Dynamite Fishing

Dynamite Fishingalso known as blast fishing

the practice of using explosives to stun or kill schools of fish for easy collection

this practice is illegal and often ruins and causes destruction to the ecosystem and their habitat (e.g. corals, reefs)

this may also cause injuries and accidents for fishermen

the practice of dynamite fishing remains widespread in Southeast Asia, parts of Greece and Coastal Africa

Why people engage in dynamite fishing

Poverty

Lack of job opportunities

Ignorance

Laziness and greed

Lack of discipline

Poverty

Poverty is a major problem in our country

today. Because of poverty, people living near the sea or those

who make fishing their source of living resort to desperate measures to augment their income. Engaging in dynamite fishing is one of these

“desperate measures.”

Lack of job opportuniti

esDynamite fishing is an alarming phenomenon because of its adverse effects on the ecosystem. But some people say they cannot avoid engaging in the practice because there are no other job opportunities for them. Some fisherfolk say it’s better to go to the sea and using dynamites than doing nothing at all.

Ignorance

Many people are not aware of the

consequence of their use of dynamites in

fishing. Others do not care. Many think only

about the money, forgetting about the

effects of what they do to their environment.

Laziness and greed

There are some people who are educated, who have the money, but are lazy and greedy. They want easy money, so they resort to the use of dynamites. Greed also drives people to use the illegal method so that they will more catch in a short period of time.

Lack of discipline

Among all these reasons, lack of discipline is the

most important. It doesn’t really matter if a person is

poor, uneducated, or there is no opportunity for work. What is important is

they have discipline. There might be no jobs, but they can still catch

fish by using other means.

Process

Making the fusesThe fuses are designed to burn underwater. The aluminum part is a blast cap, which ignites the ammonium nitrate and causes the explosion. These fuses are difficult to obtain and are the most expensive part of these explosive charges.

For demonstrational purposes

Making the fusesBottles are filled with the inflammable fertilizer. An ordinary bottle of gin (0.3l) usually does the job, but unfortunately gallon-size containers are often used too.

For demonstrational purposes

Making the fuses

The fuse is wrapped to a matchstick and pushed into a bottle. The water-tight seal is cut out of common flip-flops.

For demonstrational purposes

Fishing

With the charges prepared, the fishers go to sea, where they look out for spots at which schools of fish can be found. When a good spot is located...

For demonstrational purposes

Fishing

The fuse is lit with a matchbox, ready to be thrown to sea...

For demonstrational purposes

FishingThe “dynamite” is then thrown into the sea.

The fuse was thrown over a fishless area

FishingImmediately after the blast, the hookah-diver gets ready to descend. He is equipped with an old-fashioned, leaking mask and his air supply comes from a hose (commonly used for aquarium pumps), which is connected to a compressor on the boat...

That guy is just playing the role of a dynamite fisher/diver

Fishing

... his weight belt is a rock that is fastened around his waist in an old T-shirt and his fin is made of plywood.

That guy is just playing the role of a dynamite fisher/diver

Fishing

Meanwhile, below the boat, dozens of blasted fish sink to the sea bed...

That dead fish was bought from the local market

FishingThe diver goes below to collect all the dead fish.

Those dead fish were bought from the local market, thrown to the sea for the demo-diver to pick-up

FishingThe seascape was wasted...

That dead fish was bought from the local market

Other illegal methods of fishing

Cyanide FishingFishermen stun fish by squirting cyanide into the reef areas where there are fish. They then rip apart the reefs with crowbars to capture disoriented fish in the coral where they hide.

In addition, cyanide kills coral polyps, algae and other organisms necessary for healthy reefs.

MuroamiThis uses an encircling net with pounding devices consisting of heavy cement blocks. The pounding devices are repeatedly and violently lowered into the area encircled by the net, literally smashing the coral in that area into small fragments in order to scare the fish out of their coral refuges.

STOP BLAST FISHING!

Blast fishing is one of the more pervasive threats to coral reefs in the world today. Let’s help stop blast fishing in our own small way.

Sourceshttp://www.artifishal.com/projects/dynamite-fishing-pics.html

http://ischoolmjmontano.wordpress.com/why-do-people-engage-in-dynamite-fishing/

http://www.wwf.org.ph/_userimgs/001-Dynamite_fishing._-dynamide.jpg

http://en.wikipedia.org