BBC Focus 02.2020

Fishingaffectsthewholeecosystem
and,assuch,reeffishinghashada
hugeimpactonsomeof themost
vulnerablemarineecosystems–
corals.Banningfishingcouldnot
onlyrelievepressureonsomeof the
4,000fishspeciesthatlivearound
coralreefs,butalsoonthecorals
themselves.
It’snotalwaysimmediatelyobvious
howfishingaffectsthecorals,but
Purcellgivesoneexample.Crown-of-
thornsstarfisharea scourgeonreefs
becausetheyeatthelivingpartof the
corals– thepolyps.If thestarfish
populations are not controlled by

predators,toomanypolypswillfall

preyto thesespikycreatures.Butthe

starfish’spredatorsareemperorfish,

whicharecaughtforfood,andtriton

snails,whichareprizedfortheir

shells.“I don’tthink[fishing]is the

onlyreasonwe’regettingoutbreaksof

crown-of-thornsstarfish,”says

Purcell.“Butit’soneof theproblems,

andit contributesto takingoutthe

[starfish’s]predators.”

Meanwhile,climatechangeand

increasingseatemperaturescontinue

to stressandbleachcorals,whichcan

thenbecomeovergrownwithalgae.

A fishing ban could help bolster

populationsof thefishneededto

cleanawaythissuffocatingslime.

Cleaningupcoralreefscouldalso

ensurethattheyremaintourism

destinationsforyearsto come,

supplyinglocalcommunitieswith

preciousincome,especially if fishing

wasn’t an option.

Corals would get some respite

WHAT IF... FEATURE

5

byHAYLEYBENNETT

(@g i n g e rb re a d l a d y)

Hayleyis a sciencewriterand(sustainably

sourced)fishfinger sandwich fan, based in

Bristol, UK.