Are there local business focused on the marine ornamental trade?
The presence of local businesses that sell and export aquarium fish, invertebrates, and live coral are an indication that aquarium fishing is occurring at your site. In some places like Singapore and Hawaii, shipments of aquarium organisms pass through on their way to and from various locations. • Did you see broken coral?Broken coral can be an indication of several different issues affecting reefs including bomb and poison fishing. One of these issues could also be aquarium fishing. Branched coral is sometimes broken by aquarium fish collectors to retrieve fish that hide between the branches. Small hard corals and coral heads may also be overturned in an effort to catch hiding fish. A random, patchy distribution of this kind of damage could result from aquarium fish collection. Widespread coral rubble may be an indication of bomb fishing or storm damage.
