Poisoned Waters

The demand for live fish for both the marine aquarium and seafood trade spurs the use of destructive collecting techniques, including cyanide fishing. Cyanide is a toxic chemical used to stun the fish, allowing them to be gathered by hand. Many fish suffer lasting injury and experience early mortality. The fishermen frequently cause physical damage to reefs during collecting as well, destroying branching corals while getting at small fish in crevices.