Choice Reading #2

Captive Breeding Could Transform the Saltwater Aquarium Trade and Save Coral Reefs http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110920121612.htm Science Daily Marine biologists at The University of Texas at Austin Marine Science Institute are creating new methods to more efficiently breed saltwater aquarium fish. These fish include raising seahorses, plankton and invertebrates in captivity in order to preserve the biologically rich ecosystems of the world's coral reefs. The author sides with the researchers of The University of Texas in saying that capturing and selling has got to go. The author explains that 80% of traded animal deaths are due to cyanide solution capturing, the traditional method. This method involves divers pumping cyanide solution into coral and putting the animals to sleep. This method causes many deaths from travel and the animals that cannot get away from the poison. This is unacceptable to the scientists at UT, they are creating breeding tanks and utilizing tanks already created by Seaworld and others. Through these methods they have successfully breaded over 9 species, some of which were giving researchers trouble. This new method will hopefully releive the stress on the saltwater environment, and create happier, healthier animals for shops to sell. The research that is being done is a great asset to the saltwater environment. Many could read this article and leave it to the biologists to care or to get involved. I feel that this would be a mistake, and one of the best things we can do is understand the impact that saltwater species have on our place in the ecosystem. One aspect I considered while reading the article was a question, "what would happen if all the seahorses or plankton died out?". The food chain would be abruptly changed. The plankton provide a huge amount of foot in the ecosystem and without them the whales would die out and the filter feeders and so on. We must do whatever we can to stop the death of food chain members which includes the saltwater fish. The market will never die out, we need the fish to eat, and if we must commercially sell them then we should at least do what we can to capture and raise the fish safely.