Jamaicans at home and abroad have reacted strongly to the proposal that the parrotfish be banned in order to restore the island’s corla reefs and beaches.

The Jamaica Observer reported a week ago that director of the Negril Coral Reef Preservation Society mooted that the species be declared endangered, arguing that a single parrotfish can excrete up to 800 lbs of sand in its lifetime.

He was backed up by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the world’s oldest and largest environmental organisation, which released a study showing that Caribbean coral reefs could disappear in the next 20 years if parrotfish and sea urchins, natural grazers of reefs, continue to be fished.

The parrotfish, it said, should be declared specially protected under the Protocol Concerning Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife (SPAW Protocol).

Here are some edited readers’ comments to that story:

chin lee

What the People should eat? The health industry in Jamaica donnt care about its People because in Europe MSG seasonning is a Banned Product ,in Jamaica we made Patties and other Products out of it.

bradlevin

Eat goat

drew

eat vegetables!!!

Jahmusic

Eat Lionfish, Snapper, grunt, butterfish etc. The best solution would be to increase the number of fish sanctuaries so that

there are places where fish can reach reproductive age and size and some places where they are not caught at all. If we don’t,

then we won’t have to worry about beaches or parrotfish because the fish will be gone in 10 years anyway. The fact that it’s

harder to get the fish and that it’s rare to see a full- grown one is evidence that the populations are declining. If we carry on as

we are they will disappear.

zack murray

When was the last time you see a 40-lb parrot fish or how often you see one? Some of these people are too educated and follow fashion. I have never seen a 40-lb parrot fish but here he is stressing that we are preventing 800 lbs of sand from being dumped. You cut a tree or eat fish someone bark. I won’t stop eat parrot suh tell dem fi gwey!

barushka

You are correct, let them go to hell! We have been consuming parrot fit for the longest time. In fact, it is sometimes hard to get. I have never seen a 40-lb parrot fish and of all the fishes in the sea this is the only one that can replenish sand?

bobo

I have seen those sizes of parrot fish. The reason you don’t see them often in Jamaica is the same reason why they want to ban them from being fished. The fishermen are taking out the smaller ones before they can mature… I love parrotfish as well, but if there is a ban, I won’t be eating any. We lack education and that’s the problem. If we continue as is, we won’t have any reefs, less sand and also no parrotfish. Isn’t it better to enforce a ban to increase their population then lifting it afterwards?

dranks

You not seeing a 40-lb parrot fish does not mean they do not exist. Have you ever seen a blue whale?

Think about, and if you don’t believe 40 pound parrot fish exist, look it up on the internet

Shirley Holness

This is really interesting. This is the very first time I am hearing of the tremendous work that the parrotfish is doing. I know that there will be some hardship/difficulties for a lot of people if this suggestion is enforced. But we have to make a decision and balanced the situation here with rational thinking.

Juney

So amazing, I learned something new about the parrot fish too. I know it’s a fish that we love to eat, but we have to do what’s best for the reefs and beaches…agree with your post.

Fredericka

Tthis is hilarious!! you could probably replace the stolen sand at Duncans beach. We would need a lot of parrot fish to replace that.

leewayne

Just make the ban temporary as a compromise. Ten- year ban, five-year ban on. Just a layman suggestion that might not make any sense. :-).