Shark slaughter off Texas coast

[TwoBitTxn]

I do agree that environmental causes need to be heard, but I will take exception to the comment that subsistence farmers "will not listen to reason." If you only made just enough to survive (definition of subsistence) and someone wanted you to abandon the techniques that bring in enough to methods that may benefit the environment but at your expense, would you really do it? Think about it. You make just enough to survive, and they want you to take less. That is "reason" to which you should listen?! (Hint for the slow people: if it's just enough to survive, taking less means you DIE!)

Change the method of the farming. If their methods of farming the reef kill considerable more fish than they are eating then teach them a different way of fishing. If the reef isn't capable of supporting the farming practices the individuals go from having something to having nothing. If they can be taught to use different methods of farming and find other sources of food maybe the reef will be able to continue supporting them.

I still feel this is a small part of a huge problem. The illegal netting that goes on, the fishing in protected areas that goes on, is doing far more damage than subsistance farming.

TwoBit