Our reefs survival, parrotfish spearfishing

    I remember vividly seeing HUGE Dark Blue Parrot Fish on the Pacific side of Panama in the 50's into the 70's but come to think of it - I have not seen a single one on my return diving trips the past few years. Not sure what this means since to the best of my knowledge Parrot Fish are NOT harvested in Panama like in so many other locations. We had, and still have the smaller Parritfish of various hues in Panama but the Big Blue ones really stood out for their color and size. And yes - they would poop white sand.


    I ate some in Baja and It is a very white, mild, tender fish. one of the most expensive in the fish markets I'm told.


    Interesting storyline.

    Parot fish don't eat reefs they eat algae growing on reefs, the reefs get swallowed as a by product of their grazing which is why they poop sand, all beaches are parrotfish poop.
    I saw a lecture on the declining reefs by an American dude who is considered widely in the scientific as the top Caribbean reef expert and a top Pacific reef expert as well, he was very clear in his 30+ years of research showing that there was a clear simple explanation to reefs that recovered from the massive reef die off in the 90's and the reefs that are still struggling today... parrotfish population! Also he has no biases in terms of his speciality like sea eggs to sway his findings...just saying, my wife is a marine biologist and I have rare inside information into how bent stuff can get especially if you are looking for funding or want data to reflect policy or opinion.

    A bad day at sea is better than a good day in the boatyard
    George Steele

    Here's an point to consider. Kind of which came first? The chicken or the egg?


    Are parrot fish populations less on sick reefs BECAUSE the reef is sick, meaning they lack food there? Or did the lack of parrot fish CAUSE the reef to become sick?

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