Saving the Oceans Through Captive Breeding

Although it is easy to picture the oceans as an endless resource, brimming with life, the truth is that overfishing, climate change, and pollution are destroying the reefs at a rate much faster than they can recover.

Coral reefs in the Indian and Pacific Oceans are declining at a rate of 600 square miles per year.  These two areas, home to approximately 3/4 of the earth's reefs, are dying at twice the rate of our planet's rainforests. (source)  Seventy-five percent of Hawaiian reef fish species are facing extinction due to overfishing. (source)  CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) has listed 86 species of fish in their appendices to be protected against over-harvesting for international trade (source), while the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) Red List has included 1,275 species of fish on its threatened list, an alarming 37% of the fish species the organization had reviewed by 2008! (source)

One fish included on the IUCN Red List is still commonly seen as wild caught specimens in most fish stores, the Bangaii Cardinal.  While CITES declined a proposal from the United States to include this peaceful black and white fish in its appendices in 2007, their decision is difficult to understand.  The Cardinal has an estimated wild population of only 2.4 million, but it is being harvested from the oceans at a rate of 700,000 to 900,000 individuals per year!  This fish is a mouth brooder which produces only small clutches of new fish at time, unlike the prolific egg layers who produce nests of hundreds at a time.  When natural predation, destructive fishing methods (i.e. cyanide), and disease are taken into account, it seems unlikely that these fish can maintain their populations at the rate they are being removed from the ocean.

If statistics such as those are not enough to give you pause when choosing a wild caught fish over a tank raised specimen, consider the following.  Tank raised fish are more likely to eat in captivity, while wild caught fish will often starve rather than accepting the commonly available commercial fish foods.  Wild caught fish are more likely to introduce diseases and other parasites into your aquarium, while captive bred species have most likely never encountered the illnesses and diseases that can kill every animal in your tank in a matter of days.  A tank raised fish has not been stressed by being shipped from another country, has not been caught using questionable techniques like dynamite fishing, cyanide, or bleach, and it will be at the beginning of its lifespan when you add it to your aquarium, providing years of enjoyment.

With so many benefits to tank raised fish species and so many risks with their wild caught counterparts, the real questions seems to be, why wouldn't you want a captive bred fish?