Finding Nemo

[RICHinNC]

Having a dvd would be great....there are just some movies i would like to see on the big screen.....you get a better overall effect than on a typical size tv screen.

For additional viewings down the line...yep dvd would work.

 

[finstotheleft]

Justin699 once bubbled...
Funny, I am PADI certified, work at a Fish store selling "nemo's" and hunt, underwater and out of water. Realizing that my hunting actually funnels more money back to wildlife conservation that most of the "animal-rights activists" that claim to not want to hurt animals then drive their Eddie Baurer edition SUV to the beach wearing leather shoes eating an In-and-Out Burger.

When Alex Pacheco (formerly of PETA) exposed a lab in Silver Springs Maryland in the 80's and won a court case siting animal cruelty, it was one of the first steps in creating new laws regarding animal testing. It made headlines, it turned heads, it was the beginning of PETA. With their radical (and sometimes over the edge) stunts and wild campaigns, they make people look up and take notice of things that otherwise may have gone unoticed. His work, and the work of others, has greatly changed the way we think about and treat animals and their environments everywhere.

We need these people, just as we need hunters and the contributions to conservation that they make.

So please do not knock animal rights activists. If it weren't for them and other "tree huggers" raising a stink about things, no one would know where to "funnel" all that money that you raise.

As for talking about the high mortality rate of saltwater fish captured for the aquarium trade, and the methods, some of you are misinformed out there. There are now new standards in effect that protect the environment more, decrease mortality rate and support the sustainability of the catch. The misinformed people are probably talking about the use of cyanide, that was used in the 60's. Now SW fish are captured just as you see in the Movie, with nets and without chemicals. The aquarium industry has developed standards, MAC core standards.

I will tell you, some collectors still use archaic methods of destructive collection, this I cannot deny, but due to the high mortality rates are not well liked in the aquarium industry.

Yes, some still do. I dare to say that "some" is probably an understatement. The following was taken from

http://www.reefsource.com/MSI Articles/cyanide.htm

The lady who wrote it is an active pet shop/aquarium shop owner. She has also served on the board of directors for the American Marine Life Dealers Association and the Marine Aquarium Council. Since you two are in the same business, we should see what she says.

By Mary Middlebrook February, 2003
"Cyanide. The aquarium industry's dirty little secret. The two countries that provide this industry with over 80% of its fish, and the vast majority of the variety of fish, are the two biggest cyanide using countries. The Philippines gets the worst rap for cyanide use, but Indonesia actually has a much worse problem. You can rest assured that if you are dealing with a company with an extensive fish listing that they are importing cyanide caught fish- no matter what they tell you."

"The Marine Aquarium Council began certifying fish out of the Philippines in late 2002. An immediate uproar ensued when it was shown that they were not depending upon a cyanide detection test (CDT) to prove that fish were cyanide free, but depending on a paperwork trail instead. This, in an already corrupt country. The uproar led to MAC deciding that implementing a CDT is now a priority and will lead to a stronger certification program. As of January 2003, MAC is still working on a CDT, but fish are still coming out of the Philippines as MAC certified. MAC says it needs to put certification into motion so they can "work out the bugs". I say fine, but call it a pilot program or a testing phase- not certification. Using that word in the connotation that MAC has been representing it is perpetrating a fraud to concerned industry professionals and hobbyists. Perpetuating the lie. Hey, it's got a pretty sticker that says it's "certified", must be cyanide free. NOT TRUE. Not until a reliable test is in place. Buyer beware."

I also saw a documetary on National Geographic (i think that was the channel) about a month ago involving an undercover video servailance showing the use of cyandide poisoning. The Nature Conservancy and others have active programs in places like the Phillipines, Papaue New Guinea, and Indonesia to work with the locals in finding safe alternatives to their fishing practices. You can see a brief description here:

http://www.flyfishamerica.com/Conservation/TheNatureConservancy/98JFTNC/98JFTNC.html

Note that it was just late last year that the MAC started certifying fish from the Phillipines. Let me rieterate how important it is that we have people like hunters AND animal rights activists who will work to create and improve upon such regulations. It takes all kinds.

