October 2013. Though Finding Nemo introduced millions of viewers to the beauty of saltwater fish, Nemo and most of his friends may literally end up down the drain.
The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF-Philippines) estimates that as many as 98 out of 100 wild-caught saltwater fish die within one year.
80% or marine fish die before they are sold
Due to the volatility of current capture, transport and shipping practices, about 80% of all marine fish die even before they are sold. Even more shocking is the fact that as much as 90% of those that are sold die within the first year. Only the hardiest - clownfish, damselfish, wrasses, gobies and blennies - or those lucky enough to be bought by elite hobbyists, survive.
Trade in Living Jewels
There are three basic types of fish - saltwater fish from the sea, freshwater fish from rivers or lakes, and brackish water fish from zones where fresh and saltwater mix. Because of the volatile nature of rivers, most fresh and brackish water fish have learned to adapt to dramatic fluctuations in water quality.
Freshwater fish like tilapia, that were introduced into the Philippines, can for example, rapidly adapt to brown-water conditions each time monsoon rains engorge rivers with mud and silt. In contrast, brightly-hued saltwater or marine fish live in the single most stable environment on Earth - the ocean - where large-scale changes occur not in days, but in millennia. Because of this, most are unprepared for life in the average home aquarium, where water parameters fluctuate daily.
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