Finding Nemo Causes Clownfish To Near Extinction

Tropical clownfish – the stars of Finding Nemo – face extinction five years after the animated film was released and the movie may be playing a part in their downfall, according to a new report.

It is estimated just half of global demand can be met by clownfish bred in captivity, which means the rest have to be taken from the sea.

Now the average group of clownfish population in Queensland, Australia, has shrunk from 25 members to just six, making it harder for them to breed, the report shows.

Dr Billy Sinclair, of Cumbria University, has spent five years studying the species.

He said the film – about a father clownfish trying to find his son after he was captured for a fish tank – did much to educate children about marine life.

But the fish were then sold as a ‘must have’ children’s pet, leading to soaring demand. ‘My message to kids who loved the film is simple: tell your parents to leave Nemo in the sea where he belongs,’ he said.

But Dr Sinclair claimed the changing environment was also playing a part.

Rising sea temperatures, which cause reefs to ‘bleach’ and then die, is another factor, he said.

‘I am not saying it is solely down to over-harvesting, as climate change is clearly having an impact on the coral reefs and anemones on which the clownfish live,’ the researcher added.

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