Tourists offered horrifying fishing trips using dynamite in China

Chinesefishermen who use dynamite and home-made bombs to blast fish out of the water have turned the practice into a tourist attraction.

"Blast-fishing" is banned in many countries because of its destructive impact on the ecosystem, but it appears to be thriving in China, where dynamite fishing trips are even offered for tourists.

Using commercial dynamite or home-made bombs made out of glass bottles with powdered potassium nitrate and pebbles, or ammonium nitrate and kerosene, the fishermen hurl the explosives into the water producing underwater shock waves which stun or kill the fish.

These pictures were taken in the Dayawan Bay facing the city of Huizhou, on the South China Sea, in south-east China's Guangdong province, described in local travel guides as "an unpolluted, quiet paradise for those sea-lovers", reports the Mirror.

The Chinese fishermen's target in these snaps are the yellow croakers (Larimichthys polyactis) and every November they head out to catch them.

But the explosions also kill other sea life in the area and severely damage the underlying habitat such as coral reefs as some of the fish float to the top, while others float to the bottom.

The fishermen are now reportedly selling their fishing trips as tourist attractions.

Angler Liau Xiou, 32, who unwittingly signed up to a trip in Dayawan Bay, said he was horrified. According to the Daily Mail, he said: "We saw an advert promising 'fishing action'.

"We assumed it meant fun and paid the £30 to have a go. We'd been out for about 30 minutes when the men told us they were going to feed the fishes.

"They were laughing and stuffing the bottles with powder and what looked like stones.

"They then threw them overboard and just seconds later there was a huge series of explosions.

"And then all these dead fish appeared floating on the surface which the fishermen hauled in with nets.

"I was absolutely disgusted and shocked beyond belief."

A spokesman for the Chinese Fishery Bureau told CEN: "These fishermen make the most of their money from taking tourists out to watch them at work.

"We are attempting to crack down on it though."

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