Dynamite fishing in Dive sites in SE Asia!
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buksida
Contributor
I have recently returned from a trip to Mergui and didnt see or hear much evidence of dynamite fishing occuring. Not that this means it wasnt occurring, just we didnt see it. In fact we only actually saw three fishing boats in the whole week.
Equally as damaging to marine life in my opinion are those huge nets you often find draped over coral down there. It is saddening to see fish still alive and struggling in them.
Recent dives at Hin Daeng/Muang revealed a manta with a hook stuck in its mouth. As some one above pointed out education maybe a step forward but in the poor regions of Southeast Asia this is always going to be an uphill struggle.
Equally as damaging to marine life in my opinion are those huge nets you often find draped over coral down there. It is saddening to see fish still alive and struggling in them.
Recent dives at Hin Daeng/Muang revealed a manta with a hook stuck in its mouth. As some one above pointed out education maybe a step forward but in the poor regions of Southeast Asia this is always going to be an uphill struggle.
Bowmouth
Contributor
Fishermen in Myanmar use dynamite on the reefs for two reasons:
1- Nets do not work very well ON the reef; they get stuck on coral and rock, fishermen may loose them and a new net cost a lot of money. Repairing nets is time consuming and labour intensive. Fishermen in Myanmar can not stay too long at sea when they have fish in their boats; most boats are unable to keep their fish fresh for more than a few days.
2-Dynamite fishing is cheap and easy. In Myanmar clay jars are filled with a mixture of diesel fuel and fertilizer and a simple fuse is inserted in the top. Dynamite works well on the reefs and everywhere else where there is fish. Most dynamite fishermen do not really know (or care) how destructive their methods are; it's all about getting enough money in their pocket to bring rice on their families table.
1- Nets do not work very well ON the reef; they get stuck on coral and rock, fishermen may loose them and a new net cost a lot of money. Repairing nets is time consuming and labour intensive. Fishermen in Myanmar can not stay too long at sea when they have fish in their boats; most boats are unable to keep their fish fresh for more than a few days.
2-Dynamite fishing is cheap and easy. In Myanmar clay jars are filled with a mixture of diesel fuel and fertilizer and a simple fuse is inserted in the top. Dynamite works well on the reefs and everywhere else where there is fish. Most dynamite fishermen do not really know (or care) how destructive their methods are; it's all about getting enough money in their pocket to bring rice on their families table.
Bowmouth
Contributor
Something else: Dynamite fishing in Myanmar comes in "waves"; it all has to do with the right tides and as little current as possible.I have a record of a few seasons of blast fishing in the Mergui Archipelago and that shows clearly that dynamite fishing is mainly done during times with slack tides.
It is (fortunately) quite possible to be on a boat in Myanmar and not hear any blasts at all or see no dead fish. The opposite is true too with a whole trip hearing on every single dive blasts and even seeing dead fish on some of the sites. Dynamite fishermen in Myanmar now use hookah equipment and dive down on the reefs after blasting to collect the bigger fish that have sunk to the bottom. They do NOT just pick up the fish that floats to the surface like they did years ago. The largest portion of dead fish stays on the reef though and rots away or is partly being eaten by invertebrates and still life fish.
It is (fortunately) quite possible to be on a boat in Myanmar and not hear any blasts at all or see no dead fish. The opposite is true too with a whole trip hearing on every single dive blasts and even seeing dead fish on some of the sites. Dynamite fishermen in Myanmar now use hookah equipment and dive down on the reefs after blasting to collect the bigger fish that have sunk to the bottom. They do NOT just pick up the fish that floats to the surface like they did years ago. The largest portion of dead fish stays on the reef though and rots away or is partly being eaten by invertebrates and still life fish.
tamas970
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I am planning a trip for next February but still undecided if I should go to the Maldives or to Mergui. Is dynamite fishing still an issue in the Thai-Burmese Andaman?
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