Justin 699:
For those that may wish to learn more about things they are judgemental about, and for those with open minds check out these websites outlining the saltwater aquarium trade. You may be suprised at what you can learn.

Check these out:

http://www.animalconcerns.org/
http://www.fund.org/home/
http://www.peta.com/

I also recommend the book "Animal Liberation" by Peter Singer. It is a deep philosophical look at how we view animals.

I have taken the time to try to understand the things that I have been judgemental about...I wonder if you have???

From one animal advocate to another

 

[debcov]

Yep...I can attest to the cyanide poisoning in the Phillipines. I have seen it. I have recently returned from Bali and while diving at Manjegan Island, a protected reserve, I heard several loud explosions while under water. I quickly scribbled on my slate asking if dynamite, and the DM replied yes.

Sad state of affairs. I live and dive in Asia and its frustrating to see this going on....

 

[debcov]

OOps...forgot to mention Nemo. Thanks for the heads-up on the movie. I did not know what it was. My small dot of an island in the Pacific does not have it....guess I will have to wait a while....but do want to see it.

 

[aquagirl]

Just saw the movie the other night, LOVED IT! It was amazing. I, too, am not a an Ellen D. fan but she was amazing. I have nothing political to say about the film. We could nit pick it and look at it every which way, but I prefer to look at it as a remarkable animated film with a great story. And don't take marine life away from their habitat!!

 

[neil]

There was an article in the LA Times today about how many calls have gone to some govt agencies because kids are flushing their pet clowns down the toilet, and the moms and dads think they can be rescued somewhere down the line! You just can't make this stuff up, folks. Forget about where the fish are bred, breed smarter children .
Neil

 

[beivied]

i have been waiting for the movie to be on screen from day one when i saw the poster...

i must say i felt the sting on the diver part, especially when i was watching the movie with another two diver friends who arent really that enthusiastic about marine life conservation and diving itself (*rolls eyes*) and was nudging me with the "what do you say to THAT?" kinda look.

but we have to admit that we have a lot of divers out there who are not concerned with the well being of marine life. they turn deaf ears to advice on not touching the marine life with their hands, gloves or no gloves, and feeling pride pricked when being told that one or two dive trips dont bring you anywhere near proper diving.

a lot of us do need to be told "shame on you"in the face like that.

 

[drbill]

I agree that there are more divers who lack awareness and concern for marine life than I can accept. How can someone submerge and not feel a sense of awe at what they see, and a desire to protect it? Well, that might be an understandable response under certain situations- like diving Los Angeles harbor!

The lack of understanding of many divers regarding the life forms they observe has really surprised me through the years. To hear people describe even the most common species with little knowledge of what they were is amazing. Any time I go into a new region to dive I purchase appropriate guides and read them prior to diving, then refer to them to better understand what I've seen.

Of course being a biologist may "cloud my judgment." However any diver can observe and learn things about a species they do not even know the name of. Watch the behavior, the interactions with other species, what it feeds on, etc., and you can sometimes learn something about that species that even the experts don't know.

I expected more of an outcry regarding the aquarium trade's collection of fish to meet market demands. Fortunately clownfish are captive bred, but I wonder if more breeding stock must be acquired from the wild to enhance the genetics or meet the four-fold increase in demand (was anyone really listening to what "Find Nemo" was saying???).

However there are also more and more divers who are getting involved in volunteer efforts to aid marine conservation through education, restoration and alien species removal programs. I applaud those efforts! There was relatively little of that when I began diving in the early 60's.

Dr. Bill

 

[PhotoTJ]

drbill once bubbled...
you must really love the annual Darwin awards... aren't they amazing?

Dr. Bill

Yep. Bought the book! Bill Ingvall had it right. Stupid people should have to wear signs!

 

[Snoopy]

Was shock that our local papers carried an article - detailing the increase demand of "Nemo" and how they died in the hands of amature aquariumist.

What have that movie done !@@!

Falling hook, line and sinker for Nemo

Worst off was that a LFS owner admitted that these fishes are not bred, they are "taken" off the ocean. Perhaps we can go to these new Nemo owner's place and take what we want !!