SODIUM CYANIDE
This kind of illegal
fishing came from Taiwan. In this technique, sodium cyanide powder is dissolved in water
and poured into a plastic squirt-bottle. This produces a solution that is colorless,
tasteless and odorless. When a coral reef or school of fish is seen,
divers enter the water and squirt what is in the bottle at
the fish, or directly into the coral beds to flush the fish out.
This causes the fish to become dizzy, or stunned, making them easier to
catch. Sodium cyanide is usually the method used when live fish is needed,
for exhibits or restaurants. The problem with this process,however is that
Sodium cyanide kills everything else that it touches, especially the corals.
It is virtually impossible
to detect fish caught using cyanide because it is usually employed to stun
the fish, not kill them. Fish caught with cyanide are more valuable
alive than dead. A rule of thumb: most fish found in seafood restaurants
were most likely caught with cyanide.
return to the ILLEGAL FISHING menu