Should Disney run a “Protect the Blue Tang” ad?
Finding Dory will make a splash June 17, but it has fish-lovers everywhere worried.
When Finding Nemo was first released, Clownfish sales soared! The 40% spike in demand was actually good for the little Nemo look-a-likes as they can breed in captivity. The Saving Nemo Conservation Fund says more than 1 million clownfish are taken from reefs every year and sold as pets thanks to the popularity of the film.
The Blue Tang fish, Dory, however, cannot. This means that 100% of Blue Tangs bought will come from the wild and there will be no way to replace them.
And if the previous film is any predictor, people could be after the Dory-like fish and that could spell trouble for the species.
So a petition has been created asking Disney to urge fans to refrain from buying Blue Tang fish.
Kelsey Bourgeois created the “Disney: tell fans to find Dory, not buy her” campaign, which has exceeded its 85,000 signature goal!
Blue Tang Fishy Fun Facts
They change color as they mature. Young fish are bright yellow with blue spots near their eyes. As they get older, they become blue over most of their body with a yellow tail.
They go by several names, including blue barber, blue doctor, blue tang surgeonfish, yellow barber and yellow doctorfish. The terms “barber,” “tang” and “doctor” refer to the extremely sharp spines on each side of the fish’s tail, which are said to resemble surgeon’s scalpels. They usually remain flat against the fish’s body, extending only when it is threatened or alarmed.
The adults average 12 inches in length and live singly, in pairs, or sometimes in groups as large as 10-12. Occasionally, they form larger groups on reefs.
They live in coastal waters, coral reefs and inshore rocky or grassy areas between 6-131 feet deep and can be found in waters from New York to Brazil and as far east as the remote Ascension Island.
They can often live up to 20 years in ideal conditions.
Remember kids, FISH ARE FRIENDS!
Sources: nature.org, comicbookcom,thepetitionsite.com
When Beth “grows up” she wants to see her creations appear on the screen and stage. In her free time, Beth blogs about her love of craft beer and writes screenplays. She received her bachelors in journalism from Youngstown State and received her masters in communication from The University of Akron. She is honored to be a part of the FanFest family.
