What DOES the guidebook actually say about feeding fish?

I have a copy that we used frequently earlier this month. I found it to be throughtfully written, so I thought I%26#39;d take a look:

Page176

';In general, it%26#39;s not a good idea to feed the fish. It upsets the balance by giving some fish an unnatural advantage over others and has the perverse effect of reducing both fish counts and variety. That said, the fish at Lydgate are such longtime people-food junkies that you won%26#39;t do any harm feeding them there.';

What DOES the guidebook actually say about feeding fish?

Oh No Here We Go Again!

What DOES the guidebook actually say about feeding fish?

Why do I sense I%26#39;m walking into a existing brawl? A quick search turned up some interesting comments on this.

That said... if ';the guidebook'; you mentioned is what I think, I%26#39;m not really surprised at the quote above. Another reason I left that series for the MbM guides a long time ago.

Why do you need to screw with nature when there are plenty of fish around to enjoy without feeding any?

';Why do you need to screw with nature when there are plenty of fish around to enjoy without feeding any?';

Must be the same reason people have to ';see'; places that are kapu. I never have understood it.

I think what I saw a user post here once sumed it up... a lot of folks have the Disney Land mentality in Hawaii. I%26#39;m not saying everyone does and I%26#39;m not pointing fingers. I was an outsider once myself. I%26#39;m worried that once a lot of people figure out the difference it%26#39;ll be too late. And that said, certain guidebooks are handing people their ';mouse ears'; and telling them ';facts'; that are lies.

Why do people climb Mt. Everest, visit Ayers rock in Australia, trek across the Sahara, or walk over lava fields to see a volcano?

Having only done the later... personally to say I%26#39;d met Pele face to face, respectfully.

I think a lot of folks do a lot of things for the ';thrill'; of the moment. To say they%26#39;ve ';done IT.';

Personally, I just think it%26#39;s a fine line... here in Hawaii and in some other places. I think sometimes it%26#39;s OK to leave a few things left undone and a few stones unturned. Mystery is, after all, one of the more intriguing qualities of Hawaii.

That sounds suspiciously blue-book like... full of disclaimers that sound like this ';You are officially not supposed to do (insert something illegal, risky, or harmful to the environment). However, if someone were to do it (wink wink), here%26#39;s how. . .';

Also, I%26#39;m not sure if that reasoning is logical, and here%26#39;s an example why. Hanauma Bay on Oahu is a great marine life conservation area. Back before people knew any better, hundreds of people (my family included) went there and fed the fish bags of bread and other human food. It was fun! But as a result, the ecosystem suffered. Some fish thrived -- the people food junkies -- and others disappeared. Luckily, that was stopped and you see a greater variety of marine life there now than 20 years ago. It would have been unfortunate if instead of making that change, we had said, ';oh well, they%26#39;re already acclimated to humans so let%26#39;s keep feeding them';. Sorry if this is rehashing old issues... I haven%26#39;t seen the earlier incarnations of this debate. I just think it%26#39;s best to keep wildlife wild. It%26#39;s great to have adventures and go places, just don%26#39;t mess with those places any more than necessary.

For those reading this message that don%26#39;t know what started it read the trip report by ';Maskin%26#39; where I pointed out that even though feeding the fish may be encouraged in the ';Ultimate Kauai Guidebook'; that is no longer an acceptable policy. I too have violated the rules of nature, but now understand that if humans feed (or bait) wildlife for our own amusement we will pay a price in the future. Unfortunately the price we pay will be tiny compared to the one that the very same wildlife we want to see close up will pay. Animals %26amp; marine life will do things that will endanger them, cause humans to become fearful of attack due to over aggressivness by them if not fed, and ultimately lead to their death to protect us from them.

The very reason that many people travel to Hawaii, the Caribbean, or the South Pacific to name some popular destinations is for the beauty, both on land and in the water. It is extremely unfortunate that in return the presence of us is helping destroy exactly what draws us all to these places. The ecology of most areas has survived all these years because the local population (which lived off of it) didn%26#39;t overconsume, nor destroy for pleasure what nature provided. THAT HAS CHANGED, so we must do our best to try to at least reduce the impact of tourism on the local ecology, even if it means that we must abstain from doing the things other tourists will do for personal satisfaction. Many of us know that the wildlife in the area where we live isn%26#39;t what it used to be, but not all of us care. Many think wildlife at home was an inconvenience, or was downright bad for our neighbourhood, so are glad it moved away, or was killed. I have recently had racoons go through my garbage, and even got a few photos of them, but never once wanted to kill them.

How much pleasure would going to Kauai bring if swimming meant you might be attacked by fish expecting to be fed, or seeing an island missing all the beautiful folliage because it was cut down to make room for houses and condos. Somehow we must become aware to the fact that every single place on this planet has a limit to just how many people it can accomodate before the impact of them being there becomes irreversable, and thus destroys why we wanted to visit or live there. Please understand that I am a tourist too, and would love to interact with the fish and other wildlife, but as a diver took to the divers creed to ';take only memories, and leave only bubbles'; as a way of enjoying what mother nature has provided.

If we do not raise awarenes the only wildlife to observe will be mice, rats, toads and mosquitos.

SORRY, got Maspin as Maskin, AND to Maspin please understand that I in no way mean to pick on you. I am only trying to educate those following in our footsteps. It is very important for all to know that I once was one of the people that took pleasure in killing wildlife simply because I could. When I was young and didn%26#39;t know better I hunted anything I could (gophers, squirrels, groundhogs, birds etc) that had no hunting season to protect them from idiots like me, so I do know the other side of the coin. Thanks to awareness of the long range impact I am a reformed sinner, and hope I can help reform a few others. Wildlife was here before us, is a part of the ecology that can%26#39;t be replaced, and we must do our part to protect it.