grouper and other reef fish are at the brink of becoming depleted. The harmful fishing methods of using cyanide and/or dynamite have been declined but the warm water temperatures and global warming are affecting the coral. Prices for each individual fish could be up to $100 dollars.
The concept of sustainability is slowly catching on to the people of such places like Hong Kong but to the suppliers and distributors, this issue remains indifferent. Conservation organizations have set up plans that end the distribution of grouper in southeast Asia but it is still difficult to see if fish are caught sustainably. Innovative aquaculture like OceanEthix's may be part of the solution to keeping the fish like coral grouper on the menu, but some restaurateurs are trying to go fully sustainable and avoid the live fish trade altogether. But with the rate things are going and the demand for these fish, prices will rise by 10 percent each year and it seems that the only way to steer towards preservation of the fish and reef is to stray the ways of lavish dining amongst restaurants across Asia.
http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/02/08/reef.fish.trade/index.html
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