For those who are unsure, a parrotfish is a marine fish with a parrot-like beak, and is usually brightly-coloured. There are about 80 different species – 30 of them found in Caribbean waters. Parrotfish is [sadly] said to be one of the most commonly caught and eaten species in Jamaica. Many don’t realize (or care) about the negative effects of consuming parrotfish; hopefully you’re not one of them after reading this.
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Why Consuming Parrotfish is Not Recommended
Parrotfish Maintain Beaches
They are responsible for cleaning smothering algae from coral reefs, which would eventually die otherwise. When they eat the algae they also chip away at the skeleton of the coral reef with their beaks, ground it up, and in turn produce sand; this process makes them a major producer of sand in the tropics. An adult parrotfish can produce up to 800 pounds of sand in its entire lifetime! If allowed, it can live for over 15 years; this is a major factor in helping to maintain our beaches and in turn, tourism and livelihood of many.
Overfishing Parrotfish Problem
Their important ecological roles are compromised by overfishing, and the fact that they are preyed upon by the invasive lion fish. Healthy coral reefs serve as a habitat for many fish and any threat to the reefs is a threat to the entire fish population. Additionally, healthy coral reefs protect from storm surges by breaking waves before they crash inland.
Parrotfish Reality Check?
I have been snorkeling twice in the open sea, the first time was in the Bahamas while the other time was in Jamaica. Two noticeable differences between the underwater coral reefs seen here and in the Bahamas were that here, there were significantly less parrotfish and more algae. Parrotfish were among the first fish I noticed (with the exception of a passing barracuda) snorkeling off the coast of a Bahamian islet called Half Moon Cay, while I don’t remember seeing more than 3 in Jamaica. Spending 45 minutes floating within in a small circle at Half Moon Cay, I saw more parrotfish there than during my hour-long excursion off the coast of Negril swimming over two great coral reefs. To me, that was alarming enough.
Even more alarming is seeing fishermen and small cooks offering this fish (that aren’t of a size fit for a snack) as a meal. The only thing more upsetting to me are consumers who have heard the cry to #SaveTheParrotfish for the benefit of our environment but answer it with indifference under the sole argument of “it tastes too good to stop nyam [eat]”.
Please don’t let consuming parrotfish be your choice (consuming lionfish, however, is a good idea). You may be asking why would you choose to not eat it if it’s already caught, dead and can’t be thrown back into the sea…well, if the demand for it is not there then there would be less incentive for fisher folk to catch it. Notable businesses such a Sandals Resorts and Rainforest Seafoods have joined the effort by no longer buying nor offering parrotfish and launching campaigns to help raise awareness.
[Not] Food for thought
If you are one who believes you can’t do without eating/selling parrotfish, tell me, can you possibly do without our beaches, or other fishes? If you cry over the disappearing sands of the iconic Hellshire beach, or the worry that you won’t be able to easily visit a Jamaican beach in the near future due a growing number becoming privately-owned, think about not being able to visit a beach at all simply because they no longer exist.
#SaveTheParrotFish
The decreasing parrotfish population is something we need to be concerned about. What we all need to understand is that with a decline in parrotfish stocks our marine life, coral reef ecosystems, and our tourism product is threatened. This is something that will affect everyone living in this region if we don’t actively address it
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You are now the second person who has mentioned that eating parrot fish is not good based on their importance to the oceans’ ecosystem. I will have to join so many other people and discontinue eating them, although I do love them…but anything to help our oceans. Thank you for providing this valuable piece of education. I hope many more people will read and take heed.
Thank you for stopping by to leave a comment, and having an open mind 🙂
Very Informative. I have sat through conferences themed around this and I have found that there is a battle between fighting poverty and fighting for the environment. The poor are saying they need to eat first.
Sad, because like many things that’s a short-term reward with long-term consequences that will make their (and the environment’s) current situation worse.
Coral reefs are the base of the food chain that feeds the world and disappearing at an alarming rate so anything that can be done to help them is an absolute necessity. It’s a shame most people don’t know about simple things like coral safe sunscreens (because chemicals and oils in the ordinary sort harm the reefs.) The fish too as you mentioned are an important part of an ecosystem that stops functioning through the interference of humans. It’s very interesting that the parrot fish also replenish the sand. Which makes them more important to the economy alive than dead because beaches bring tourists and tourists bring dollars.
Yes, and thank you also for your additions.