We need more digital ‘self-reporting’ like Walt Smith Fiji’s videos of hand caught fish collection

By on Jul 26, 2012

Walt Smith Fiji has recently uploaded a series of short videos showing some expert divers cautiously and effectively wrangling up fish along the reefs using on a net. Not only is the skill involved with capturing these fish with a net impressive but considering the plethora of coral all around the divers, they show serious control not to damage the surrounding reef. Coming on the heels of the news regarding the return of PNG fish to the trade with humane, sustainable collection practices, it is nice to see more evidence and accountability in the fish collection market. Click through for the videos.

We have extensively covered sustainable collection and husbandry topics here over the years and it is good to see some transparency with wild fish collection. While there has been efforts to create awareness and even certification, politics and lack of oversight have been detrimental but this doesn’t mean the individual collectors should get a pass on being accountable. The digital age allows for documentation of the process to help educated and inform the public. In our opinion, we need more of this self-reporting on a more frequent basis.

Below are a few of the videos. Make sure to check out Walt Smith Fiji’s YouTube channel for the rest (10 short videos total).

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  • http://www.facebook.com/eric.cohen.10 Eric Cohen

    Fantastic! Obviously professional collectors as you can see they even cover the angel fishes eyes to “freeze” them….old trick, but very effective. I can understand how people not having first hand experiences in fish collecting can appreciate these types of videos as “transparency” even though some of us within the industry just take this for granted as a common occurrence. The effort that goes out to collect fish is also very vivid in these videos. It ain’t easy!

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Mitch-Rico/1449982596 Mitch Rico

    Something about watching that makes me sad. It’s way better than catching fish with cyanide, but still… Poor fishes are being taken from their homes and into the hands of noobs that will keep them in horrible tanks. If they’re lucky, they’ll be bought by an advanced aquarist that can at least keep him alive.

  • http://www.facebook.com/sjabsheh1 Steven Jabsheh

    I totally agree with Mitch . Why take those fish from their natural habitat . Sad.

  • Hawaii_fisherman

    It’s still better than what would happen to them in the wild. Most of these fish will meet their end at the hands of a predator before long. Nature is a cruel place and small fish are on the bottom of the food chain. While it’s unfortunate that some might end up in the hands of bad hobbyists, overall their chances are better in an aquarium than in the ocean.

    However, I’m sure many people who see these videos will have a hard time understanding that. Peoples’ emotions get in the way, unfortunately.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=704609972 Julian Wilson

    Shame the reef looks so trashed!

  • http://twitter.com/ReefLabs Reef Labs

    Hawaii_fisherman’s statement seems to miss the essence of conservation I think. The presence of wildlife in the food chain contributes to the health of the ecosystem. Natural predation is… natural. Removing wildlife from the food chain for them to die in retail stores and glass boxes in New Jersey is an unnatural stress on the ecosystem.

  • Hawaii_fisherman

    Better not eat a tuna sandwich, then.