Avoiding Waterloo 2

Participants of last week’s Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) held in Bangkok agreed to put restrictions on the trading of Napoleon wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus). Enjoyed as a highly expensive delicacy in certain Asian markets, this slowly growing specie is under pressure from over catching. The new restrictions were jointly proposed by the European Union, Fiji, and The United States.

Here in Gorontalo the herds of these giant fish that greeted Miguel’s Diving staff five years ago during our initial survey work have long since disappeared. We keep a close guard on the whereabouts of those remaining. Local fishermen are asking the provincial government to forbid catching this fish. Since this fish must arrive alive to its market in another country, those who catch it use cyanide poisoning to stun the fish. Once in the water, this poison has caused some dramatic damage here.