"Finding Dory", the long awaited sequel to Pixar's "Finding Nemo", is hitting theaters June 17 and it is destined to be a hit. "Finding Nemo" easily became one of people's favorite Disney Pixar films when it was released back in 2003, so this is a movie a lot of people have been waiting for.
I personally am so excited to see some of my favorite characters enter a new adventure, but there is something happening behind the scenes that is not as fun and exciting. The release of "Finding Dory" will unknowingly become a threat to the clownfish and regal blue tang fish populations. The Guardian explained, "The earlier film led to the huge popularity of clownfish in pet shops, and a corresponding drop in their numbers in their traditional habitat on coral reefs." And scientists are afraid that the same thing will happen all over again with the release of this movie.
What people don't realize is that most of the fish found in shops were plucked from the wild. This, in turn, damages the reefs. The Guardian also speaks of organizations including, "The Saving Nemo fund [which] has been breeding clownfish in nurseries since 2005 in an effort to ensure wild populations do not suffer."
Clownfish can be bred humanly, but the larger issue with this movie is that regal blue tang fish can not be bred in captivity. The NY Daily News writes that, "every single blue tang fish you see in a pet store or home aquarium was actually snagged in the wild." This is not a common fact to most fish owners, but it is a fact that needs to be shared. Saving Nemo co-founder and Flinders University researcher, Karen Burke de Silva, has spoken out saying, "Nursery-bred fish are also far happier and healthier in tanks than wild-caught fish."
The Saving Nemo fund is, at the moment, trying to get the attention of Ellen DeGeneres on twitter using the hashtag #fishkiss4Nemo, but has had no luck so far. They are asking people to take a picture of themselves making a fish face and send it to her with information about their cause. The group is also trying to get in contact with the Disney filmmakers behind "Finding Dory," but have received no response.
Anita Nedosyko, the other Saving Nemo co-founder said, “People fell in love with the adorable characters and wanted to keep them as pets, instead of understanding the film’s message of keeping Nemo in the ocean where he belongs.” So next time you think you might want to buy a fish, maybe even one that resembles your favorite Pixar character, do a little bit of research before hand. Make sure you are not harming the environment or fish eco-system in the process. Do it for our favorite (forgetful) fish friend, Dory.
