List of local fish species acceptable for consumption

1) Pressures on coral reef fish stocks will be reduced. This is very important for dive site quality, as many beginning/intermediate divers will judge a dive solely upon the number of big or colorful fish they see. Sedentary (non-mobile) top predators like groupers and Napoleon wrasse are EXTREMELY vulnerable to over fishing, if not local extirpation, while at the same time being popular attractions for divers. Choosing not to serve these animals on the dinner plate allows many more people to enjoy these long-lived fish for years to come.

2) In a related issue, choosing pelagic fish species ensures that dive operators are not encouraging destructive fishing practices such as dynamite and cyanide fishing and spear fishing, as these activities focus exclusively on coral reef fisheries.

3) Local fishing communities will actually benefit from this switch in food choices; the majority of local fishermen fish pelagic species, and would be happy to sell their catch to local dive operators. This may help improve relationships between dive operators and local communities, who currently believe that they are “missing out” on the cash flow from dive tourism.

4) Worldwide, pelagic fish are generally considered better tasting and healthier than coral reef fish species. Pelagic fish such as yellow fin tuna and dolphin fish (mahi-mahi) are among the most expensive fish in many restaurants worldwide, and both species are very available here in Manado. Furthermore, serving pelagic fish offers two new food dish opportunities - sashimi (raw pelagic fish) and smoked tuna, a local delicacy. Sashimi is only prepared from the freshest of fish, while smoked tuna can last days without refrigeration. Finally, the possibilities of ciguatera and/or cyanide poisoning from reef-related species are eliminated by serving pelagic fish only.

5) Serving pelagic fishes has two further advantages over coral reef fish species. First, pelagic fishes, because of their high fecundity and growth rates, are generally considered much more resilient to over fishing than coral fishes - especially if they are captured by “traditional” techniques. Related to this, the generally higher abundances of pelagic fishes ensure that their price in the market place is often lower than coral reef fishes. By serving pelagic fish, not only can we feel better about our effects on fisheries, we can SAVE MONEY!!

6) While many tourists reportedly request reef species such as grouper, a little education as to the plight of groupers worldwide will generally turn them from grouper consumers to grouper conservationists in a hurry. Other fisheries targets which have special conservation needs include spiny lobster (Panulirus species) and sharks. ALL of these groups are well on their way to extinction in Indonesia (and worldwide) due to extensive exploitation for specialized export markets and we should avoid serving them AT ALL COSTS!!!
This list was put together with the help of Dr. Mark Erdmann. “Mark, as always, many thanks!”