GR.–Despite efforts by many conservation organizations, animal trafficking continues to push species toward extinction.

 ‘Finding Dory’ Expected to Fuel Consumer Demand for Royal Blue Tangs, Other Wild-caught Fish

OAKLAND, Calif.— “A new analysis by the Center for Biological Diversity and For the Fishes finds that 6 million fish tropical marine fish imported into the United States each year for the pet trade have been exposed to cyanide poisoning.

“The findings come ahead of the release of Disney/Pixar’s Finding Dory, which is likely to fuel a rapid increase in the sale of tropical reef fish, including royal blue tangs like Dory. The groups’ new report, Poisoned Waters, examines the destructive practice of cyanide poisoning in places like the Philippines and Indonesia that supply the tropical aquarium-fish market in the United States.

“Finding Dory is almost certainly going to trigger a consumer drive to buy tropical fish like the ones seen in the movie. Sadly this business has a dark and dangerous side that ruins coral reefs and devastates tropical fish populations,” said Nicholas Whipps with the Center.

“To catch fish with cyanide, crushed cyanide tablets are placed in squirt bottles filled with seawater. The dissolved cyanide is then sprayed directly onto the reefs near the targeted fish to stun the fish and make it easier to scoop them up. In some cases 55-gallon drums of cyanide have been dumped overboard to capture fish.”  Continue reading:  Analysis: U.S. Pet Trade Imports 6 Million Tropical Fish Exposed to Cyanide Poisoning Each Year

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