A-kids-to-kids on-line dialogue about our planet's fish crisis

For this blog, two questions were asked of NYC youth and Indo-Pacific youth:

Question#1: ["perspective of ocean fishes"] What is happening to our "homes": where we live, find food, have babies? [fish biology, basic sustainability concepts of marine ecosystem, types of destructive local and commercial fishing practices, etc.]

Question#2: ["perspective of Indo-Pacific and NYC youth"] How is over-fishing and the near collapse of your community's coastal ocean fisheries affecting you, your family, and community? [fish protein in your diet, fisherfolk parents conflicted re: "dirty-fishing" practices, need to move to the mainland where there's more food and more economic opportunities, towns are dying, etc.]

Qst #2; “Do I have a choice ?”

May 2nd, 2007

My dad lost his arm when he threw a bomb into a reef , since then , I am the one who has to help my family do the fishing to survive . Because it’s all up to me , I can’t go to school . We fish even when there is a ‘red tide’ , unfortunately , the villagers die because of this . We live on sea food , we don’t have a choice . Every fish we catch gets smaller and smaller , they have no time to grow and we are running out of fish to eat .

3 Comments

  1. Ralph - Philippines says

    I know what it’s like to have a problem like yours. Here in the Philippines fish is one of our food source and because of Illegal fishing activities like dynamite fishing,their population decreases. This results to DEath and hunger to many of my fellow Filipino especially the ones who live near the coast.

    May 8th, 2007 | #

  2. Philip - Philippines says

    Don’t you think it is dangerous to feed on marine resources wherein there is a red tide? Anyway that is indeed difficult to your part since that you are in a fishing community and your primary source of living is the sea, moreover you are the one raising your family. Here in Masbate, the City Government has made several programs and actions to eliminate illegal fishing. Why dont you seek help from your Government Officials? It is still their concern, Isn’t it?

    May 8th, 2007 | #

  3. Francine-Malaysia says

    here in malaysia . the government isnt too strict with our marine life .. if we make an issue about it , it’ll take them forever to actually take action!

    May 13th, 2007 | #

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