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Emma Wright

Mr. Denzin

APES in the News

27 February 2017

Fish Magnet Boom

When I first started reading this article on the Indonesian war on overfishing, I had

no idea what a fish magnet was, or how they were pushing many species to the brink of

collapse. Through my research I found out that fish aggregation devices, commonly

referred to as FADs, are man made floating buoys that attract fish to their location,

making them mush easier to catch. These FADs mimic naturally found floating objects

like rotting logs or dead whales, but with thousands of these devices in Indonesia waters

have been popping up, devastating the natural fish stocks. Many scientists can agree that

these fish aggregation devices are creating harmful effects on the environment and

creating an issue of overfishing, but the controversy is that many of these devices are the

main livelihood of poor fishermen along the coast. Some people like conservationists are

pushing for their outright removal and eradication, while others say they should be left.

The main decision falls on President Joko Widodos shoulders, as his administration is

being pressured to take action. The issue lies within regulation. There is no way to get an

accurate count of how many of these FADs are actually out there. It could be hundreds or

thousands along the coast. For local fishermen who are just trying to feed their families,

the practice is sustainable, but when large fishing corporations move in and stake out
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claims, that is when the practice can no longer be upheld. Yellowfin and bigeye tuna are

often the stocks of fish that are most often effected. Commonly, big fisheries will scoop

up all the individuals near a FAD, not bothering to check if they are of age or if they are

juvenile or what. The biggest steps being taken towards controlling the use of FADs is

regulation. Now they are required to be 10 nautical miles away from each other, and to be

registered to an accountable individual. Personally, I really dont like the use of FADs on

a large scale, because it seems unfair to the fish. They are just trying to hide and be safe,

but end up being lead to their doom. I know that practically, not all FADs will be

removed, but hopefully President Widodo will take further action towards regulation and

conservation of fish being caught with the aid of fish aggregation devices.