NemoMovie

'Releasing Nemo' may harm local fish species

Thursday, July 1, 2004 Posted: 9:36 AM EDT (1336 GMT)

Marine species like these reef fish are increasingly threatened by invasive organisms.

LONDON, England (Reuters) -- Releasing pet fish into the open seas could have a disastrous effect on marine ecosystems and harm native species, scientists said on Wednesday.

They have been spotting exotic species in waters far from their natural habitats and suspect they have been freed from aquariums.

"It's a 'Finding Nemo' story," marine biologist Brice Semmens, of the University of Washington, Seattle, told New Scientist magazine.

In the blockbuster animated film Nemo, a clownfish, strays from his home and ends up in a fish tank in a dentist's office in Sydney, Australia while his over-protective, timid father searches the oceans for him.

"Individuals are releasing their pet fish with the best of intentions, but in the wrong ocean. It is a really bad idea," Semmens added.

Exotic fish from the Pacific and Indian oceans and the Red Sea, including the predatory lionfish, varieties of angel fish and tang have been sighted off the coast of Florida.

If the fish breed and establish populations they could endanger local species.

The lionfish, which has now been spotted in waters from Florida to New York, is particularly worrying because it preys on a variety of fish, shrimps and crabs, according to the magazine.

"In the coming weeks the US National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration and representatives from the aquarium industry will join forces to educate the public about the dangers of dumping pet fish into the ocean," the magazine said.

I am curious if any of you have seen "Finding Nemo" or the game that is out? I have not made it with the kids to the film but got the game and was surprised by the content and issues it presents, generally in a negative view.

The "Finding Nemo" computer game, that apparently follows the themes of the movie with clips, begins with the young clownfish venturing too far from the reef near a boat only to be caught by an ominous diver and taken away screaming in his boat, eventually to end up in his tank. The theme centers around his efforts to escape and his fathers efforts to tract him down and save him and bring him home.

The scene in the aquarium, although pretty, brings up a number of issues:

1) Bringing ocean parasites into the tank without, of course, a quarantine period. They use a cleaner shrimp to clean him up.

2) Presentation of some inhabitants that are not all that compatible or hardy such as a puffer and a Moorish Idol. They claim that they won't hurt the new fish.

3) Efforts to clog the filter to force the owner to take them out for servicing, in an attempt to escape.

4) Plans to escape by getting to the bay and swimming home.

5) Actually jumping from the tank and going down a drain to get back to the ocean (illegal dumping?) At least this myth, that all drains go to the ocean, would possibly prevent some kids from dropping pet fish directly into bays to let them go.

6) A little girl who is supposed to get Nemo, the clownfish, for her tank, who abuses the bagged fish by shaking it around.

Another theme is that "Fish are our friends, not food". The clownfish goes to the extent of helping food fish escape from a fisherman's net. I am not sure if this is more an animal rights or a vegetarian issue.

Possibly it could at least be considered positive for tank raised, but overall I interpret it as anti-aquarium, especially saltwater which is a pity as I thought it might be a positive force when the trailers first came out.

Regards,

Tom Frakes